Spend a semester or academic year in the artistically and culturally rich city of Florence, Italy, with AIFS! Choose from a wide variety of courses at the AIFS Global Education Center with credit awarded by Fairfield University.
The AIFS inclusive program fee includes all of the great features below in addition to many pre-departure, on-site and upon-return services to help students make the most of their time abroad.
Review Our PoliciesUp to 13 semester credits
Wide variety of courses available; taught in English and Italian
Student apartment
Meal vouchers for five breakfasts (or lunches) and five dinners a week in specified local restaurants, valued at $1,700
Trips to Rome, Venice and Siena
A wide range of AIFS-organized cultural activities and social events to enrich your experience
to help with any questions or advice you may need throughout the program
Round-trip flights from 25 U.S. gateways
Airport transfers to and from program location
Meet Karly, a college student from Bethel University in Minnesota who took over the AIFS Abroad Instagram story recently to answer questions about what it’s like to study abroad in Florence, Italy during her fall semester! Watch as Karly highlights what a typical day in the life looks like there.
Internet access is included in all AIFS housing in Florence.
10 vouchers per week (five breakfasts or lunches plus five dinners excluding during excursions and school breaks with a total value of $1,700). Students can opt out for a reduced program fee.
Florence has an extensive public bus system to get to and from classes and housing. Many sites throughout the center of town are accessible by foot.
Students on the Internship Program use public transportation to get to work if necessary. Interns should budget approximately 50 euros per month for a bus pass.
Florence was one of the wealthiest cities in medieval Europe and became the epicenter of trade and finance. The city is also considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and has been called “the Athens of the Middle Ages.”
Florence’s incredible artwork and architecture caused Forbes to label the city as one of the most beautiful on earth and the reason millions of tourists a year flock to see the historic center of Florence which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Simona Michelotti
Laurea cum laude in Pedagogy at the University of Florence
Simona was born in Malta, but very soon moved to Italy.
She is used to say that her heart is divided between her love for Florence and the one for South Tyrol. She loves to every day walk through the Ponte Vecchio admiring the beauty of Florence, but she cannot stay too much far away from the breathtaking Dolomites mountains, where she hikes or snowshoeing according to the season.
She is also a wine lover and loves to cook for her friends and family, as a typical Italian!
Very soon she understood the importance of Study Abroad, when during High School, she spent a Summer in a College in Florida: a meaningful experience that somehow directed all her future choices.
Simona has been working full time for AIFS since 1998, covering different roles, such as Director of the Internship and Service Learning Program, Director of the Summer School and she also run a J-Term on the Dolomites. She is now the Dean of the Florence Program, although she refers to herself as an Educator who has the honor to prepare the ground field for unforgettable learning experiences and change the students’ lives forever, exactly like it happened to her.
The Program Director provides academic advice, introduces you to the community and handles communication with the University.
To help you get a true taste of Italian culture, AIFS staff organize an excellent program of cultural and social activities to complement the academic program and to enhance the educational experience. Many activities promote a way of learning through “hands-on” experience as well as integration with the local community to allow students to get the most from life in Florence. Most events are included in the program fee and only a few require a small supplementary fee. Examples of activities are:
Over the last 25 years, over 1,700 AIFS students have participated in the AIFS volunteer program, engaging in community service and leaving a mark in both students’ personal and professional lives.
Volunteer work is offered to those who wish to take an active role in the local community. Placements are offered in a variety of different environments – schools, museums, day cares, foster homes and fundraising associations. This is a great opportunity for students to improve their Italian language ability, to gain the confidence of the locals and to experience the heart and soul of Italian culture.
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Program is closed
Participants can select an optional transportation package for all AIFS Abroad programs that includes a round-trip flight from 25 U.S gateways and airport transfers to and from campus. Participants who choose to book their own flights will be responsible for connecting with the group at the program location and will need to make their own ground transportation arrangements from the airport.
Below are fees by departure city based on average historical costs and subject to change. If you select this option on your application, the total flight package price will be confirmed approximately one month prior to departure. Your program fee is guaranteed, and the optional flight package is an additional fee. Please note that once we have finalized the pricing for your flights the cost may change, and you will be responsible for making the additional payment if you want to participate in the flight package. Your program advisor will be in touch should there be any changes in the price of your flights.
For more dates or questions, contact your program consultant:
(203) 399-5163 or email: aifsabroad@aifs.com
Social identity & access
One of the best things you can do before departure is enter into the journey knowing that your time abroad will be unique to this experience. The resources, community, and support available to you when abroad will likely be different as well. In order to help you prepare for your experience, we have compiled many resources about social identity and access in specific locations abroad. Your program staff will also provide you with more details pre-departure and during orientation.
Learn more