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Study abroad in
Italy
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into the shoes of an Italian teenager, joining a local family and attending an Italian secondary school: the best way to experience the dolce vita first-hand.
Going with WEP is best
Since 1988, a wide choice of destinations and comprehensive assistance before, during and after your overseas programme. WEP is the ideal partner for your big overseas adventure.
Like you, we also get to choose who we travel with: our schools, host families and overseas partner organisations are carefully selected.
We offer a custom-made insurance policy, specifically designed for our participants, and we have a solid network behind us.
Emergency assistance, overseas and in the UK, is available 7 days out of 7, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Allowing all our participants to live their desired overseas experience is a mission, a challenge we're thrilled to accept.
Why study in Italy?
Choosing to study in Italy means giving yourself the opportunity to be immersed in a rich culture, marvelling at the Italian fine art and enjoying some of the most delicious food while improving your Italian language skills.
In this cradle of Mediterranean culture, you'll be blown away by world-famous art, soak in the Renaissance architecture so typical of Italy, and discover what the Italian lifestyle is all about. Your experience wouldn't be complete without putting some 'effort' into discovering the much-celbrated Italian cuisine. Each region has its own specialties, from Neapolitan pizza to pasta carbonara from Rome, passing through the mouth-watering gastronomy of Tuscany or Sicily... get your taste buds ready to experience the most authentic flavours of Italy!
Regardless of which type of high school exchange programme you end up choosing in Italy, you'll come back with memories to last a lifetime.
Study in Italy with WEP
A high school exchange programme in Italy is a 360-degree immersion in all aspects of Italian culture. You will attend a local high school like if you were an Italian teenager, and you will live with a host family who will take you in as one of their own, for a 100% authentic Italian experience.
Form new friendships, discover a different education system, gain a second family for life and improve your language skills on an unforgettable study abroad experience in Italy.
The Italian education system
Schooling in Italy begins with scuola dell'infanzia (kindergarten) at 3 years old, followed by scuola primaria from 6 to 10 years of age. Secondary education (scuola secondaria) starts around age 11 with three years of middle school, and continues with upper secondary school which lasts for 5 years. Italian students are often 19 by the time they sit their Maturità, their final high school exam, coordinated at a national level.
Students who wish to access higher education can choose between four different options: universities, Higher Schools specialised in arts and music, Higher Schools specialised in languages and mediation, and Higher Technical Institutes which are designed to respond to the needs of the economy.
Education in Italy is highly cultural and content-focused, the ideal setting for those interested in pursuing their studies in the areas of art, history or literature.
FAQ
To participante in a high school exchange programme to Italy, you need to be between 14 and 18 years old on departure, have a C grade average, be a non-smoker, and have positive personal traits - such as being motivated, curious, tolerant, open and adaptable. You also need to be physically and emotionally healthy - please discuss any specific conditions or requirements with WEP in advance. Finally, if you've never studied Italian before, you should take an Italian language course prior to departure.
Our high school exchange programmes in Italy can be 2, 3, 5, or 10-month long. The exact duration depends on the departure period - please contact WEP for more information.
To decide which duration is best for you, you should reflect on what you would like to achieve through the programme, and discuss your preferences both with your family (they need to be on board!) and with your school. In particular, make sure you discuss with a school representative what their policies are, regarding coming back from an exchange programme and re-integrating into school in the UK.
It's always best to check our website and/or obtain an online quote to see updated programme prices.
We know a high school exchange programme overseas is a significant financial investment. We do our best to offer competitive prices, which vary depending on the destination and chosen programme, and provide discounts and special promotions to help towards the cost.
You will live with a volunteer Italian host family, who may be located anywhere in the country (on a Classic programme) or in your selected region of Italy (on a Classi + programme).