Families should not have to choose between an extraordinary setting and a serious education.

Canadian College Italy is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education and has held credit-granting authority since 1995. Students in Grades 9 through 12 work toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, a respected credential that prepares them to apply to universities around the world.

Courses are taught in English, face to face, by Ontario-certified teachers and subject specialists. At least 80 per cent of our teaching staff are from Ontario, helping us maintain continuity with the curriculum, assessment practices and academic expectations families rely on.

Small classes make the difference personal. Teachers know how each student learns, adjust their instruction when something is not clicking, provide extra help before a problem grows and offer greater challenge when a student is ready for it. At CCI, students cannot disappear in the back row.

Our students do not simply visit Italy. They learn how to live here.

CCI is woven into the historic centre of Lanciano, a welcoming town between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea. School, residences, meals and daily activities are all part of the same walkable community. Students move through real Italian life each day, rather than experiencing the country from inside a campus bubble or tour group.

They shop locally, greet familiar faces, practise Italian and gradually learn to navigate another culture with confidence. That freedom develops within clear school expectations and attentive supervision, giving students room to grow without leaving them on their own.

CCI has been part of Lanciano since 1995. Our long-standing relationships with local families, businesses, doctors and authorities mean our students are welcomed and known. Italy is not scenery surrounding the education. It becomes part of who our students are.

A meaningful extracurricular program should fit the student, not force every student into the same mould.

CCI works with students to build activities around their interests, goals and existing commitments. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award provides a strong framework for physical activity, skill development and service, while still allowing each student to create a genuinely individual program.

Options may include team and individual sports, fitness, music, art, outdoor activities, volunteering and opportunities within the local community. When possible, our team also helps students continue an established pursuit by connecting them with appropriate local facilities, coaches or instructors.

Popular activities include dancing, cycling, swimming, tennis, weightlifting, yoga, Pilates, scuba diving, sailing, volleyball, basketball, soccer, sport shooting, archery, horseback riding, pottery, first aid, photography, cooking and baking, gardening, singing and music, teaching ESL, language learning, fundraising, social media management, food service, yearbook, and outdoor adventure-to name just a few.

Activities are built into the rhythm of school life. Students learn to manage their time, keep commitments, contribute to their community and discover interests that may stay with them well beyond graduation.

At CCI, the Italy families dream about is already part of the school experience.

Students travel throughout the north, centre and south of Italy on carefully planned day trips and overnight journeys. Historic cities, museums, archaeological sites, coastlines and mountain regions give students direct access to the history, art, politics, geography and culture they encounter in class.

The core travel program is built into tuition and the academic calendar. The school manages the planning, transportation, accommodation, supervision and educational context, so families are not repeatedly asked to organize or fund the next essential experience.

Travel also develops maturity. Students learn to move confidently through unfamiliar places, adapt to new situations, look after one another and engage thoughtfully with the world around them. These are not sightseeing breaks from school. They are some of the places where the education becomes real.

This is where being a small, family-run school makes the greatest difference.

CCI students live within a clear daily structure that includes classes, shared meals, activities, supervised evening study, residence check-ins and curfews. Trained adults are present around the clock, and because our community is small, staff notice when a student misses a meal, seems unlike themselves, begins falling behind or needs additional support.

Our level of care is practical and personal. If a student is sick, we make sure they see a doctor. If they are struggling, we do not wait for the problem to become a crisis. If a parent has a concern, they can receive a clear answer from the people who know their child, including direct access to school leadership.

Care is not outsourced or lost through layers of administration. Our team takes personal responsibility for the student experience. That close attention gives parents reassurance while giving students the secure foundation they need to become more independent.

University counselling at CCI is not a Grade 12 checklist completed at the last minute.

Students receive individual guidance with course selection, OSSD requirements, university research and the decisions that shape their future options. Our counsellors get to know each student’s academic record, strengths, interests and ambitions, then help build a realistic and appropriately ambitious plan.

CCI has extensive experience with university systems in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond. Support includes country-specific admissions requirements, standardized testing when applicable, application strategy, personal statements and essays, submissions, offers and final decisions. Applications are prepared on campus with careful attention, and families are kept informed throughout the process.

Our graduates earn admission to leading universities around the world. Just as importantly, they leave CCI able to advocate for themselves, manage demanding workloads and make thoughtful decisions independently. We do not simply help students get into university. We prepare them to succeed when they arrive.