Terms
I. General indications
1. By applying for participation in the course, the student declares that they are aware of and accept these General Conditions and declares that they have thoroughly reviewed the documentation relating to the presentation of the course, that they have understood its structure and that they accept it. These “General Conditions” define the guidelines of the educational service offered by YAC s.r.l. (hereinafter referred to as “Yacademy” or the “School”), whose specific provisions, on a course-by-course basis, are set out in the section entitled “Specific Terms”.
2. The courses are delivered in Italian and English. For students who are not native Italian speakers, a simultaneous interpretation service from Italian into English will be available.
3. The courses are offered on a limited enrolment basis (maximum 20 students, of whom 15 attend in person and 5 online) and admission is subject to a selection process (the selection criteria are set out in Chapter IV).
4. The final number of students and the actual activation of the online class may be subject to a subsequent discretionary evaluation by Yacademy in relation to the participation preferences expressed by the applicants. If the online class is not activated, the number of in-person students may increase up to a maximum of 20 for the entire duration of the course, as provided for in point 3 of this Chapter.
5. In-person courses are delivered at Yacademy’s premises located at Via Borgonuovo 5, Bologna. The courses may also include trips to other locations, if envisaged by the individual course programmes.
6. Yacademy reserves the right, at its sole and unquestionable discretion, to make changes to the course timetable and programme in order to ensure the optimal delivery of the courses. Any such changes will be communicated to students in advance.
7. The courses may consist of all or part of the following educational formats:
a. Frontal teaching modules (i.e. theoretical classes delivered in a classroom setting);
b. Special lectures and critique sessions (the latter understood as review sessions of the design workshop work carried out with guest lecturers);
c. Visits and site inspections outside the classroom;
d. One-day labs (days dedicated to active exercises and/or design work carried out by students);
e. A design workshop;
f. A final construction workshop;
g. A proposal for a period of collaboration or training at one of the school’s partner studios, in accordance with the provisions set out in Chapter VI below.
The actual inclusion of each of the educational formats listed above can be verified in the “Structure” section of the brochure for each course, available on the website www.yacademy.it.
8. Access to the activities referred to in points 7.c, 7.d and 7.f above is guaranteed exclusively to students attending the course in person. Students attending in online mode will not be able to take part in such activities, unless expressly stated in the “Structure” section of the relevant course brochure. With regard to the activities referred to in point 7.e above, online students may participate, subject to the limitations set out in Chapter VII below.
9. At the end of each course, Yacademy will issue a certificate of attendance.
10. In order for the certificate of attendance to be issued, students attending the course in person are required to attend at least 75% of the activities referred to in points 7.a, 7.b, 7.c, 7.d, 7.e and 7.f. These conditions apply exclusively to students attending in person; for students attending online, the provisions set out in Chapter VII shall apply.
11. Candidates from non-EU countries who wish to attend the courses in person are advised to verify the conditions for visa issuance well in advance of the publication of the ranking list to ensure access to the courses in compliance with the timelines published in the “Calendar” section of each course brochure. Yacademy staff may provide documentation supporting the visa application, but offers no guarantee with regard to the issuance of the visa. The visa must be requested exclusively for the classroom-based teaching phase, i.e. for the first 10 weeks of the course. Yacademy shall not be held responsible for any incorrect visa applications submitted by the student or for the failure to obtain a visa.
II. Attendance modes
1. Each admitted student may choose the mode of attendance for the course, either in person or online, at the costs indicated in point 1 of the “Specific Terms” for the selected course.
2. Each attendance mode has specific prerogatives, granting the student the possibility to participate to a different extent in each course module, in accordance with the provisions set out in point I.8.
3. The choice of attendance mode may be limited based on the places available and by the preferences expressed by candidates who hold a higher position in the ranking.
4. The preference regarding the mode of attendance (online / in person / no preference) must be mandatorily indicated at the application stage, by selecting the appropriate option within the applicant’s reserved area of their account on the website www.yacademy.it. The indication of such preference is not binding and may be subsequently modified in the event of admission to the course.
III. Requirements for access to the courses
1. Pre-intermediate knowledge of the English language (at least B1 level).
2. Being students or graduates in one of the following degree programmes:
• Landscape Architecture
• Architecture and Architectural Engineering
• Conservation of Architectural and Environmental Heritage
• Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage
• Design
The Selection Committee, following the assessment of the curriculum vitae, portfolio and motivational letter, together with the outcome of a possible interview, may admit students holding qualifications different from those listed above.
3. Completion of the enrolment procedure in accordance with the provisions set out in Chapter V.
4. Regular payment of the application fee and the enrollment fee (or the relevant installments thereof).
IV. Admission
1. Applications will be assessed by a Selection Committee, as further detailed below and in the brochure of each course, which will assign a score ranging from 0 to 100 points to each applicant.
2. The Selection Committee is composed of the professionals listed in the “Selection Committee” section of the brochure for each course, available on the website www.yacademy.it.
3. The judgement of the Selection Committee shall be final and unquestionable.
4. The Selection Committee is not required to provide comments on the applications submitted.
5. The overall score shall be determined on the basis of the following criteria:
• curriculum vitae (max 30 points)
• motivational letter (max 20 points)
• portfolio (max 50 points)
6. In addition to any other information deemed relevant by the applicant, for the purposes of a proper evaluation of the curriculum vitae, the latter must necessarily include:
• the year of graduation and final degree grade for graduated applicants; for non-graduated applicants, the grade point average and the expected date of completion of the degree programme;
• the level of English language proficiency according to the CEFR classification.
7. Based on the scores awarded, a provisional ranking list shall be drawn up and published in each applicant’s reserved area. For each course, the top 20 applicants according to the scores referred to in point 5 of this Chapter shall be admitted.
8. Applicants ranked from 1st to 3rd place (inclusive) shall be awarded a scholarship covering the full amount of the enrolment fee, regardless of the chosen mode of attendance (in person or online). The scholarship shall be awarded exclusively to the first three applicants in the ranking list; should any of them renounce the scholarship, it shall not be reassigned to further applicants.
9. Applicants ranked from 4th to 20th place (inclusive) shall be admitted to the course subject to payment of the enrolment fee indicated in point 1 of the “Specific Terms” for the relevant course.
10. Applicants ranked from 21st place onwards shall not be admitted to the course, but may be admitted by way of ranking list advancement in the event of withdrawals by admitted applicants. Yacademy staff shall promptly contact individual applicants in the event of such admission.
11. On the basis of enrollments and any admissions by ranking list advancement, the final ranking list shall be drawn up and published in each applicant’s reserved area within four (4) weeks from the publication of the provisional ranking list.
12. Each admitted applicant (both with and without a scholarship) shall be contacted by Yacademy staff via email upon publication of the provisional ranking list, in order to confirm their acceptance and the mode of attendance they intend to choose (in person or online).
13. In the event of a tie between two or more applicants, priority shall be given to the applicant who has obtained the higher score for the portfolio or, in the event of a further tie, to the applicant who first completed the payment of the application fee referred to in point V.5.
14. In the event of failure to reply to emails sent by Yacademy staff within the deadlines specified therein, the priority assigned to the applicant in relation to their position in the provisional ranking list shall lapse.
15. The Selection Committee may, if deemed necessary, require the applicant to take part in a motivational interview.
16. The date of any motivational interview shall be agreed upon by Yacademy staff in consultation with the applicant and shall in any case be conducted by means of videoconference.
17. Should an applicant who has been invited to attend a motivational interview fail to do so, they shall be automatically excluded from the selection process.
V. Enrolment
1. Access the website www.yacademy.it.
2. Complete the personal details form by filling in all mandatory fields.
3. At the end of the registration procedure, the applicant will receive an email containing a confirmation link. Should the email not be received, applicants are advised to check their spam folder or contact Yacademy staff at application@yacademy.it. The applicant must click on the link in order to confirm the registration.
4. Access the reserved area using the activated username and password and select the course for which the application and enrolment request are to be completed.
5. The following documents and information are required:
• a copy of a valid identity document;
• curriculum vitae (free format), maximum file size 2 MB;
• motivational letter (200 words), maximum file size 2 MB;
• portfolio (free format, maximum file size 10 MB, PDF format only); any links to online portfolios shall not be taken into consideration for evaluation purposes;
• payment of the application fee in the amount of €73.20, to be paid via PayPal or bank transfer, in accordance with the instructions provided on the website;
• indication of the preferred mode of attendance for the course (non-binding).
6. Once the required documents have been uploaded and the application fee has been duly paid, the application shall be considered complete and shall be submitted for evaluation by Yacademy staff.
7. Upon completion of the assessment of applications, from the date of publication of the provisional ranking list, applicants may check their status in relation to the score obtained by accessing their reserved area. In any case, admitted applicants shall simultaneously receive an admission email indicating the status of their application. Applicants are advised to carefully assess their position in the provisional ranking list, in view of possible admissions by ranking list advancement.
8. In the event of admission, applicants admitted without a scholarship shall be required to pay, within the deadlines indicated in the “Calendar” section of the relevant course brochure, the enrolment fee in accordance with the amounts set out in point 1 of the “Specific Terms” of the individual course.
9. The enrolment fee may be paid as follows:
a. with regard to online courses: in a single instalment;
b. with regard to in-person courses: either in a single instalment or in three instalments (with a 6% surcharge), in accordance with point 2 of the “Specific Terms” of the course.
10. The enrolment fee, or the relevant instalments thereof, must be paid by bank transfer to the following IBAN: IT51F0200802457000107083685 (UNICREDIT S.p.A.), indicating the following payment reference: “student’s first and last name; course title; enrolment” (e.g. for student John Smith enrolled in the Architecture for Regeneration course: “John Smith; Architecture for Regeneration; enrolment”). The student shall upload the bank transfer receipt to their reserved online area within the deadlines specified in the admission email sent by Yacademy.
11. The application fee shall under no circumstances be refundable to the student or prospective student, as it is intended to cover the costs of the selection procedure.
VI. Placement Service
1. The internship/collaboration period offered through Yacademy takes place at one of the school’s partner studios and is managed independently by the host organisation. The internship/collaboration has a minimum duration of two (2) months and includes a guaranteed reimbursement.
2. For the activation of the internship/collaboration referred to in point I.7.g, the following requirements are mandatory:
• attainment of eligibility for the design workshop (certified for each student by the Tutor of the design workshop module);
• attendance of at least 75% of the activities referred to in points 7.a, 7.b, 7.c, 7.d, 7.e and 7.f.
These requirements apply exclusively to students attending the courses in person. Should a student attend the course in online mode, the provisions set out in Chapter VII shall apply.
3. Each student will be given the opportunity to take part in a personal interview with Yacademy staff, aimed at assessing their orientation and aptitude in relation to the internship/collaboration period.
4. On the basis of the personal interview, a summary document will be prepared and signed by the student, and shall be used by the school for the subsequent placement-related activities.
5. Each student will also be given the opportunity to undertake a personal review of their portfolio and/or curriculum vitae with Yacademy staff, to facilitate the student’s application to the various partner organisations of Yacademy.
6. Students who are interested in the internship/collaboration period must make themselves available to take part in any interviews requested by the school’s partner professional organisations. Failure to do so shall result in the forfeiture of the student’s right to undertake the internship/collaboration period.
7. The assignment of students to the various partner professional organisations will take place within three (3) months after the completion of the didactic component of the courses, understood as the conclusion of the final construction workshop for students attending in person. For online students, the three-month period shall commence from the date of notification of successful completion of the individual assessment referred to in Chapter VII.
8. The assignment of students to the different professional organisations for the purposes of the internship/collaboration period shall be determined exclusively and at the sole discretion of Yacademy, on the basis of the personal interview and in accordance with the availability of the host organisations.
9. The internship/collaboration period may take place either in person or online, depending on the preferences of Yacademy’s partner studios. No distinction shall be made in the allocation of a specific internship/collaboration mode on the basis of the mode of attendance of the course.
10. Without prejudice to the organizations listed in the course brochure, the list of organizations that have made themselves available to host internships/collaborations for students may be supplemented and amended.
11. Students may choose to renounce the internship/collaboration period offered by Yacademy’s partner studios.
VII. Online attendance
Yacademy provides the possibility to attend its courses also in online mode. Participation in Yacademy’s online courses may take place in two different ways, which are not mutually exclusive:
1. Live streaming: lessons will be accessible through a dedicated web-based platform; students must therefore have a computer with internet access. Students attending the course via live videoconference will be allowed to ask questions and interact with lecturers in ways compatible with the nature of the lesson and moderated by Yacademy staff.
2. Deferred mode: lessons will be recorded and made available to students within five (5) working days from their delivery to allow participation as well for students residing in countries with time zones incompatible with Italian classroom schedules. Lessons will be uploaded to a dedicated portal with access restricted to Yacademy students; students must therefore have a computer with internet access. Students attending lessons in deferred mode may submit their questions to Yacademy staff, who will forward them to the teaching staff. It is further specified that lesson recordings will be available for online consultation only until the end of the examination sessions (this Chapter, point 7.b). Online students will not receive copies of the recordings, and any recording or dissemination thereof for any purpose is expressly prohibited.
For students attending the course online, whether in live or deferred mode, the following provisions apply:
3. There are no separate enrollment or evaluation procedures, nor separate ranking lists: all applicants wishing to attend the course either in person or online shall take part in the same selection process and, once admitted to the course—whether with or without a scholarship—may confirm the mode of attendance they wish to adopt (in person or online), subject to compliance with the maximum number of available places and in accordance with the preferences expressed by students in ranking order.
4. The interpretation service is also guaranteed to non-native Italian-speaking students attending the course in online mode.
It is further specified that students attending the course in online mode:
5. May attend all lessons, except the activities referred to in points I.7.c, I.7.d and I.7.f, in accordance with what is expressly stated in the “Structure” section of each course brochure.
6. May take part in the design workshop activities (see point I.7.e), albeit with a reduced number of hours compared to students attending in person, carrying out their project reviews via videoconference together with the Tutor of the design workshop, according to the following structure:
• one (1) kick-off meeting;
• two (2) project review sessions;
• one (1) final presentation.
7. Shall receive a certificate of attendance and shall in any case be entitled to access the subsequent placement service—under Yacademy’s standard conditions—provided that:
a. They have successfully completed the design workshop activities, as certified at the sole and unquestionable discretion of the head of the design workshop for each individual student;
b. They have successfully passed, as certified at the sole and unquestionable discretion of an assessment committee, a final individual design assessment (hereinafter referred to as the “test”).
With regard to the test, it is specified that it shall consist of the presentation and submission of:
• An individual project, developed as an extension of the project carried out within the design workshop, in accordance with the specifications provided on the first day of course attendance.
8. The assessment committee shall be composed of the Tutor of the design workshop and the management of Yacademy, and may be supported by additional members of the teaching staff.
9. The date for the presentation and submission of the test shall coincide with the date of the final presentation of the outcomes of the design workshop, as referred to in point 6 above.
10. Should the student fail to submit the required materials by the aforementioned date, or in the event of a negative outcome of the test, the student shall forfeit the right to access the Placement Service.
VIII. Notes
1. This document, in its entirety, constitutes an integral part of the terms and conditions of the service.
2. The “Specific Terms” supplement and integrate the “General Conditions” and form an integral part of the terms and conditions of the service.
3. By completing the registration procedure, applicants accept the Terms and Conditions of the service, namely the General Conditions and the Specific Terms.
4. Application fees and enrollment fees—or the relevant installments thereof—are not refundable under any circumstances.
5. Application fees and enrollment fees—or the relevant installments thereof—may be paid by third parties, provided that the payment reference correctly identifies the applicant, in accordance with point V.11.
6. Yacademy shall not be held liable for any failure in communications due to incorrect contact details provided by the applicant, or to failure or delay in notifying any change of address indicated during the online registration, nor for any inconvenience attributable to third parties, fortuitous events, or force majeure.
7. Should false or mendacious statements, relevant for enrollment, be found in the documentation submitted by the applicant, without prejudice to the criminal sanctions set out in Article 76 of Presidential Decree no. 445 of 28 December 2000, the applicant shall forfeit the right to enrollment and shall not be entitled to any refund of the fees paid, without prejudice to YAC s.r.l.’s right to terminate the contract pursuant to Article 1456 of the Italian Civil Code. Any false or mendacious statements may also expose the applicant to claims for damages by interested third parties, including Yacademy.
8. Applicants shall be responsible for the truthfulness and accuracy of the data provided, including personal data, and Yacademy shall not be held liable for the submission of false information. In any case, Yacademy, in compliance with applicable data protection legislation, reserves the right to verify the information provided by requesting a copy of the identity document showing the personal data used during registration.
9. Access to the courses and to the services provided by Yacademy may be suspended or definitively terminated, at Yacademy’s sole and unquestionable discretion, for any student responsible for serious disciplinary violations or conduct—also outside the academic context—that may directly or indirectly prejudice the decorum, image, or reputation of Yacademy. In such cases, the decision to suspend or exclude the student shall be communicated to the student and shall not entitle the student to any refund of the amounts already paid, except if otherwise provided by law.
10. Any outcome of the educational activities (hereinafter referred to as the “Project”), including any (transferable) intellectual and/or industrial property rights therein, shall be definitively owned by Yacademy. Yacademy shall therefore acquire the exclusive right of economic exploitation, as well as the right of reproduction in any manner or form, including the right to use, perform, adapt, modify, publish on any media channel, display, reproduce and distribute the Project, also for marketing and advertising purposes, to carry out editorial revisions, to create derivative works based thereon, and to license the Project, or parts thereof, to third parties, in any manner, form or technology, including the so-called “right of panorama”, without any limitation as to time or place.
11. Each applicant may submit applications for more than one course.
12. Each applicant may benefit from only one (1) scholarship in the same academic year.
13. With reference to the visits included in the course programme (see point I.7.c), all costs associated with transportation and overnight accommodation, in accordance with the programme defined by Yacademy, shall be deemed included in the course enrollment fee, with no additional costs borne by the student.
14. The contract between the student and YAC s.r.l. (Yacademy) shall not be deemed concluded upon submission of the student’s application, but shall be deemed concluded only upon the sending by Yacademy of an email addressed to the admitted student, summarising these General Conditions and containing confirmation of admission (hereinafter referred to as the “Admission Email”).
15. Condition precedent to the effectiveness of the contract. The contract for participation in the course between the student and YAC s.r.l. (Yacademy) shall be subject to the suspensive condition of payment of the enrollment fee—or of the first instalment thereof. In the absence of such payment, the student shall be excluded from the course. If the student benefits from a scholarship for participation in the course, the contract shall be deemed concluded upon the sending of the Admission Email.
16. In the event of disputes between Yacademy and a student who cannot be considered a consumer pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 1, letter a) of the Italian Consumer Code, arising directly or indirectly from these General Conditions, Italian law shall apply, and exclusive jurisdiction shall lie with the Court of Bologna.
Specific terms for “Wood Architecture”
This section specifies and integrates the “General Terms” for the 2026 edition of the “Wood Architecture” course.
1. The enrolment fee is:
• € 11,834 (€ 9,700 + VAT) for those who enroll for the course in person;
• € 3,538 (€ 2,900 + VAT) for those who enroll for the course online.
2. In case of payment of the enrolment fee with different installments, the applicant will pay:
• € 6,444.04 (€ 5,282 + VAT) as a confirmatory deposit*;
• € 3,660 (€ 3,000 + VAT) as an advanced payment, within the week prior to the start of classes*;
• € 2,440 (€ 2,000 + VAT) as a payoff, within the 5th week of classes*
*see the “Calendar” section on the course brochure to acknowledge the specific dates.
Specific terms for “Spiritual Architecture”
This section specifies and integrates the “General Terms” for the 2026 edition of the “Spiritual Architecture” course.
1. The enrolment fee is:
• € 11,834 (€ 9,700 + VAT) for those who enroll for the course in person;
• € 3,538 (€ 2,900 + VAT) for those who enroll for the course online.
2. In case of payment of the enrolment fee with different installments, the applicant will pay:
• € 6,444.04 (€ 5,282 + VAT) as a confirmatory deposit*;
• € 3,660 (€ 3,000 + VAT) as an advanced payment, within the week prior to the start of classes*;
• € 2,440 (€ 2,000 + VAT) as a payoff, within the 5th week of classes*
*see the “Calendar” section on the course brochure to acknowledge the specific dates.
Specific terms for “Concept Design for Architecture”
This section specifies and integrates the “General Terms” for the 2026 edition of the “Concept Design for Architecture” course.
1. The enrolment fee is:
• € 9,638 (€ 7,900 + VAT) for those who enroll for the course in person;
• € 3,538 (€ 2,900 + VAT) for those who enroll for the course online.
2. In case of payment of the enrolment fee with different installments, the applicant will pay:
• € 4,116.28 (€ 3,374 + VAT) as a confirmatory deposit*;
• € 3,660 (€ 3,000 + VAT) as an advanced payment, within the week before the start of classes*;
• € 2,440 (€ 2,000 + VAT) as a payoff, within the 5th week of classes*
*see the “Calendar” section on the course brochure to acknowledge the specific dates.