Arts, Architecture and Design
Unique Experiences
Vist Cattedrale Di Santa Maria Del Fiore
to appreciate Florence’s iconic cathedral
Stop By Piazzale Michelangelo
to enjoy sweeping, breathtaking views of Florence’s skyline
Visit Vivoli Gelato
one of Florence’s oldest and best gelato shops
150 Miles
Length of Florence’s Arno River
70
Museums in and Around the City
800 +
Restaurants in and Around Downtown Florence
Your Destination
Home to a treasure trove of Renaissance jewels and a rich cultural heritage, Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and is rooted in artistic tradition. The city’s historic and artistic richness makes Florence an appealing choice for study abroad students from all backgrounds. From its renowned art galleries and museums, such as the Uffizi Gallery, to its unrivaled architecture, like the Duomo, Florence is a student-friendly city boasting endless opportunities to immerse yourself in the local language and culture.
When you study abroad in Florence, you’ll call central Italy home. Here, in the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, you’ll enjoy views of stunning rolling hills, explore farms and vineyards, appreciate timeless art by the likes of Michaelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and enjoy the local rustic Tuscan cuisine. With mesmerizing views at every turn, your time studying abroad in Florence will be nothing short of spectacular!
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Florence.
The Culture
Excursions & Activitives
- Enjoy excursions to significant Florence locations, such as the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio and many more
- Visit smaller historical cities in Tuscany such as Lucca, Siena or Volterra
- Learn to prepare typical, seasonal Florentine dishes
- Visit a traditional working vineyard and olive grove, with an in-depth description of wine and oil production, promotion, and distribution
Projects
A for-credit internship (in English or in Italian) gives students the opportunity to gain practical real-world work experience in a company within a variety of industry sectors. In addition to the on-site business experience, students participating in an internship program have a weekly classroom component, which provides academic support to their practical experience. Placements in English are limited, and Italian language skills may be necessary for some placements.
Directed Independent Research is for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity toward a particular research topic. Independent research topics will be approved by the CIEE Florence Director and home institution and must reflect a topic that is relevant to Florence or Italy. To be accepted into this course, students must submit a structured proposal with the topic of exploration and the significance of the research topic as it relates to Florence/Italy, methodology, a literature review, and a schedule of research milestones. Upon research completion, students will present their findings to a panel of academics.
Program Blogs
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While you excitedly explore CIEE Study Abroad locations and specific program options, don’t forget to look for study abroad courses in specific areas of study, too! Being in the classroom... keep reading
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EAT, DRINK, EXPLORE: FLORENCE
EAT It's not autumn in Florence if you don't snack on schiacciata all'uva (Italian sweet bread with smashed grapes) during the city's annual grape harvest season. While the Tuscan schiacciata... keep reading
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Florence offers exciting housing options to ensure you're comfortable in your home away from home. All housing options are located in neighborhoods with convenient access to public transportation, shops, cafés, and eateries.
Standard Housing: Includes a double room at a shared apartment located under 40 minutes from CIEE Florence. Apartments boast kitchens, common areas, and laundry facilities shared with other students.
Select Housing:Includes a limited number of single rooms in shared apartments located within 30 minutes from CIEE Florence. Apartments boast kitchens, common areas, and laundry facilities shared with other students. Select housing requires an additional fee.
A note: Housing is on a first-come, first-served basis. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we’ll let you know before you arrive.
Meals
Apartments: Meals are not included
Academics
The Art, Architecture & Design program offers a full range of courses at Florence University of the Arts (FUA) in English with international students, and courses with CIEE. Courses at CIEE and at FUA will include lectures, discussions, case studies, and field trips, and require active participation from students.
Students can also enroll in a for-credit internship (in English or Italian) and gain hands-on work experience in a local organization or propose a directed independent research project to explore topics about Florence/Italy abroad.
Course Information
Academic Projects
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Languages and Cultural Studies
Social Sciences
Visual and Performing Arts
Architecture
Agriculture
Academic Projects
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Languages and Cultural Studies
Social Sciences
Visual and Performing Arts
Architecture
Agriculture
FUA Spring 2024 (select spring 2024 – 15-week semester)
To see a list of possible courses, visit the FUA Academic Schedule and from the Study Abroad menu select the “15-Week Semester” option that matches the appropriate semester and year. Credits listed are U.S. credits. CIEE students in this program can only take FUA courses worth 3 U.S. semester credits.
Some FUA courses in the Visual Arts, Photography, Painting, and Drawing departments will likely incorporate a studio format, for example:
- Foundation Drawing
- Foundation Painting
- Advanced Painting
- Fresco Painting
- Florence Sketchbook
- Experiential Learning in Digital Photography
- Introduction to Digital Photography
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
- Trailblazer Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Fall 2024 16 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $19,950 | |
| Program Academic year 2024-2025 | Start Date * | End Date TBD* | ||
| Program Spring 2025 15 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | ||
| Program Spring 2024 15 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $19,950 |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $12,956**
Housing = $6,500
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $19,950Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,160†
International Airfare = $1,250††
Local Transportation = $240
Books & Supplies = $150
Visa Fees = $60†††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500††††
Personal expenses = $300†††††
Total Costs = $3,660Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee:
Select Housing Fee = $750^
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For groceries if you plan on making your own meals, budget more money if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Full-semester students only. To be paid at Italian consulate in US
††††If no consulate in your home area
†††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
^based on availability
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $12,956**
Housing = $6,500
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $19,950Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,088†
International Airfare = $1,250††
Local Transportation = $240
Books & Supplies = $150
Visa Fees = $60†††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500††††
Personal expenses = $300†††††
Total Costs = $3,588Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee:
Select Housing Fee = $750^
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For groceries if you plan on making your own meals, budget more money if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Full-semester students only. To be paid at Italian consulate in US
††††If no consulate in your home area
†††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
^first-come, first serve, based on availability
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Tina Marisa Rocchio
Center Director
Tina grew up between the mountains of Vermont and the coastline of Rhode Island and has spent her adult life between Tuscany and Rome. Mastering Italian in high school, she...
Carla Fronteddu
Academic Director
Carla has a decade of experience in American study abroad programs and universities in Florence.
Francesca Cellini
Student Life Manager
Francesca is pursuing her passion to assist international students who have decided to embark in this life-changing experience of studying abroad.
Get Started
1
Start an Application
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience!
2
Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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