Do Not Recommend
I attended Federico II - Italian Language School Sicily in February 2025 and, unfortunately, I cannot recommend it. As an experienced educator with a Master’s degree in Education and certification to teach English as a Second Language, I have a deep understanding of pedagogy. Additionally, this was my sixth visit to Sicily and 17th visit to Italy, so my dissatisfaction was not due to cultural misunderstandings or unrealistic expectations.
The school was disorganized and unprofessional in several ways. Teachers were frequently late, leaving students standing outside in the cold for up to 15 minutes waiting for someone to unlock the doors. The lack of structure and respect for students’ time was frustrating.
In the classroom, my first instructor was openly unkind to struggling students, particularly a French woman who had difficulty with reflexive verbs. The teacher regularly berated her in front of the class, which made for an uncomfortable learning environment. I didn’t speak up for fear of being treated the same way. After the first week, I lied and said the class was too advanced for me just so I could switch teachers. My second instructor was kinder, but unfortunately, neither class was engaging or dynamic. The lessons were uninspiring, repetitive, and lacked interactivity, making learning more difficult than necessary.
The school also failed to provide a welcoming environment. While the lights were sometimes on in the classrooms, the common areas remained completely unlit, making the entire space feel unprofessional and uninviting. It seemed like cost-cutting took priority over creating a comfortable space for students.
I also booked a two-week home stay with one of the teachers, which turned out to be a terrible experience. While she was personally welcoming, her home smelled overwhelmingly of cats. I knew she had cats before arriving, but I did not expect the strong odor or the intense allergic reaction I developed almost immediately.
On top of that, my bedroom had no heat (in the winter!), and since I had to keep my door closed to keep the cats out, I had no ambient warmth from the rest of the apartment. I shivered through the night, layering multiple sets of pajamas and even sleeping with my head under the blankets just to stay warm. When I mentioned how cold it was, my host dismissed my concerns and instead suggested I had the flu. Eventually, she gave me a fourth blanket for the bed, but it was still not enough. Again, she was kind and shared some medications with me, but I was developing bronchitis by that point.
After three miserable nights, I knew I had to leave, so I rented an Airbnb at my own expense. When I requested a partial refund for the home stay, I was denied. The teacher who hosted me was also the person responsible for handling refunds, a clear conflict of interest. Unsurprisingly, she refused to reimburse me the 500 euros she personally received.
Throughout my stay, I felt uncomfortable voicing complaints to either my host or the teachers because I had already paid for two weeks of classes, and I did not want to risk making my experience at the school even more unpleasant. Given the unprofessional behavior I had already observed, I worried that complaining might lead to even worse treatment from the staff.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Federico II - Italian Language School Sicily to those looking for a high-quality, professional, and well-organized language-learning experience. Between the uninspiring classes, unkind teaching practices, lack of professionalism, and unacceptable home stay conditions, the school failed to meet even basic expectations.
I fully expect the school will respond to this review with excuses, justifications, or attempts to shift the blame, but this is an honest and accurate account of my experience. Everything I have shared is completely true, and my only goal is to help others make an informed decision before choosing this school. If you are considering enrolling, I strongly advise researching alternative options before making a commitment.
