PREPARATORY COURSES:
ABA FOUNDATION YEAR

The Foundation Year for the 2025-2026 Academic Year is a one-year program designed to prepare students both linguistically and culturally, facilitating their access to academic programs in the fields of art and design. The program enables international students to meet the formal requirements set by the Italian Ministry of University and Research for enrollment in Bachelor’s degree programs, where required.

To access the Foundation Year, a B1 language level is recommended. By the end of the Foundation Year, students are required to achieve a B2 level, in accordance with the regulations of Italian academic institutions for admission to Bachelor’s Degree Programs. The Foundation Year is an interdisciplinary preparatory program designed for candidates who hold a high school Diploma or an equivalent qualification but do not meet all the admission requirements for the chosen Bachelor Degree Program at ABA UD.


● At least 11 years of previous schooling;
● Submission of an English language certificate, if available.
Have not completed 12 years of schooling
Do not meet other requirements such as:
● The U.S. high school diploma with 3 AP exams;
● The British high school diploma with 3 A-levels;
● The Chinese diploma with GK (Gaokao) or YK (Yikao) exams.
Need to integrate their educational background in preparation for enrollment in Italian AFAM institutions, with a particular focus on the study of the English language and Italian culture.

The admission application must include the following documents:
● Filled and signed FOUNDATION YEAR APPLICATION FORM;
● High school diploma with a “TRANSCRIPT OF RECORD” of the completed educational activities and a related Declaration of Value issued locally or CIMEA certificates of authenticity and comparability;
● English language proficiency certificate, if available;
● Copy of your passport (or ID card if you are an EU citizens).
Send the admission documents to the Enrollment Office at enrollment@accademiatiepolo.it
The evaluation of the application is based on a positive response from ABA UD, which will verify whether the application documents meet the required criteria. The Enrollment Office will inform the candidate about the acceptance status and, if positive, will send the Enrollment Form. ABA UD reserves the right to assess students’ aptitudes and motivations before enrollment.
● For European students, the deadline for submitting the admission application is one week before the start of the program.
● For non-EU students, it is recommended to submit the application on time to apply for a visa before the start of the program.
The total duration of the course, starting in November, is 650 hours of lessons.
The Foundation Year is structured in different courses, some of an artistic and cultural nature, and others focused on improving the ability to communicate in English.
English Language classes will be formed based on the reference language level.
Lessons are taught in English.

Students who successfully complete the Foundation Year will receive a certificate issued by ABA UD, confirming the completion of the course and granting access to higher education studies in the fields of art and design. The lessons will take place at the ABA UD campus in Udine.
The final language exam (if needed) will be certified by an authorized center, and the exam will be held at ABA UD. The tuition fee for the Foundation Year A.Y. 2025-2026 is €8,000.00, which includes the registration fee.
