Almo Collegio Borromeo Track

The Almo Collegio Borromeo is an institution of excellence comparable to British Colleges, allowing Illinois students attending both the Almo Collegio Borromeo and the University of Pavia to benefit from a unique academic plan that takes into account their academic interests, professional goals, and background.  

In addition to taking two classes at the University and one class at the University's Language Centre, Illinois students attend 40 hours of academic activities tailored to Borromeo students and have the resources and networking opportunities of a prestigious scholarly institution.

Students select the courses they are interested in during the application process and, if accepted to the program, they will work with the University of Pavia and Borromeo staff to finalize their course selection.

Illinois students partake in 70 hours of academic activities from the Collegio's course catalog, which range from accredited courses to seminars, from conferences to networking events,  and from volunteering opportunities to participation in music performances. 

While activities in English may be available, Borromeo courses are offered primarily in Italian, and preference is given to applicants who have studied some Italian. 

Students will continue their language learning journey by taking an Italian language course the the University of Pavia's language center (CLA) alongside other international students. The CLA offers courses at the following levels:

• A1

• A2

• B1

• B2

Courses start in October for the Fall semester and February for the Spring semester with two meetings a week (usually from 6 to 8 PM to avoid overlaps with other University of Pavia courses).

Students will take two additional courses at the University of Pavia according to their academic interests. Courses are available in either Italian or English. 

Students can take pre-approved courses from the Course Approval Database (if offered during the studying abroad semester) or work with their academic advisor to find equivalencies for other courses from the course catalog of the University of Pavia,

Students will take two additional courses at the University of Pavia according to their academic interests. Courses are available in either Italian or English. 

Students can take pre-approved courses from the Course Approval Database (if offered during the studying abroad semester) or work with their academic advisor to find equivalencies for other courses from the University of Pavia website. When browsing the University of Pavia website, students should check the syllabi of the classes they are interested in to ensure that the classes are taught in the corresponding language (Italian or English) and are offered during the right semester (First Semester = Fall Semester, Second Semester = Spring Semester).

Students submit a preliminary course selection in the Intended Plan of Study questionnaire included in the Illinois study abroad application. All students should list six courses in total, including:

• Italian Language

• Preferred academic activities at Collegio Borromeo

• Four courses offered by the University of Pavia - two main options + two back-ups, ranked by preference

Although courses offered will be published in the University's catalog, exact class schedules are not typically published until much later and some Departments at University of Pavia operate on slightly different semester schedules, e.g., some departments operate on semester schedules while others divide their semesters into separate trimesters. Despite these differences, however, all courses will finish in time for your scheduled departure date at the end of your chosen program. 

This system requires an increased level of flexibility when determining academic schedules for the semester. Students are also asked to select four potential courses (two main options + two backup options) prior to departure in the event that there are last-minute scheduling conflicts. 

As with most study abroad programs, we cannot guarantee enrollment in specific courses, but University of Illinois and Borromeo staff will assist you in your course planning and aid in the process of finalizing schedules onsite.

Prior to departure, students must meet with their advisors to discuss possible coursework.

• • MCB advisor: Melissa Michael at mmichae@illinois.edu 

  • ECON advisor:  Undergraduate Office at econug@illinois.edu 

  • Humanities advisor: Eleonora Stoppino at stoppino@illinois.edu

  • Psychology advisor: Undergraduate Advising Services at psych-advising@illinois.edu 

The course approval process is generally completed after students have returned to Illinois, but it is strongly encouraged to get started well in advance of your arrival in Pavia. Check out the Grades & Transcripts page to learn more!