Application

Welcome to Amelia International Conservation Studies Program for Summer 2025!

We would like to inform you that each course will have a maximum of 12 participants. This limit is set to ensure a better learning environment and personalized attention for each participant. Thank you for your understanding and support.

If you have any inquiries, please feel free to reach out to Sotirios Kourtesis either via email, at sotirios.kourtesis@arcifs.org, or through our contact page.

At AICS, we offer a wide range of opportunities for individuals interested in the field of preservation. Whether you are a college or university student, a continuing education student, or someone with working experience in restoration, preservation, or related fields, we welcome your application.

You do not need to be currently enrolled in a university program to apply. To ensure a smooth application process, we kindly request all applicants to be at least 18 years old. Prior to completing an application, we strongly advise you to thoroughly read the following instructions. Thank you!

Discover our programs for Summer 2025

From June 9 to August 8, immerse yourself in captivating programs dedicated to exploring the intricacies of historic monuments, paper restoration, surveying methods in architecture, traditional painting techniques, and the complexities of restoration issues. We also offer specialized courses in the restoration of archaeological ceramics, historical bookbinding conservation, and the preservation of architectural painted surfaces (advanced level).

Accreditation or Audit Options

When enrolling in our courses, it is important to determine whether you are pursuing a certificate issued by AICS or seeking university credit. For detailed information on obtaining credit through our programs, please refer to our accreditation page. Please note that AICS itself is not an accredited institution. However, we are proud to announce that since our first year of operation, we have successfully affiliated our program with the prestigious Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli in Italy.

If you require course credit, field experience credit, or internship credit from your university, we recommend consulting with your school's study abroad department to confirm that they accept work done in our programs. Upon request, we will provide your school with course syllabi, attendance records, and a grade evaluation of your participation.

Application Submission

To apply for our programs, please complete the AICS application form provided below. Fill out the form online, ensuring that you carefully follow all instructions stated. The deadline to submit your application for AICS programs is March 1, 2025.

However, please note that if space is available, this deadline may be extended.

Please refrain from making any travel arrangements until you have received an acceptance confirmation. It is important to understand that AICS reserves the right to review all applicants and determine who will be accepted into the programs.

Payment Submission

Once we receive your completed application form, you can expect to receive an email from AICS containing instructions on how to proceed further. If you do not receive an email from us within 24 hours, kindly check your junk/spam folder. To ensure smooth communication in the future, please add sotirios.kourtesis@arcifs.org to your safe contact list.

To validate and activate your application, we kindly request you to submit the required payment. This includes a non-refundable application fee of €50, as well as a program deposit of €550.

Instructions for payment submission can be found in the email sent to you by AICS. Please note that the deadline for the payment submission, along with your application, is March 1st, 2025.
Furthermore, according to the payment form, the sooner we receive the full payment, the better it will be for finding airfare tickets at a good price. This is because we will be able to confirm the program earlier, allowing everyone to make their airfare arrangements in a timely manner.

Submission of Supporting Documents

In order to complete your application, several documents are required. Please note that while they do not need to be sent simultaneously, all required documents must be received before we can officially accept your application.

You have the option to scan and email the documents or physically mail them to the following address:

  • ARCIFS S.R.L. Sotirios Kourtesis, Via dei Sabelli 10, Rome, 00185 ITALY

(Please note that we would greatly appreciate receiving the application forms electronically through email, as it may take longer to receive them via physical mail. This will enable us to expedite the review process and provide a prompt response).

a) If you are currently enrolled as a student, please provide a transcript from your college or university as proof of your enrollment.

b) If you are a graduate, please submit documentation verifying your college or university degree. If you do not hold a degree, provide evidence of your professional work experience in the field of conservation or related areas.

c) All applicants must arrange for one letter of recommendation to be sent directly by a professor or employer to sotirios.kourtesis@arcifs.org

d) As an essential requirement, all applicants must provide proof of being 18 years or older. A copy of your passport is preferable, although a driver's license or birth certificate will also be accepted.

e) Prior to participating in any AICS program, all applicants must thoroughly review and sign the following documents, which will be sent to you upon the submission of the deposit and the application fee:

  • Liability Release and

  • Student Rules and Regulations.

Printed copies of these forms will be provided in Amelia, and you will have the opportunity to sign them during the orientation before classes begin.

COVID Regulations

ARCIFS and AICS programs monitor and adhere to all COVID-related requirements maintained by our collaborating organizations as well as the Italian and US Government agencies.

All AICS participants must abide by the local health and safety guidelines, including vaccination requirements. ARCIFS will update and confirm with all participants COVID regulations one-month prior to the beginning of each program.

Currently, AICS applicants will not be asked to provide COVID vaccination status or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to acceptance to the program.

Please send all Documents (scanned, emailed or physically mailed) to: Sotirios Kourtesis (sotirios.kourtesis@arcifs.org) or Via dei Sabelli 10, Rome, 00185 Italy. If you have any questions with these steps or have problems filling in the application, please contact sotirios.kourtesis@arcifs.org or IT Tel: +39 327 450 4035 between 9am - 5pm EST.
(The time in Italy is normally 6 hours ahead of the time in New York, but because these time zones don't share the same start and end times for daylight saving time, the time in Italy can for a short while be 5 hours ahead of the time in New York).

Online Application

Please use the form provided to apply for our summer program. Your personal information will remain confidential. Once you submit the form, you can expect to receive an email within 24 hours confirming receipt and providing instructions on how to complete your application. For any questions regarding this form or if you do not receive an acknowledgment email, please contact Sotirios Kourtesis at sotirios.kourtesis@arcifs.org.

AICS welcomes students of varying experience levels and from a wide range of disciplines. Some questions on this application form are intended to gauge your level of experience and interests.

The average completion time for this form is approximately 10 minutes.

Please note that the following documents will be provided to participants via email after the review and acceptance of their submitted application form:

Student Rules & Regulation
Liability Release

Once your application has been reviewed and accepted, we will promptly send these important documents to the email address provided in your application. We kindly ask all participants to complete the application form accurately to facilitate the review process and ensure timely delivery of the necessary information.

Enrollment Policy

AICS reserves the right to review the applicants and determine who will be accepted into the programs.

Please do not make travel arrangements until you have been accepted and received confirmation that the program will take place.

Refund Policy

Refund Policy: On March 1st we will establish if we have the enrollment required for the program to go ahead. Should the program be cancelled due to low enrollment, or any other AICS decision, applicants will be fully refunded. If an applicant withdraws their application before the March 1st deadline, they will be refunded the €550 deposit but not the €50 application fee. Those students that withdraw their application after March 1st will not receive a refund of the deposit.