Marco Polo and Turandot Programmes 2026-2027
The University for Foreigners of Perugia organises Italian language and culture courses dedicated to students of the "Marco Polo" and "Turandot" programmes.
The "Marco Polo" and "Turandot" programmes are aimed at Chinese students who intend to enrol in Bachelor's or Master's degree programmes at Italian Universities and Italian Higher Education Institutions in Art, Music and Design (AFAM – Fine Arts Academies and Conservatories).
The University for Foreigners of Perugia is one of the certifying institutions officially recognised by the Italian Ministry of University and Research as an official body for certifying Italian language proficiency. CELI examinations are currently the only Italian language certificates that meet the quality standards of ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe).
Course Duration
The minimum attendance period required for Italian language courses is 10 months. Students may also choose to attend 11-month courses.
Upon arrival of the students at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, two days will be dedicated to welcome activities, placement tests, class formation, and orientation. During these activities and throughout the Project, tutors—including native Chinese-speaking tutors—will be available to provide assistance and solve any potential difficulties.
At the end of the course, students will obtain the international CELI MPT certification (Italian language proficiency certificates Celi2 or Celi3), at B1 or B2 level; in August 2027, a special session will be organised specifically for Marco Polo and Turandot students.
In the project's second phase, lessons and activities will focus specifically on preparation for the final CELI exams.
The courses are scheduled as follows:
- 10 months: 2 November 2026 - 27 August 2027
- 11 months: 5 October 2026 - 27 August 2027
For students who arrive in Italy late due to study visa processing, the University offers the opportunity to complete the programme until 30 September.
Academic Offer
As previously indicated, the Italian language and culture courses for "Marco Polo" and "Turandot" students are divided into two tracks—one lasting 10 months and one lasting 11 months—based on each student's linguistic proficiency, assessed through a placement test. Students who already have a higher level of language competence will be placed in the Ordinary Courses. Each class will have a maximum of 20–25 students, divided by Marco Polo or Turandot category.
The teaching methodology will be communicative-functional, aiming to develop appropriate language skills for various Italian socio-cultural and academic contexts.
The course content is structured to ensure a balanced integration of lexical, functional, grammatical, and phonetic syllabi specifically designed for the Marco Polo and Turandot Project. Special attention will be given to Italian in academic contexts, with targeted activities and scenarios. Both in-person and distance learning will be supported by a dedicated online platform, accessible to students for independent activities and exercises. During the second half of the programme, additional support hours in grammar, vocabulary, and socio-cultural topics will be provided by native Chinese-speaking instructors.
The academic offer includes, in the advanced stages of the programme, lessons on specialised language relevant to students’ chosen fields of study, with particular focus on Art and Music. Materials for these lessons will also be available on the online platform.
The courses include a monthly internal assessment, designed to provide orientation for teachers and to help students identify their strengths and areas for improvement, as well as shared assessments during the academic year. Progression to higher course levels may occur, particularly during these times.
Regardless of level, each standard track includes 25 hours of lessons per week (100 hours per month) as follows:
- Italian language and culture
- Practical exercises
- Conversation
- Language laboratory
- Seminar lessons to reinforce and deepen language skills and develop the competences necessary for effective interaction in Italian-speaking contexts.
- Lessons dedicated to CELI exam preparation
- Educational visits and recreational activities
Lessons will take place from Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. Attendance is mandatory and must not fall below 85% of the total hours.
Training Workshops for Marco Polo and Turandot Students
Students will have the opportunity to participate in training workshops, organised in collaboration with Higher Education Institutes, for:
- preparation for university, academy and conservatory entrance tests
- musical training (instrumental and vocal)
- artistic training (in the various chosen disciplines)
- fashion and design training
- Italian culinary arts
Training workshops involve an additional fee beyond the language course enrolment fee.
Student Services for the Marco Polo and Turandot Programmes
A range of extracurricular activities are offered: Chinese New Year celebrations, art, theatre and music workshops, concerts, sports tournaments, sightseeing tours, exhibitions, tandem learning activities, film screenings, and events organised in cooperation with institutions representing the cultural and artistic excellence of the city of Perugia and the Umbria Region; welcome days; and orientation seminars on the chosen university pathway (also in collaboration with pre-enrolment universities).
Students, who will be supported throughout their stay in the city and during their studies by Chinese and Italian tutors and linguistic mediators, will also benefit from:
- Police office within the University for rapid processing of residence permits.
- Medical service on campus.
- Access to the University’s language laboratories.
- Free access to the University WIFI network.
- Access to university libraries.
- Discounted meals at campus cafeterias.
- Direct communication with university students.
Academic Calendar
10-MONTH COURSE: NOVEMBER 2026 – AUGUST 2027
From 02/11/2026 to 22/12/2026
From 07/01/2027 to 26/03/2027
From 01/04/2027 to 27/08/2027
Levels offered: beginner - intermediate - advanced
11-MONTH COURSE: OCTOBER 2026 – AUGUST 2027
From 05/10/2026 to 22/12/2026
From 07/01/2027 to 26/03/2027
From 01/04/2027 to 27/08/2027
Levels offered: beginner - intermediate - advanced
Possible teaching breaks and/or modifications to the calendar will be made according to the organisational needs of the courses and always in compliance with current regulations, based on the actual arrival date of students following visa issuance.
Course Fee and Enrolment Procedures (Individual)
- 10 months: 2 November 2026 - 27 August 2027: Euro 5,800.00
- 11 months: 5 October 2026 - 27 August 2027: Euro 6,350.00
The deadline for pre-enrolment and payment for Italian language and culture courses starting in November is 28/08/2026.
The deadline for pre-enrolment and payment for courses starting in October is 31/07/2026.
To enrol, students must:
- Register on the UNIVERSITALY portal (https://www.universitaly.it) and follow the pre-enrolment procedures stated there. Once students have registered, they are required to complete the pre-enrolment application on that portal, selecting “Marco Polo, Turandot” as the reason for the visa request and entering all necessary data to submit their application to the University for Foreigners, which will then verify it, in accordance with the “Procedures for the entry, stay, enrolment of international students and recognition of qualifications for higher education courses in Italy valid for the academic year 2026-2027.”
- pay 10% of the course fee (€580.00 for the 10-month course and €635.00 for the 11-month course)
- fill in the online pre-enrolment form
*How to pay
By credit card
• Using the PagoPA portal, accessible via your personal area (payment section) IT4U, which is active after you register for the courses
• By accessing the University payment portal and choosing “Enrolment in Italian language and culture courses” as the motivation
If you experience technical problems with online payment, please report them to the Registrar’s Office at: corsidilingua@unistrapg.it
The University Registrar for Language Courses will subsequently send by email the pre-enrolment certificate, required for the study visa to be issued by the relevant consular authorities in China, to the email address provided in the pre-enrolment application. The pre-enrolment certificate will be issued upon receipt of the 10% deposit for the course. This amount is non-refundable if the visa is not issued or if the student does not enter Italy for any reason.
Enrolment will be finalised once payment of the outstanding course fee has been confirmed.
Course Fee and Enrolment Procedures (Groups)
For the purposes of the group discount described in this section, a group is defined as a minimum of 10 students.
Course fee
- 10 months: 2 November 2026 - 27 August 2027: Euro 5,800.00
To access the group discounts on the base price for individual enrolments (€ 5,800.00), you must complete the accreditation procedure available at the following link.
The deadline for pre-enrolment and payment for Italian language and culture courses starting in November is 28/08/2026. - 11 months: 5 October 2026 - 27 August 2027: Euro 6,350.00
To access the group discounts on the base price for individual enrolments (€ 6,350.00), you must complete the accreditation procedure available at the following link.
The deadline for pre-enrolment and payment for Italian language and culture courses starting in October is 31/07/2026.
Pre-enrolment confirmation will be issued upon payment of 10% of the total course fee. This amount is non-refundable in the event the visa is not granted or in any case if entry into Italy does not take place.
Enrolment will be finalised following confirmation of payment of the remaining balance.