Italy: Food in Sicily

Overview 

Like ice cream, cheesecake, and chocolate? What about marzipan, cannoli, and sumptuous pasta? 

Then, come experience the cultural and historic food ways of Sicily, the Mediterranean's largest island! We'll travel Sicily's Eastern "Greek" coast to see and taste this unique island's rich history of food traditions.

We'll also explore Sicily's growing sustainable food movement while visiting the island's vibrant cities.  Along with sampling gelato and cannoli, there will be time for the beach and visits to baroque masterpieces, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. We'll learn how Sicilian communities are reclaiming agricultural lands, once under the Mafia's stronghold, to strengthen cultural identity and promote economic development in areas long accustomed to poverty. 

Through olive, almond, and citrus groves, and in vineyards and wheat fields, we will examine the historical and contemporary reach of Sicilian agriculture. During our time on the island, we will delve deep into how food serves to transmit cultural identity and how something so simple as a delicious meal can be a catalyst for civic and economic growth. 

Italy: Food in Sicily is in the news! Check out the article here: Food in Sicily students make traditional Sicilian dishes in the Ibleian mountains

Highlights and Excursions

• "Italian for Table and Market" classes
• Visits to markets and sites in Ortigia, Italy including the Catacombs of San Giovanni, the Jewish quarters, and Castello Maniace
• Assist with cooking dinner at a local soup kitchen
• Cooking classes and tasting
• Meet with local social enterprises
• Day trip to Catania, Italy where you will visit the fish market, historic city center, Benedictine Monastery, Greek Theater, and Cathedral
• Day trip to Canicattini Bagni & Noto
• Day trip to Mt. Etna
• Day trip to Taormina
• Visits to farms, breweries, and wineries

Good to Know

• Some locations will have limited access to wi-fi or cellphone service (including local cell phone providers).
• Students should expect a moderate level of physical activity (walking) on this program.
• This program admits students on a rolling basis. Early application is highly recommended!

Living Arrangements

Shared (2-3 students per room) occupancy housing in centrally located self-catering apartments in Ortigia. Welcome and farewell dinner included in program fee.

Program Dates 

May 8, 2025 - May 28, 2025

*Note participants will need to depart on May 7th to arrive in Italy on May 8.

Academics  

This program offers Bricks & Tier III Course Options!

Students will choose 1 course from each group, for a total of 6 credit hours. 

• Group 1
  • ENG 2800 - Gen Ed Tier 1 Junior English Composition, OHIO BRICKS: Foundation: Advanced Writing
  • CAS 2411 - OHIO BRICKS: Bridge: Learning and Doing
  • T3 4414 - Gen Ed Tier 3, OHIO BRICKS: Bridge: Learning and Doing
• Group 2
  • LING 2750 - Gen Ed Tier 2 Cross Cultural Perspectives, OHIO BRICKS: Arch: Connected World (ACNW), Foundation: Intercultural Explorations, Arch Themes: Global Connections, Society & Justice 
  • LING 3880
  • LING 4990 
  • LING 5880

Cost  

The program fee for this program includes: Student accommodations, excursions, airport pick up, transportation and entrance fees to all program-related activities, welcome and farewell dinner, and international medical health insurance. 

In addition to the program fee, students should plan for 6 credit hours of tuition*, administrative fee, and out-of-pocket costs. Below is the student budget worksheet for this program, which outlines these costs.  

Undergraduate Student Budget Worksheet Summer 2025
Graduate Student Budget Worksheet available upon request. 

Items that are not related to the program (ie. additional entertainment, souvenirs, extra travel, contingency funds) are not included in the cost estimates provided and should be budgeted for separately.  

*Note: 

• Non-resident surcharge waived for the credit hours associated with this program. 
• If you are nominated to this program, you will be required to pay a deposit to confirm your participation. The deposit is a down payment on the total costs to be billed by OHIO and is determined by the total cost of the program. 

Funding Opportunities 

More information on financial aid and scholarships can be found on our funding pages.

Eligibility 

This program is open to all Ohio University students (undergraduates and graduates) who are in good conduct standing.

Students who will be on probation at any point during the program for a conduct offense that took place less than a calendar year from the program start date may not study abroad. Read the entire conduct policy.  

This program accepts NON-OHIO students. For more information about this process visit the Non-OHIO student page.   

Participants must have a at least a high school diploma or the equivalent (e.g. GED) by the start date of the program to be considered for eligibility.  Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CC+) are not eligible for study away programs.

Note: This program has rolling admissions - early application is recommended. A high volume of applications is expected. Students should apply early to ensure their application materials will be considered.

Application Requirements

As part of the application, interested individuals will need to submit:

• 1 personal statement: must be between 250-500 words explaining why you would like to go on the program
• 1 Reference contact information
• 1 DARs (or in the event of a Non-Ohio student, an unofficial transcript)

Applicants will also need to interview with the program director prior to nomination. 

Entry and Exit Requirements 

U.S. citizens are required to have a valid U.S. passport when traveling outside of the United States. If you plan to study or travel abroad in the next year,  apply for your passport  now. Some countries also require a visa to legally enter or reside in the country. 

U.S. citizens  will not  need a visa or other special document to enter the country for the length of this program. Please also note that visa requirements may vary if you plan to stay in the country longer than the program dates or travel to other countries during or after the program. Please familiarize yourself with these recommendations and requirements prior to applying to this program. 

For more specific visa-related information, please visit OGO’s  Visa Information Page 

Information for  Non-U.S. citizens 

Resources 

• Health and Safety 
• Accessibility Requests and Accommodations 

Related Blogs & Articles

• Food in Sicily students explore the island's ancient Greek past
• Food in Sicily students see how emigration changed Sicily as integration threatens its identity
• Personal blog written by a 2019 participant
• New York Times: "24 Hours in Syracuse, Sicily"
• OHIO Compass: "Food in Sicily Students Meet with Chef's Table Star"
• Breanna Oswald discovered food and family on study abroad program in Sicily
• Food in Sicily students experience how service changes people's lives
• Food in Sicily students discover the power of community resilience

Upcoming info sessions

Join us for upcoming information sessions hosted on Teams to learn more about the program itinerary, coursework, and funding opportunities.

• Every Tuesday and Wednesday beginning September 17 through December 11 at 7:30 p.m.