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Study Abroad | Florence

Italy | AIFS Global Education Center | Fall 2024
Florence, Italy.
The Forum of Caesar in Rome, Italy.
Italy Florence Students Abroad

Select Your Program Option:

  • Fall 2024

  • Spring 2025

  • Fall 2025

  • Spring 2026

Overview

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.

What’s Included

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 Policies
  • Tuition

    Up to 13 semester credits

  • Courses

    Wide variety of courses available; taught in English and Italian

  • Housing

    Student apartment

  • Meals

    Meal vouchers for five breakfasts (or lunches) and five dinners a week in specified local restaurants, valued at $1,700

  • Excursions & Day Trips

    Trips to Rome, Venice and Siena

  • Cultural & Social Activities

    A wide range of AIFS-organized cultural activities and social events to enrich your experience

  • On-Site Program Director

    to help with any questions or advice you may need throughout the program

  • Health & Safety

    24/7 emergency support and comprehensive insurance
  • Personal/Professional Development

    Access to the renowned Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment and alumni network
  • Green Initiative

Additional Options & Opportunities

  • AIFS Flight Package

    Round-trip flights from 25 U.S. gateways

    Airport transfers to and from program location

Program Details: Study Abroad | Florence Multi Discipline

Program is closed

Dates

September 6, 2024December 7, 2024

Term

Fall

Institution

AIFS Global Education Center

Application Deadline

July 1, 2024

Inclusive Fees

$18,790

Stay for a year to save on cost

Eligibility

Open to First Year, Sophomore, Junior, Senior

Minimum of 2.5 GPA

Additional requirements may vary by course selection. See Academic section below.

Visa Requirements

Students must apply for a visa with the Italian Consulate. Upon acceptance, AIFS will provide instructions and the necessary official documents required to obtain a student visa; however, students must contact the Italian Consulate directly for the appropriate visa forms. For further information visit the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs website: http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en.

Academic Interest

  • Art
  • Art History
  • Business
  • Communications
  • Criminal Justice
  • Fashion
  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Film Studies
  • Foreign Language
  • History
  • Italian Language
  • Literature
  • Marketing
  • Photography
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Service Learning & Community Service
  • Sociology

Global Themes

  • Arts, Culture and Creative Industries
  • Business, Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
  • Education, Social Services, and Psychology
  • Global Sustainability
  • Health Sciences and STEM
  • Language, History and Culture
  • Social and Criminal Justice
Learn More About Global Themes

Rolling Admissions

Admission into this program is done on a rolling basis. You can expect confirmation of your acceptance within 2 working days of completing all required tasks.

Academics

AIFS Abroad offers a unique global educational experience for students on this program, with the following academic options available:

The AIFS Global Education Center in Florence is in the heart of the historic center. It is within walking distance of the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio and Accademia as well as numerous stores, restaurants and trattoria. 

Located in the AIFS Center is a Program Director and Student Advisors to help scholars adjust to life in Italy. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building and there are a small number of computers for student use/printing. 

Academic credit for the AIFS Florence program is awarded by Fairfield University.  

  • Art
  • Art History
  • Business
  • Communications
  • Criminal Justice
  • Fashion
  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Film Studies
  • Foreign Language
  • History
  • Italian Language
  • Literature
  • Marketing
  • Photography
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Service Learning & Community Service
  • Sociology

This program is designed for students who wish to study multiple courses from a broad range of subjects, such as art history, drawing, entrepreneurship, fashion, history, marketing, painting, photography, sociology, communication, religion and psychology, all focusing on Italian life and culture. These are all 3-credit courses and are taught in English.

Italian Language, taught by mother-tongue professors, is offered at all levels from Elementary to Advanced. Students registering for any Italian language level higher than Elementary I must take and pass an on-line placement test prior to arrival in Florence. Students at an Elementary level who wish to reach a good ability in spoken Italian can also choose a 6-credit Italian language course.

Students can take up to 5 courses for a total of 15 credits. If they wish, students can also add the “Italian Art: Selected Topics” course for 1-credit.

Working side by side with locals is an ideal way to gain insight into another culture, to understand different approaches and to prepare for the realities of working in a multicultural and interdependent world. AIFS Abroad has designed the Study + Internship Program to combine a traditional academic learning experience with a unique opportunity to study working life in Italy first-hand with placements in Florence based organizations.

Study + Internship students earn 13 U.S. credits for the semester. Students are enrolled in a 3-credit internship in their field of study and in a mandatory hybrid 3-credit SOCI 360H – Italian Culture and Traditions course. Students also take 2 courses (45 hours and 3 credits each for 6 credits in total) from the Traditional Academic Program which offers courses in a broad range of academic disciplines which relate specifically to the history, art, architecture, culture, Italian language, economics and politics of Italy and make special use of the resources available in Florence. If they wish, students can also add the “Italian Art: Selected Topics” course for 1-credit. In order to accomplish the Internship requested hours, it is strongly recommended that students choose courses concentrated during the morning or afternoon and leave whole half days free. The academic program and internship are accredited by Fairfield University.

In a competitive world, practical experience is an invaluable addition to classroom learning. The internship provides vital insight into a career field, experience in the global workplace, practical exposure to the demands of specific jobs and development of professional and personal skills. International work experience helps students test a potential career path while exploring interests and abilities in new ways.

This program is designed for students who wish to study multiple courses from a broad range of subjects, such as art history, drawing, entrepreneurship, fashion, history, marketing, painting, photography, sociology, communication, religion and psychology, all focusing on Italian life and culture. These are all 3-credit courses and are taught in English.

Italian Language, taught by mother-tongue professors, is offered at all levels from Elementary to Advanced. Students registering for any Italian language level higher than Elementary I must take and pass an on-line placement test prior to arrival in Florence. Students at an Elementary level who wish to reach a good ability in spoken Italian can also choose a 6-credit Italian language course.

Students can take up to 5 courses for a total of 15 credits. If they wish, students can also add the “Italian Art: Selected Topics” course for 1-credit.

Working side by side with locals is an ideal way to gain insight into another culture, to understand different approaches and to prepare for the realities of working in a multicultural and interdependent world. AIFS Abroad has designed the Study + Internship Program to combine a traditional academic learning experience with a unique opportunity to study working life in Italy first-hand with placements in Florence based organizations.

Study + Internship students earn 13 U.S. credits for the semester. Students are enrolled in a 3-credit internship in their field of study and in a mandatory hybrid 3-credit SOCI 360H – Italian Culture and Traditions course. Students also take 2 courses (45 hours and 3 credits each for 6 credits in total) from the Traditional Academic Program which offers courses in a broad range of academic disciplines which relate specifically to the history, art, architecture, culture, Italian language, economics and politics of Italy and make special use of the resources available in Florence. If they wish, students can also add the “Italian Art: Selected Topics” course for 1-credit. In order to accomplish the Internship requested hours, it is strongly recommended that students choose courses concentrated during the morning or afternoon and leave whole half days free. The academic program and internship are accredited by Fairfield University.

In a competitive world, practical experience is an invaluable addition to classroom learning. The internship provides vital insight into a career field, experience in the global workplace, practical exposure to the demands of specific jobs and development of professional and personal skills. International work experience helps students test a potential career path while exploring interests and abilities in new ways.

View All Courses For Multi Discipline
Florence Instagram Takeover

A DAY IN THE LIFE
florence

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.

Three students in Florence, Italy.

Living Abroad

Student Apartment

  • Fully furnished
  • Share with other AIFS students
  • Centrally located
  • Cost of reasonable consumption of utilities, $325, will be billed by AIFS in addition to the program fee

Internet access is included in all AIFS housing in Florence.

Meals

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.

Transportation

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.

History

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.”

Architecture

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.

AIFS in Florence Director, Academic Year and Semester Programs

Simona Michelotti headshot.

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:

  • Italian cooking classes
  • Wine tastings
  • Pizza making classes
  • Chocolate tasting
  • Cheese tasting
  • Food and wine pairing
  • Gelato tasting tour discovering the best “gelaterie” in town
  • Main museums (such as Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia)
  • Thematic guided tours, such as: Women in art, African Portraits, Otherness and Diversity in art, Misterious Florence
  • Concerts, operas and ballets at the theater
  • Art and craft workshops
  • Dinners and events with Italians
  • Italian Buddy program (to give students the opportunity to connect with Italian friends)
  • Italian language “help desk” and language exchange with local students
  • AIFS Soccer team
  • Pisa
  • Lucca
  • Cinque Terre
  • Tuscan farm
  • Fashion firm
  • Ferrari Museum in Maranello
  • Parmesan and balsamic vinegar producer
  • Vespa factory (Piaggio museum)
  • The Carnival in Viareggio

Information on other attractive locations in Italy is made available to students.

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. 

Excursions

This program offers a range of day trips and excursions that will take you outside Florence and deepen your social, historical and cultural understanding of Italy. Previous excursions have included:

Two students taking a selfie in front of the Colosseum in Italy.

Rome

This trip is part of the coursework for the course AHST 210 Italian Art: Selected Topics. Includes accommodations, round-trip transportation, and breakfast. Guided sightseeing and visits to famous sights such as the Colosseum, Campidoglio, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona (and more). Opportunity to visit the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Free time on Sunday morning to explore or attend mass in St. Peter’s Square (if the Pope is in Rome).

  • Italy
  • 3 Days
  • Included in Program Fee
A person rowing a gondola in Venice.

Venice

This trip is part of the coursework for the course AHST 210 Italian Art: Selected Topics. Students have the opportunity to explore the city of Venice guided by professional art historians. Includes accommodations, round-trip transportation, and breakfast. Guided walking tour to places of interest including St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Cathedral, the Doge’s Palace and the Gallerie dell’Accademia. There will also be free time to explore.

  • Italy
  • 2 Days
  • Included in Program Fee
A group of students in Siena.

Siena

Explore medieval Siena for a day. Visit will include round-trip transportation. We will explore the Piazza del Campo, renowned worldwide for its beauty.

  • Italy
  • Day Trip
  • Included in Program Fee
Barcelona,Spain
A group of happy students at a carnival.
A view of Prague.

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

Important Dates & Deadlines

Request Info

Closed

Program is closed

Dates & Deadlines

Details

  • Early Application Deadline*
  • Application Deadline
    July 1, 2024
  • Deposit Deadline
    June 20, 2024
  • Scholarship Deadline
    April 15, 2024
  • Visa Deadline****
  • Optional Departure Flight from US***
    September 5, 2024
  • Program Begins
    September 6, 2024
  • Program Ends
    December 7, 2024
  • Optional Return Flight to US***
    December 7, 2024
  • *** Included for students on AIFS flight package.
  • **** AIFS Abroad offers visa processing services to applicants who enroll into the program by this date. All other applicants who enroll after this date will be responsible for securing their own visa with guidance from AIFS Abroad.

Optional Flight Package

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.

Depature City

Fee

  • Atlanta
    $1,960
  • Boston
    $1,860
  • Buffalo
    $1,780
  • Charlotte
    $1,920
  • Chicago
    $2,000
  • Cincinnati
    $1,960
  • Columbus
    $1,860
  • Dallas
    $2,040
  • Denver
    $2,020
  • Des Moines
    $2,020
  • Detroit
    $1,960
  • Houston
    $2,120
  • Los Angeles
    $2,060
  • Miami
    $1,940
  • Minneapolis
    $1,980
  • New York
    $1,800
  • Newark
    $1,800
  • Orlando
    $1,900
  • Philadelphia
    $1,880
  • Phoenix
    $2,040
  • Pittsburgh
    $1,880
  • Raleigh/Durham
    $1,980
  • San Francisco
    $1,960
  • Seattle
    $2,100
  • St. Louis
    $2,060
  • Washington/Dulles
    $1,940
  • View more View less

See what others are saying

Two students walking in a field.

Ready to Study Abroad in Florence?

For more dates or questions, contact your program consultant:
(203) 399-5163 or email: aifsabroad@aifs.com