The cost of a course is certainly an important factor to be considered when choosing a school. Be careful however not to be misled by very low prices. The objective value of a course depends on what it has to offer you, that is from its fair quality-price relationship.
		In fact it is necessary to verify exactly what the price includes and doesn't include and compare correctly. And quality is a considerable added value. It is said that quality has no price… Let's give you some examples: Our courses consist of at least 25 hours weekly (a minimum of 100 hours in 4 weeks), whilst in the majority of schools for foreigners the courses are of 20 hours of lessons per week. Our language, conversation and culture lessons, in the mornings, are of 60 minutes; and those in the afternoons are of 55 minutes. Whereas in many schools for foreigners all the lessons are of 45 minutes.

EXAMPLE OF WEEKLY TIMETABLE (INTERMEDIATE) Can always be adapted to suit specific requirements.
INTERMEDIATE (1° e 2°): 14 hours language and conversation, 11 hours culture.

.	MORNING	AFTERNOON	EVENING
MON.:	language & conversation (3 hours)	arts & handicrafts (3 hours), optional	cultural evening
TUES.:	language & conversation (3 hours)	culture (4 hours)	.
WED.:	culture (3 hours)	excursion (optional)	.
THUR.:	language & conversation (3 hours)	culture (4 hours)	.
FRI.:	language & conversation (3 hours)	arts & handicrafts (3 hours), optional	cultural evening
SAT.:	tutorial (2 hours)	.	.
SUN.:	full day excursion, optional

* Lesson hours:
morning: 8.50 - 10.50 (break) and 11.20 - 12.20;
Saturday tuition: 9.00 - 11.00;
afternoon: conversation and culture: 14.30 - 16.30/18.30;
arts & handicrafts: 14.30 - 17.30;
Italian cookery course: ore 18.30 - 21.30.

 

With us, all the culture lessons are included in the enrolment fee for the course; in nearly all schools they are excluded and are to be paid for separately. In our Centre Italian is taught in 8 levels (number of students permitting), whilst in well-known schools and even in some universities, only 3 levels are proposed. Our classes are small, normally between 6 and 12 students. In certain universities... Many schools, in big cities, propose to the students a course to be frequented either in the morning or in the afternoon, because the programme they offer is concentrated into a half-day and the other remaining half-day leaves the student "free". In fact they are organized in such a way as to offer shifts in order to accommodate more students, especially if they have limited space.

Instead, the Centre of Italian Studies distributes its programme throughout the entire week, between the mornings, the afternoons, the evenings (cultural or entertainment evenings) and the teaching or recreational activities at the weekends.