Study Italian in Bologna, a beautiful and historic city, with a reputation for being a centre for both Italian culture and academic excellence.
Our school in Bologna
Our school sits in a stunning Art Nouveau building with a fantastic range of facilities available to students. There are 10 air-conditioned classrooms, a library, common areas, a school café, a lush private garden and an audio/video recording studio! The school is on one of the main bus routes and within easy access to Bologna’s historic centre.
Photos
Please note: Since 2023 our Italian school in Bologna is charging a €35 cleaning fee for all types of accommodation. This is extra to the published price.
Bologna
Bologna effortlessly combines the effervescent beauty of historical architecture with the bustle of a modern crowd exploring the streets. Renowned for its academic excellence, famous gastronomy and memorable red brick — Bologna has earned itself an apt slogan for its main characteristics: La dotta, la grassa, la rossa. Each portion reflects the city’s main aspects: the learned, the fat, the red. And though the city can easily be described with those three facets, Bologna has heaps more to offer.
Università di Bologna is thought to be the oldest university of the Western world — having been founded in 1088. The university originally focused on teaching law before expanding to other faculties to manage the growing number of prospective students over the centuries. Due to, in part, the influx of people wanting to reside and study in Bologna, the famous porticoes were born. Porticoes were engineered as a way to expand houses and improve the flow of people between business and vendors. Bologna’s porticoes were made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021.
The city’s historic centre is home to the famed Two Towers — beautiful stone bell towers dating back to the 12th century. The top of the Asinelli tower looks over the city, offering breath-taking views of Bologna and the surrounding hills. Piazza Maggiore has been the main hub for Bologna’s social life for centuries, surrounded by ancient — and sometimes unfinished façades, bearing witness to many city gatherings over the years. The Foutain of Neptune created by famed 16th century sculptor Giambologna stands proud in the adjacent square.
Courses in Bologna
Available courses
Our school in Bologna offers a range of courses: Intensive, Intensive + Private Lessons, Private Lessons, Duo Courses, and Intensive + Cultural Lessons.
In the Intensive Italian course students will learn Italian grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, as well as build speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. The Intensive course has a minimum of 23 lessons per week, with each lesson being 60 minutes long.
Private Lessons can be booked either in addition to the Intensive course or on their own. Private lessons are one-on-one bespoke lessons where students can study an area of focus in Italian with a tutor.
Duo courses can also be booked for students travelling together.
You can choose to add-on cookery or wine courses, or cultural lessons which cover either Italian art or literature to the Intensive course.
Special courses in Bologna
Accommodation
Available accommodation
Students can choose to stay in one of three accommodation options during their course: a Host Family, a Shared Apartment, or a Shared Apartment with Host.
Host Family accommodation is recommended for students who want the maximum amount of immersion during their course. Hosts are local native Italian speakers, helping students to practice their conversational outside the classroom during mealtimes and in the evenings. Students can book single rooms at half board, or in shared rooms if students are travelling together.
Shared Apartments with a Host are much the same as Host Family stays, except students have access to the Host’s kitchen and is on a self catered basis. Shared Apartments with a Host can be booked as single rooms, or shared rooms for students travelling together.
Shared Apartments are a good option for students who want more independence during their course. Apartments include a shared kitchen and common room, as well as shared bathroom. Students can book a single room on a self catering basis. All residents in the shared apartment are other students. Shared rooms can be booked for students travelling together.
Activities
The activity programme has a range of exciting and educational trips and activities for students during their time in Bologna. You can take part in cooking classes to learn the art of Italian cuisine, dip your toes into the world of wine tasting, and participate in guided tours of the city and its iconic sights. Students can also take part in a range of excursions to neighbouring areas such as Verona, San Marino, Parma, Florence, Venice, and Siena. All activities and excursions are conducted in Italian to ensure maximum immersion during the course.
Sample activity programmeHow to get there
Transfers from/to Bologna Airport and Bologna Train Station are available for an additional fee. Our school is approximately 11.5 km from Bologna Airport and is accessible via Marconi Express and Public transportation within about 30-60 minutes.
Location of our school in Bologna
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Student reviews & feedback
Intensive 20 + Private lessons with Host Family
Professional and friendly teachers, high level of classes, very friendly and welcoming host family.
- H. Vande Ginste
Intensive 20 + Cultural lessons with Host Family
The course was great. On reflection I would have been better placed in B2 rather than C1. The teachers were outstanding in every way.
- M. Burrell
Intensive 20 + Private lessons with Host Family
I enjoyed the course very much. The teachers were excellent and the materials used were interesting. Extra events such as lunches, guided visits and aperitif organised by the school were most enjoyable. The total immersion in Italian I was hoping for.
Pleasant, welcoming host and comfortable room. Centrally located and an easy walk to the school.
- H. Shields
Intensive 23 with Host Family
Standard of language teaching was very high and lessons were lots of fun. I appreciated that the teachers got to know their students and encouraged us to draw from our experiences.
Overall accommodation was good. The student house was nice to live in, only some plumbing issues. Host family was also a good experience although I had some communication issues with the host and the school concerning my changeover in accommodation.
Apple Languages have been superb. Their replies are always prompt and their staff have always been friendly and helpful, especially when sorting out a problem that arose between me and the language school.
- J. Geneen
Intensive 20 + Private lessons
The teacher was very friendly and helpfull. A personal approach, and she paid a lot of attention to every individual. We had a nice appartment, near the old centre of Bologna and about 20 mins walking to the school.
- F. Heeringa
Intensive 23 with Host Family
Great school and language program. Lots of activities and possibilities to take extra classes. Very knowledgeable teachers
Very friendly family making sure my stay is memorable. Great facility with a separate room and bathroom
- P. Szewczyl
Intensive 20 + Private lessons with Host Family
The staff were all very friendly and helpful, and there was an excellent range of afternoon and evening activities - from tours of the city, to excursions, to boardgames, to extra grammar and language classes. All of these (except train tickets) were included in the cost of the course which was excellent. The class teaching was done well.
The accommodation was clean and tidy, I was served freshly cooked food every day and it was in a truly excellent location - near the bus stop, the park, the school, and 25 minutes from town.
- J. Boulton
Intensive 23 with Host Family
Apart from being the only (ancient) bloke amongst six undergraduates , I found the whole course very effective and the tutors quick to spot and remediate individual and group needs. The host family was the best I have ever had, in a welcoming and very well briefed family who supported my total immersion into Italian and who were as effective tutors as the college staff.
- A. Murphy
Intensive 20 + Private lessons with Host Family
The focus the school has on speaking skills is very good, in barely one month and with no previous classes I was able to communicate. My host family were very friendly and cultured people, not only did they provided a great place to stay but showed me arround the city and gave me information about places I should visit. They treated me very well and made it feel like home.
- T. Zumarraga
The course was excellent. Staff were dedicated to their job, very patient and encouraging . Students are welcomed with a smile ! Because the number of students was low, everyones needs were met. Thank you to all
- M. Boyer
School statistics
Nationality (%)
Australia (5)
Brazil (3)
French speakers (6)
Germany (11)
Latin America (spanish speakers) (7)
Other (36)
Russia (3)
Switzerland (16)
Uk (6)
Usa (7)
Average Student Numbers
Student stories on our blog
Bologna: the Italian gem
Bologna is a true gem of a city. Many Italian-speaking students have already realised this and come to the city to study at one of the world's oldest universities. It's thanks to this university that Bologna has such a long-standing reputation for educational excellence, making it just the place for an immersive language adventure.
If this isn't enough for you, we've listed some reasons why Bologna is the place in which to learn the language of music and the arts.
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Prices for Bologna
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Company Number: 08311373
