A view of the Duomo in Florence, Italy

Travel to Italy in Benedictine College’s summer high school study abroad program! Follow in the footsteps of the great poet Dante Alighieri, earning three hours of college credit while learning about another world culture and studying Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Program Dates: June 9-29, 2024

Dante Alighieri, the author of The Divine Comedy, is considered to be one of the greatest poets of world literature. On Benedictine College’s Journey with Dante summer study abroad program, high school students will travel to Italy to walk in Dante’s footsteps, view medieval and renaissance art with themes taken from his Divine Comedy, and make historical, theological, philosophical, and literary connections while experiencing Rome, Florence, Venice, and other significant sites in Italy.

Travel Itinerary

Group of students in Italy posing for a photo.

  1. The program begins with lectures, orientation and group activities on Benedictine College’s campus in Atchison, Kansas. From there, students will travel together as a group to Italy.
  2. The group will fly into Rome, visit the Eternal City, including St. Peter’s, the Vatican Museums, the Coliseum, see the Pope and pray at the major Basilicas.
  3. They will then move north to Assisi, and spend a few days in Florence, hometown to Dante and cradle of Renaissance art. From there they will move to Ravenna, city where Dante is buried, especially known for its splendid byzantine mosaics.
  4. Following Dante’s footsteps, the journey will also stop in Padua, known for the Basilica of St. Anthony; and Venice, the magical city on the lagoon. The last city to visit will be Verona, where Dante wrote his Paradiso, and also known as the town of Romeo and Juliet.
  5. The group will then fly from Milan back to the United States.

Program Costs

A group of students in front of a mural in Italy.

Program Fee: $5,490

Round Trip Group Flight: $1,936

Early Bird Discount: $500

Discount ends December 30, 2023

Total: $6,926 ($7,426 w/o discount)

When you register, you will be required to pay a $250 deposit toward the total cost of the program. If you opt to pay only the deposit and not the entire cost when you register, the remainder of the cost will be due according to the schedule below:

  • Half of the remainder of the program cost is due by February 29, 2024.
  • The other half of the remainder of the program is due by March 30, 2024.
  • The trip must be paid in full by March 30, 2024.

Cancelation Policy

If the program is canceled by the college, all payments, including the deposit, are fully refundable. The $250 deposit is nonrefundable if you choose not to travel with us. Other refunds will be equal to the amount of the payments made, less any costs the college has incurred. Generally, costs incurred by the college could include (but are not limited to) transportation arrangements, entrance tickets, lodging, meals, tour guides, etc. Within 30 days of departure, refunds are not available.

The program cost includes:

  • Tuition for three (3) Benedictine College credits
  • All travel, excursions, and tour activities within the host country
  • All housing and meals
  • All planned group co-curricular activities
  • Travel medical insurance coverage
  • Welcome kit
  • Transportation from Atchison to Kansas City International Airport for the group flight to Italy, and then from the airport back to campus at the end of the program.

The cost of the program does NOT include:

  • Passport fees
  • Travel to campus in Atchison, Kansas for the start of the program
  • Travel away from campus after the program’s conclusion
  • Deviations on the group flight
  • Personal expenses including souvenirs and any elective spending on food and entertainment
  • Phone, texting, and data usage abroad. Options for students include:
    • International roaming plan with their current provider
    • Prepaid international calling cards
    • Renting / buying a local cell phone
    • Using free call apps when Wi-Fi is available

Register for Journey with Dante

A group of students talking in a circle in Italy.

High school students who, at the time of travel, will be rising juniors, rising seniors or graduating seniors are eligible to apply for the program.

After completing the online registration form, students will be asked to upload the following items:

  1. A one-page letter of recommendation from a teacher, employer, family friend, coach, pastor, etc.
  2. A 1-2 page essay explaining their motivations, interests, expectations, and experiences that have prepared them for Journey with Dante
  3. Unofficial high school transcript
  4. Photo (head and shoulders shot)

Additional Info and Resources

A group of students taking in the history and beautiful views of Italy.

Accompanying Faculty and Staff

Students attending Journey with Dante will be accompanied by a VIRTUS-compliant Benedictine College faculty member and staff chaperones, with one faculty or staff member for every six students.

Contact Information

Do you have a specific question that was not answered here? Submit your question via our Inquiry Form, or contact Daniel Musso, Study Abroad Program Director, at 913-360-7975 or dmusso@d809.com.