U.S. TO ITALY INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS:
Expand What You Can Offer in Italy
Viaita works with U.S. schools, universities, athletic departments, and sports organizations exploring academic and athletic opportunities in Italy.
We help you identify programs and institutions worth considering, make introductions, and stay involved as the relationship develops.
Why Add Italy?
Italy is the #1 study abroad destination for U.S. students. According to the latest Open Doors data from the Institute of International Education, 45,067 U.S. students studied in Italy for academic credit in 2023/24, representing 15.1% of all U.S. study abroad students and an all-time high for Italy.
For U.S. schools, universities, athletic departments, clubs, and academies, the opportunities can extend well beyond a traditional semester abroad. Students may be considering a gap year, full-degree study, or a program that combines academics with athletic development. Athletes who are not currently students may be looking for training, competition, or development opportunities in Italy as well.
Having the right relationships in Italy gives your institution or organization more possibilities to consider with the students, athletes, and families you serve.
Source: Institute of International Education, Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange. Open Doors study abroad figures reflect U.S. students receiving academic credit from their home institutions.
Why U.S. Institutions Work With Viaita
Viaita brings firsthand knowledge of Italy, direct relationships with Italian programs and organizations, and experience working with U.S. schools, universities, athletic departments, clubs, students, athletes, and families.
That combination gives your team a U.S.-based point of contact who can take questions from across the institution, get answers from the appropriate people in Italy, and provide context when something works differently there.
We take the relationship seriously because who we introduce you to matters.
Study Abroad Teams & Academic Leadership
When your office is considering a new university, program, or study abroad partnership in Italy, the questions rarely stop at academics.
You may be trying to get a clear picture of:
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How courses, academic calendars, grading, and transcripts are handled
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Who at the Italian institution can answer questions about academics, housing, and the student experience
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What information your team needs for internal review, agreements, compliance, or risk considerations
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Who can help with Italy-specific questions once students and families begin showing interest
Viaita works with your study abroad team and academic leadership on the Italy side of the relationship.We gather program and institutional information, bring questions to the appropriate people, help your team speak directly with Italian universities and programs, and keep communication moving as your institution evaluates or develops the relationship.
When students and families begin asking about visas, housing, arrival, or everyday life in Italy, Viaita can also become involved within an agreed scope. If visa timing becomes an issue, we can help with time-sensitive preparation and determine what options may be available based on the student’s circumstances and consular requirements.
Your institution remains responsible for academic approvals, credit transfer, compliance, and internal decisions. Viaita brings the relationships and firsthand knowledge of Italy that help your team understand who you are working with and get the answers you need, so your institution can move forward with a clearer picture of the opportunity.
Athletic Directors & Coaches
An international training or study experience can give a student-athlete another way to develop, but for a college coach or athletic department, the opportunity also needs to work alongside the program the athlete already belongs to.
You may want to know:
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Who will be training or working with your athlete in Italy?
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What will the training, competition, or academic schedule actually involve?
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How will the experience fit around your team’s commitments and expectations?
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Who will your staff communicate with if questions come up before or during the program?
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Is the Italian program there to complement the athlete’s collegiate experience, rather than compete with it?
Viaita works directly with Italian universities, academies, and athletic programs to help get those questions answered and keep your staff in communication with the people involved. We can also work directly with the student-athlete and family on Italy-specific needs such as housing, documentation, travel preparation, and day-to-day logistics when that is part of the agreed scope.
The goal is to give your athletes access to development opportunities in Italy while keeping your program informed, respected, and part of the conversation.
High School Leadership & Counselors
Not every student is ready for the same next step after graduation. Some come to you already asking about studying abroad or earning a degree overseas. Others may be unsure about college altogether, and a gap semester, gap year, or international experience may be one of the possibilities you encourage them to consider.
When Italy becomes part of that conversation, the questions can quickly become very specific:
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What academic, gap year, or athletic programs are available?
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How does applying to an Italian university differ from applying to one in the U.S.?
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What should the student and family know about timing, documentation, housing, and living abroad?
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Who can take the conversation further when the questions move beyond traditional college counseling?
Viaita can work directly with the student and family to explore programs in Italy, explain what the different routes involve, and introduce the appropriate schools, universities, or athletic programs when they are ready to take the next step.
You continue to guide the student based on what you know about their goals, readiness, and academic future. Viaita brings the Italy-specific knowledge and relationships that can help take the conversation from “What if?” to "What's Possible?"
Sports Clubs & Academies
Parents and players are always asking, “What’s next?”
For serious athletes, that question is often about development: more training, a different level of competition, exposure to another style of play, or the chance to test themselves in a new environment.
When families begin asking about opportunities in Italy, you may be wondering:
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What level of training or competition is actually being offered?
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Who is running the program, and what is their background?
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Is the opportunity primarily athletic, academic, or a combination of both?
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Which players may be ready for that kind of experience?
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Who can work directly with the family once the conversation moves into housing, documentation, travel, or life in Italy?
Viaita works with Italian universities, academies, and athletic programs to help clubs understand what is being offered, open direct communication with the people involved, and give families a clearer picture of what the experience may look like.
When an athlete and family want to take the next step, Viaita can work with them directly on the planning and questions that follow, while keeping the club informed and respecting its role in the athlete’s ongoing development.
How Viaita Works With Your Team
Your institution may be considering its first opportunity in Italy, building on an existing program or relationship, or looking to expand what it already offers. Viaita’s role depends on where you are starting and what you want to accomplish.
Viaita can help by:
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Identifying Italian programs and organizations that reflect what you want to offer and the students or athletes you serve.
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Making introductions and opening conversations with the appropriate people in Italy.
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Getting questions from across your institution answered by the appropriate people in Italy and gathering the information your team needs.
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Speaking directly with interested students, athletes, and families to answer Italy-specific questions and provide the additional context they may need.
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Providing additional Italy services when needed, including visa and documentation guidance, housing assistance, relocation, and preparation for arrival under a separate agreed scope.
How We Work Together
Every institution or organization comes to Viaita with something different in mind. We start by understanding what you are trying to accomplish, then determine what kind of relationship or opportunity in Italy may make sense.
A typical relationship begins like this:
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START WITH THE GOAL
We talk about what you want to make possible for the students or athletes you serve, what you may already have in place, and where you see room to grow.
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EXPLORE THE OPTIONS
If you are looking for an Italian program or organization, Viaita can identify possibilities worth considering. If you already have one in mind, we can help you understand the logistics required to make it happen and move the conversation forward.
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DEFINE HOW WE’LL WORK TOGETHER
Once you decide to move forward, we clarify who needs to be involved, what Viaita will handle, and what remains with your team or the Italian partner.
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STAY INVOLVED
Viaita remains an active point of contact throughout the relationship, helping with questions, communication, follow-up, student interest, and opportunities to represent the Italian program within the U.S. Additional services for individual students, athletes, and families can be added separately when needed.
