Summer/Winter Schools (S/W Schools) are intensive educational programs for Italian and international students. They feature non-conventional teaching methods (e.g., workshops, tutorials, excursions, cultural events) and a multidisciplinary approach. Depending on the specific case, these activities may be of interest to Bachelor’s students, Master’s students, or even to recent graduates and those who have already started or even completed a PhD.
Summer/Winter School Opportunities
The linked lists below include the Schools officially recommended by the Department, which often offer financial support for travel, accommodation, and registration costs. We recommend checking the specific conditions of the program of interest, and in particular who the School is intended for.
It is also suggested that you check the opportunities listed on the University of Pisa website. If you wish to attend a Summer/Winter School other than those proposed, you must notify Prof. Francesco Forti via email, who will assess the overall educational quality of the School.
How to participate to a Summer/Winter School
Before attending a S/W School you often need to pass a selection procedure, in particular when financial support is included. Once you have been selected, the S/W School must be included in your Study Plan (PdS), along with the program. Approval of the Study Plan is necessary to ensure insurance coverage during the School and subsequent credit recognition.
At the end of the S/W School and no later than the first week of October, you must attach the participation certificate to the approved Study Plan and send an email to erasmus@df.unipi.it with the subject “S/W School,” specifying the School to be recognized in your academic record.
Recognition of the University Credits
The number of recognized credits, which does not necessarily correspond to the number declared by the School, ranges from 3 ECTS (for Schools lasting up to 2 weeks) to a maximum of 6 ECTS (for longer Schools). For Schools officially listed under the “Opportunities” section, the CAI (Area Coordinator for Internationalization) will convert the grade, if one is issued by the School, otherwise a simple pass recognition will be granted. The process will be initiated upon completion of the steps described in the “How to participate” section. If the School is not among the officially recognized ones, a review committee may be established, and a short exam or interview may be required.
Maximum of 6 ECTS. This is the maximum number of credits that can be officially recognized in the student’s academic record by attending one or more Schools. Of course, it is always possible to attend additional Schools, but these can only be recorded as extra (non-compulsory) exams.
Schools for Bachelor’s students. Schools suitable for Bachelor’s programs are typically short and worth 3 ECTS credits. As such, they are often difficult to combine with other exams to reach the required total of 180 ECTS credits, and may therefore end up being counted as extra (non-compulsory) exams. To avoid this, it is possible to:
- Focus your a Thesis on a topic covered during the School, with the international experience being recognized as part of the 3 ECTS credits awarded.”
- Integrate with an additional 3 ECTS activity and include the entire package in the academic record as a replacement for one of the two elective 6 ECTS exams.
In the rare case of a 6 ECTS School that is compatible with the Bachelor’s program, it can of course be directly counted as an elective exam.
For further information on Schools, you can contact Prof. Francesco Forti.
For administrative/logistic issues, you can contact our Internationalisation Office.
The International Coordinator (CAI) is Prof. Andrea Rizzi.
Last updated on: 07/07/2025