Here you will find answers to most frequently asked questions.
Please read them carefully as, we believe, it helps understanding more about studying in Milan and at NABA.
In case you have a question whose answer is not included in the following list, please write your enquiry at infomaster@naba.it.
What is the difference between a one-year "Academic Master” program and a two-year “Master of Arts (MA) Degree” program?
With the renewal of the Italian and European university and academic system, done according to the so-called “Bologna process” which started in 2003, two different kinds of postgraduate program have been created within the Italian system: “first level (academic/university) Master programs” and “Master (of Arts, also called MA, for Academies) Degrees”:
One-year Academic Master programs are courses for students who wish to acquire a specialized education within a period of intensive studies, aimed at gaining experience and relations in the artistic and professional world. The programs are also open to professionals wishing to give a new development to their professional career, gaining new technical and project skills.
Scheduled on a yearly basis, the programs usually foresee an intensive period (January to July) of classroom teaching, including theoretical lessons, technical-methodological labs and project work, followed by an internship period (September to November) within external companies or institutions (or within the Academy, working on project developed together with external partners). At the end of the internship period, students get back to the Academy for the last month (mid-November / mid-December), in order to follow up the work they’ve done, to complete their portfolio and prepare the final project to be presented to the evaluation commission (see each program’s “Curriculm of studies” for further details).
At the end of the program, students previously holding a Bachelor Degree (BA) get a “first level academic Master diploma” and 60 academic credits (CFA), valid for further studies in Italy or abroad in order to complete an MA Degree in the same field of studies. Please notice that the Academic Master diploma is not equivalent to an MA, since the MA corresponds to 120 credits, so students interested in achieving an MA degree should foresee a further year of studies necessary to get the necessary further 60 credits.
Students not holding a previous legally recognized Bachelor Degree (such as professionals, who enrolled for professional/personal interest) simply get a Master program attendance certificate.
Academic Master programs - NABA - academic year 2010/2011:
Digital Environment Design
Interior Design “New Domestic Landscapes”
Landscape Design “Extraordinary Landscapes”
Photography and Visual Design
Two-year Master of Arts (MA) Degree programs are intended for students who wish to complete the classical five-year academic/university curriculum (3+2). The programs, developed on a two-academic years basis, foresee deep academic content and high levels of specialization, with theoretical disciplines being followed by intensive project work.
The first academic year is concentrated from January to July, while the second one starts in October and ends in May/June of the following year. Once completed the second academic year, students have a six-months “window period” where they have the opportunity of taking an internship in one of NABA partner companies and institutions, participating to an international exchange program (such as LLP-Erasmus), developing the final project and thesis which they will have to present to the academic evaluation commission, in order to complete the program see each program’s “Curriculm of studies” for further details).
At the end of the academic career, students acquire the full Master of Arts Degree title, valid for further studies (at a PhD level) in the university system in Italy and abroad, and the corresponding 120 academic credits.
Master of Arts (MA) Degree programs - NABA - academic year 2010/2011:
Communication Design
Film and new Media
Product Design
Textile and new Materials Design
Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies
Which title do I get at the end of my NABA studying career?
It depends on the kind of program you attend:
a. if you attend a two-year MA Degree program, at the end you will achieve a “Master of Arts Degree” title, recognized in Italy and abroad, valid for continuing your studies at a PhD level
b. if you attend a one-year Academic Master program, at the end you may work or continue your studies within another institution, in Italy or abroad, offering a MA program in the same area of your Academic Master. In such a case, you will need to apply to the other institution, asking for the recognition of the 60 academic credits (or a part of them) that you get at the end of the Academic Master program to be admitted to the MA in order to get the further 60 credits necessary for the issuing of a Master of Arts Degree title, as established by the new European rules on higher education.
Consider anyway that in both cases, since NABA is an Academy recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), your study title and credits are legally valid in Italy and in all those countries having a bilateral agreement with Italy on the recognition of study titles (meaning almost all over the world). Shall you have further doubts on this point please contact us writing to master@naba.it.
How does the admission process work?
The admission process is structured in a few main steps, fully described in the application form (to be required here).
Please find below the description of the main passages:
1. Student sends to NABA the application dossier, as explained in the application form (to be required here).
2. NABA confirms to the student the reception of the application dossier and informs the student about the evaluation session (see below).
3. The evaluation session (see below) takes place.
4. NABA provides a written feedback to the student about her/his possible admission to the program and, if the feedback is positive, sends to the student the enrolment form ("modulo di immatricolazione") necessary to complete the enrolment.
5. The student requires the “perfezionamento documenti” (see below) to the nearest Italian representative authority, in order to ensure that the right documents will be sent to NABA within the beginning of the academic program.
6. The student fills out and sends to NABA the enrolment form, together with the payment receipt of the enrolment fee (all details for payment available in the enrolment form).
7. Upon receiving the enrolment form together with the payment receipt, NABA confirms the enrolment (and, for non-EU students, provides assistance for student visa issuing).
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:
After receiving a positive feedback on the admission (point 4), international students must get in touch with the nearest Italian representative authority and ask for the "perfezionamento documenti" (see below).
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL NON-EU CITIZENS:
If interested in applying for MA programs (Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies, Multimedia Communication Design, Textile and new Materials Design), please contact the nearest Italian representative authority as soon as you decide applying for NABA programs, in order to fill in the proper pre-enrolment (see below) form.
How is the evaluation session structured?
The evaluation session is an interview with the academic commission, usually headed by the program’s Director, where candidates have the opportunity to present themselves, their previous works, their professional objectives, their motivation towards the selected program.
Evaluation sessions are held here at NABA on a monthly basis, according to established schedules. The exact date for each candidate is communicated upon the reception of the application dossier, as explained in the application form (to request the application form click here).
For applicants not having the opportunity to reach NABA in person for the interview (e.g. extra-EU students), alternative ways will be found (e.g. telephone or web-based technologies). If that is your case, please specify it when sending the application dossier and we will arrange a distance evaluation for you.
How shall I send my application dossier?
The application dossier may be sent via ordinary mail, express courier or email, according to the student’s choice. NABA in any case recommends, especially to non-EU students, to send the application via express courier (e.g. FedEx, DHL, TNT, UPS…) in order to avoid troubles.
NABA will inform the candidates as soon as the application will be received, contacting them via email to the address specified in the application form (which may be required here).
PLEASE DO NOT SEND APPLICATIONS VIA EMAIL SINCE WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM INTO CONSIDERATION.
How shall the portfolio be structured/presented?
The choice of how to present the portfolio, as well as the number and kind of projects to show is up to the student and will be considered an expression of her/his creative approach.
For what refers to the format, we usually recommend to students sending their application dossier from abroad to choose the digital format (CD/DVD), while when coming in person the portfolio may be presented just as students prefer.
We recommend to students having a mainly theoretical background, or a creative portfolio proceeding from a different area in relation to the one they are applying for, to present some projects they have been working at (also e.g. as event producers or project managers), in order to give a better idea of their skills to the evaluation commission.
What shall I write in the motivation letter?
The motivation letter is an important tool to present oneself, and should contain the main reasons why a student is willing to enter one of NABA postgraduate programs and what is she/he expecting from the attendance to such program, both from a personal and professional point of view.
What is the “perfezionamento documenti”?
The “perfezionamento documenti” is the academic documents legalization process established by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for students holding non-Italian Bachelor Degrees (therefore referring not only to international students, but also e.g. to Italian students with a foreign study title).
The “perfezionamento documenti” for students applying to postgraduate programs shall include:
- the legalization of the student’s academic transcript, previously translated into Italian by a translator recognized by the Italian representative authority (they usually can provide the list of recognized translators)
- the legalization of the student’s Bachelor Degree, previously translated into Italian by a translator recognized by the Italian representative authority (they usually can provide the list of recognized translators)
- the issuing - by the Italian representative authority - of a document called Value Declaration (“Dichiarazione di Valore in loco”), stating the value of the student’s academic title (e.g. Bachelor of Arts Degree) and certifying that such academic title allows the student to enter a postgraduate program in Italy.
Once the legalization has been done, Italian representative authorities may give it back to the student for taking it to NABA by her/himself (which usually happens for EU students), or keep it and send it directly through the diplomatic courier service (which usually happens for non-EU students).
Since the “perfezionamento documenti” is a process which may take some weeks (or even months, depending on your country of origin), for the evaluation session NABA accepts academic documentation in English language, under the condition that for the final enrolment the student will present the documentation legalized by the Italian representative authority.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
since every Italian representative authority puts its conditions for the “perfezionamento documenti” in terms of deadlines and ways of presenting documents, it is always recommended to contact directly the nearest Italian representative authority.
For a complete list of the Italian representative authorities worldwide please see:
http://www.esteri.it/MAE/IT/Ministero/Rappresentanze
What is the pre-enrolment (“pre-iscrizione”)?
The pre-enrolment (in Italian: “pre-iscrizione”) is a necessary step for all non-EU citizens interested in applying in a Master of Arts Degree program (Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies, Multimedia Communication Design, Textile and new Materials Design, Product Design, Film and new Media).
IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR:
- EU citizens
- Non-EU citizens wishing to apply for an Academic Master program (Digital Environment Design, Interior Design, Landscape Design, Photography and Visual Design).
The pre-enrolment form (“domanda di pre-iscrizione”) has to be required to the nearest Italian representative authority, filled out and delivered back to the Italian representative authority itself, within a deadline which is established every year by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for 2010 it was June 10th).
The pre-enrolment form has to be presented together with the “perfezionamento documenti” request (see above), and its delivery to the Italian representative authority entitles students to be eligible for a student visa - in case they will be accepted to the program they are interested in, and they will decide to complete their enrolment.
A necessary step to request the pre-enrolment is the “perfezionamento documenti” (see above), even thought not all Italian representative authorities are so strict on this point.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Since every Italian representative authority puts its conditions for the pre-enrolment in terms of deadlines, flexibility and ways for presenting documents, it is always recommendable to contact directly the nearest Italian representative authority.
For a complete list of the Italian representative authorities worldwide please see:
http://www.esteri.it/MAE/IT/Ministero/Rappresentanze
What is the teaching language?
All NABA postgraduate programs are taught in Italian, with the exception of Interior Design “New Domestic Landscapes” and of Digital Exhibit and Set Design Academic Master programs, which are held in English.
We warmly recommend our international students (around 25% of the whole student population) interested in attending programs in Italian to start studying the language a few months before coming, in order to start the course having at least an upper intermediate level of language knowledge (so not perfect, but fluent enough to comprehend and speak).
Here are some suggested standards in terms of studying hours, depending of student’s native language:
- Oriental and Middle Eastern students: 500 hrs
- Eastern European Students: 360 hrs
- Other Europeans including English speakers: 320 hrs
- Spanish and Portuguese speaking students: 160 hrs.
They are just suggestions, because learning a language is something very personal, and therefore it depends a lot on one’s personal sensibility and motivation.
In order to support the Academy’s international students, NABA established a partnership with one of the main Italian language schools in Italy, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci (www.scuolaleonardo.com), whose Milan offices are based on NABA campus itself. The school offers courses of all levels and lengths during the whole year, with special fares dedicated to NABA students, and may be reached writing to milan@scuolaleonardo.com.
NABA postgraduate programs are full-time programs?
Yes, the required commitment is full-time, from Monday to Friday, for approximately 6 to 8 hours a day of teaching hours, labs and project works.
What are the programs tuition fees?
Tuition fees vary according to the kind of program chosen and to the selected timing for payment.
Please see Fees and grants area of this website for further details.
Is there the opportunity of getting any kind of financial aid or scholarship?
Yes, NABA provides every year a number of scholarships for talented students for each postgraduate program, partially covering the whole fee amount (up to the 50%).
Students interested in applying may download here the scholarship request form, to be filled out and sent together with the application dossier, as explained in the application form (to be required here).
Further opportunities coming from NABA partner companies and institutions may come out every year and will be advertised on the Fees and grants area of this website.
In addition to NABA scholarships we always recommend to international students to surf the web looking for further interesting opportunities, e.g. the ones offered every year by the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry (www.esteri.it).
Is there the opportunity of getting financial aid or scholarship for NABA former undergraduate students?
Yes, NABA former undergraduate students (Bachelor Degree, Diploma program) are automatically entitled to get a significant discount on the tuition fees, corresponding to the 33% of the whole fee amount. To get the corresponding application form please write us at infomaster@naba.it, specifying that you are a NABA former students.
In case you have been attending some other kind of program at NABA (e.g. US semester abroad, undergraduate exchange, summer course) please contact us for further enquiries, writing at infomaster@naba.it.
Does NABA support students in finding an accommodation?
As most of Italian small academies and universities, NABA does not have a dorm on campus, but offers a support and assistance service to international students, helping them to look for a suitable accommodation through a network of real estate partner agencies, a more informal "bulletin board" with some private offers, and a weekly newsletter collecting all available offers, which is sent to all enrolled students from one month previous to their arrival (December) until one month after their arrival (February).
In general we suggest to our prospect students to rent a hotel/hostel for their first weeks in Milan, coming of course a few days in advance before the Academic programs start, so that they may use the first days to find a suitable accommodation, matching their needs.
Orientative prices for a student accommodation in Milan:
600 to 800 Euros/month for a studio flat
500 to 600 Euros/month for a single room in shared flat
250 to 400 Euros/month for a place in double room in shared flat.
What are the monthly average living expenses in Milan?
We suggest our students to consider between 800 and 1000 Euros/month as a budget option for living in Milan. Of course these amounts are orientative, it all depends of one's personal lifestyle, this is just to give a general idea.
Is there any issue you were interested in and you couldn't find it here? Please write us at infomaster@naba.it specifying your request. Thank you!
