Academics

• As mentioned, a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required, plus no academic deficiencies:

• Certain classes are required: Italian (language instruction) + Art & Society. You will register for classes once you are in Siena.

• As part of the SART application, interested HC students are asked to provide a written artistic statement and to furnish a portfolio of 10 works of art. Explicit instructions are given in the application. 

• All students are required to have a passport that is valid until 6 months after the planned date of return from Siena. It must be valid at least through Dec. 2025.

• All students are required to remain in Siena until the end of the examination period. NOTE: Holy Cross students are NOT allowed to submit special requests to sit exams early, for any reason.

Only VAST (Studio Art) majors/double majors can study abroad at the Siena Art Institute. 

Holy Cross students enrolled at SART take 1 Italian Language and Culture course, 1 Art & Society course, and 2 elective courses, which usually are studio art classes. Orientation program coursework (comprised of initial courses in Italian Language and Culture and Art & Society) does not count towards the required course load. The option of a 5th course (usually a 3rd studio art class) is available, but ONLY after submission of an academic rationale and based on collective approval by HCSA, the VAST Chair, and the HC Assistant Registrar, as stated above.

Art supplies: the cost of art supplies needed for participation in SART studio art classes is covered by the per-course fee paid by Holy Cross on students' behalf. However, any supplies-related costs which exceed that established, automatically-billed amount must be paid for out-of-pocket by the student. Students may NOT get reimbursed for art supplies by asking HCSA to apply the $175 Activities Fee.

How do I ship my art back home? There are UPS-like services in Siena that will help you ship your art. Please be advised, however: students pay out-of-pocket for shipping charges.

As you consider which classes to enroll in, it is an excellent idea to consult with both your academic advisor and the Study Abroad liaison in the department of your major to discuss what kinds of courses you mayor may/not take abroad that will count towards your major. Being communicative, staying informed, and planning ahead are the best ways to avoid miscommunications that may negatively affect your academic trajectory when you return to Holy Cross. 

Once you actually begin attending classes, you will immediately need to obtain course approval from the HC Registrar for any and all courses you take. You can read more about the course approval process in the following sections. For now, this list of courses will give you an idea of the kinds of classes at SART (not the only classes!) for which HC students have earned academic credit.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Sue McCrory to make an advising appointment. 

Detailed information about SART's Studio Art electives and Special Courses is available at www.sienaart.org/Undergraduate-Study-Abroad-Program/Program-Structure/. 

Once you are accepted to study abroad, you will apply directly to SART (with our help!) in the months preceding your departure date. As part of the application, you will select the three classes (beyond Italian Language and Culture) you are interested in taking. You will register for classes once you arrive in Siena. 

The Holy Cross credit approval system works like this: 

1. After you arrive in Italy, you will receive an email from Jared Chapman in the Registrar’s office with instructions for submitting Course Approval Forms (CAFS). You'll submit one CAF per class you are taking. This process occurs no later than 1 week after the start of classes in Siena. 

2. Once the Registrar's Office receives your CAFs, they will send classes you'd like to count towards your major(s) and minor(s) to the official Study Abroad Course Evaluators in the relevant department(s) for approval. The Registrar's office will manage the approval of common area requirements themselves. 

3. Once the office hears back from the relevant parties about all of your classes, you will receive an email detailing which classes have/have not been approved. (Note: If you talk to your advisors before you leave and stay in touch during the course selection process, you should not receive any 'surprise' rejections!) 

Courses that are NOT accepted for Holy Cross Credit:

1. Online or hybrid (partially online) courses;

2. Pre-professional, business, law, and marketing courses;

3. Other non-liberal arts courses;

4. Courses of similar content to those you have already taken;

5. Any major courses required by your major department to be taken at Holy Cross;

6. Courses taken without a letter grade (e.g. auditing, pass/no pass, etc.)

One of the most common questions we get in the Office of Study abroad is whether or not a certain class abroad will count towards a student's major, minor, concentration, etc. The answer is ... maybe! Here's how it works:

If you think a class might work for your major...

You need to talk to the official study abroad course evaluator in your department.  

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the course evaluator. They appreciate as much context as possible!

If you think a class might work for your minor...

You need to talk to the official study abroad course evaluator in your department.  

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the course evaluator. They appreciate as much context as possible!

If you think a class might work for a common area requirement...

You need to talk to the Registrar's Office! You can send an email to Jared Chapman (jchapman@holycross.edu to gain clarity on common areas requirements abroad. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting   Jared. He appreciates as much context as possible!

18 credits at SART = 4 Holy Cross credits. If you earn less than these totals, you will incur an academic deficiency. 

Students are required to enroll in 18 SART credits per semester. 

LETTER GRADES & NUMERICAL GRADE RANGES at SART are EQUIVALENT to those at HOLY CROSS 

All of the classes you take when you study abroad will be listed on your Holy Cross transcript, just as they are for any normal semester. Next to each class you take abroad, the letter grade you earned will appear, just as it does for any normal semester at Holy Cross. 

The difference is that the grades you receive abroad will not factor into your cumulative GPA. This means if you leave for study abroad with a 4.0, and you get all 'B's when you are in Siena, your GPA when you return to Holy Cross will still be a 4.0. The system is designed with you in mind! Opting to spend a semester or year studying in a completely different academic system is brave. We want to celebrate the work you do abroad by reflecting the letter grades you earn on your transcript.  We also understand that it's normal to struggle in a new academic system or foreign cultural environment, therefore we don't factor your grades into your overall GPA. The goal behind this policy is to encourage more students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their GPA! 

NO. You cannot, and will not, take any class abroad pass/fail. This is one of those "study abroad myths" that for unknown reasonS seems to be passed down from study abroad generation to study abroad generation! No pass/fail. 

After your study abroad semester or year, your HC transcript will reflect the grades that you earn abroad. What will NOT be affected is your GPA.

The grades you earn abroad will not factor into your cumulative GPA. This means if you leave for study abroad with a 4.0, and you get all 'B's when you are in Siena, your GPA when you return to Holy Cross will still be a 4.0. The system is designed with you in mind! Opting to spend a semester or year studying in a completely different academic system or cultural environment is brave. We want to celebrate the work you do abroad by reflecting the letter grades you earn on your transcript. We also understand that it's normal to struggle in a new setting, therefore we don't factor your grades into your overall GPA. The goal here is to encourage more students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester might do to their GPA! 

At SART, you can look forward to a steady combination of structured classes, academic & cultural enrichment opportunities, and independent studio time in the evenings. For example, during the 3-week Orientation program when you first begin language studies through your Italian Language and Culture course, afternoons and weekends will include experiences at Siena's many museums, parks, community organizations, and historic sites. In your Art & Society Orientation class, you will be encouraged to brainstorm and experiment with creative ideas fruitful for your longer-term projects. Such experimentations might include sketches, snapshots, a notebook, or whatever you find appropriate for your artistic interests. All study abroad students will have access to their SART studio space as soon as they arrive in Siena. Note: each student will have their own designated studio space within a larger, shared space. 

If you have any history of accommodations for learning disabilities or anything similar, you must let the Office of Study Abroad know so we can start making arrangements at SART now. It is very important that you take personal ownership of your study abroad experience. It's a good idea to think about the support you might need in advance so we can start planning now. In Italy, academic accommodations are not as common as they are in the U.S., and they may look a little different to what you are accustomed at Holy Cross.