Summer in Florence (in English) - ISEP Direct
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Live in Florence, a walkable city known for its Renaissance architecture, open-air markets and international student population.
• Take up to two courses per three-week session at FUA, with unique fields such as marketing, hospitality, fashion studies, communication, and Italian studies.
• Thrive at FUA with access to campus amenities including a career center, writing center, gym, and mental health services.
• Connect with the student community through small class sizes, interactive courses, and university-organized events and activities.
LIFE ABROAD
Located in the heart of Florence, FUA is the perfect home base to explore everything the city has to offer. Spend your free time exploring the city’s numerous museums, shopping at Mercato Centrale, or enjoying a enjoying an aperitivo/apericena with friends.
Excursions & Cultural Experiences
Take an optional course that includes an overnight field learning experience, where you’ll spend a weekend or week complementing coursework with site visits to places like Milan, Rome, and Cinque Terra. FUA’s Student Life and Development also hosts a variety of Extracurriculars throughout the week such as City Walks and Sport Nights.
Housing & Meals
Get to know your peers while living in a shared room in a fully furnished off-campus apartment in Florence’s historic city center, just a short distance away from all academic buildings. Visit nearby grocery stores and cook meals in your apartment’s shared kitchen. Embrace Italy’s incomparable foodie culture and wander the streets of the city to try popular dishes such as Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak), Ribollita (Tuscan soup made with vegetables and bread) or Crostini Toscano (Tuscan Canapés). You’ll also receive 5 “units” per week as part of your housing for the duration of your program, which can be used at on-campus dining facilities.
Explore Florence
Stroll through the streets of Florence and take in the sights, sounds and smells of this captivating city. Admire the red-tiled dome and beautiful architecture of the renowned Duomo, one of the largest churches in the world. Afterward, explore nearby museums like the Uffizi, Bargello, or Academia, or hop on a city bus or tram to discover a different area of the city. Stop for a quick bite to eat and a coffee in one of Florence's many cozy cafes. End your day by visiting the Piazzale Michelangelo to gaze out at a sunset view of the city.
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses (3 Weeks)
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses (6 Weeks)
Course Description
FUA offers courses from Marketing, to Fashion, to Culinary Arts and Italian Culture all taught entirely in English. To truly immerse yourself in the local culture, we highly recommend enrolling in one of the many Italian language courses such as Communicating in Italian or Italian Language for Beginners. More advanced students can improve their language skills as well.
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn between 3-6 US Credits depending on the Summer Session selected. Most courses are worth 3 Credits each.
If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid.
Internships
Students can elect to enroll in a credit-bearing internship in a variety of fields. Internships are only available during the 6 week program normally allowing for 10-20 contact hours per week. Internships are worth 3 credits and are unpaid. Students can sign up when registering for courses.
Service-Learning
Courses designated as ‘Service-Learning’ or ‘Experiential-Learning’ help students earn valuable hands-on experience in collaboration with course instruction. Courses with these designations are worth 3 credits and can contain between 30-150 hours of applicable involvement along with in-class hours.
Sample Classes Available:
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Italian Culture |
Arts |
Food and Wine Studies |
Fashion & Marketing |
Communication & Journalism |
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Italian Language Beginner |
Introduction to Art History |
Food, Health, and Wellness in Italy |
Fashion, Media, and Culture |
Introduction to Journalism |
|
Cultural Introduction to Italy |
Gallery and Exhibition Curating |
Wine Appreciation: Wines of Italy |
Fashion Retail Management |
Social Media |
|
Food, Culture, and Society in Italy |
Painting En Plein Air |
Grow, Cook, Heal: Therapy for Wellbeing |
Consumer Behavior and Retail Strategies |
Special Project: Experiential Learning in Public Relations |
|
Italian Renaissance Architecture |
Introduction to Digital Photography |
Italian Classical Cakes and Tarts |
Style and the City: Florentine Fashion Walks |
Special Project: Experiential Learning in Digital Communication |
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History of the Mafia |
Tiny Florence: Photography and Writing |
Chocolate Artistry |
Special Project: Experiential Learning in the Fashion Industry Fashion Retail Management |
Art, Food, Fashion, and Wine: Creative Advertising of Italian Destinations |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
PROGRAM DATES
This is a 3 or 6-week program
NOTE: Arrival is always on a Monday and Last day of housing is always on a Sunday;
Sample Summer Calendar 2026
ISEP Summer Session - Intensive Session B (6-Week Session)
- Mon. June 29 - Students arrive
- Tue. June 30 – Orientation
- Wed. July 1 - Classes start
- Thu. August 6 - Classes end
- Fri. August 7 - Housing check-out (by 10am)
ISEP Session I - Intensive Session III (3-Week Session)
- Mon. June 29 - Students arrive
- Tue. June 30 – Orientation
- Wed. July 1 - Classes start
- Thu. July 16 - Classes end
- Fri. July 17 - Housing check-out (by 10am)
ISEP Session II - Intensive Session IV (3-Week Session)
- Mon. July 20 - Students arrive
- Tue. July 21 – Orientation
- Wed. July 22 - Classes start
- Thu. August 6 - Classes end
- Fri. August 7 - Housing check-out (by 10am)
COURSE SEARCH
1. Using the link under Website for Course availability, select Select Summer 2026, then the select the appropriate term Session III 3-Week (ISEP Session I), Session IV 3-week Session (ISEP Session II), or Session B 6-week Session (ISEP Summer Session) from the drop down menus.
- Session I and Session II courses run for exactly 3 weeks each.
- Summer Session (B) courses will span across all 6 weeks.
- Students should only select and apply to one summer session from the three sessions offered. It is not possible to enroll in ISEP Session I and Session II. Students wishing to stay in Florence for 6 weeks should enroll in the Full Summer Session.
2. Courses are listed by Department
3. Clicking on the course title will bring up the course description
CREDIT LOAD
The ISEP program fee covers up to 3 credits for Session I or Session II and up to 6 credits for Session A at FUA. Any fees associated with taking more than 3 or 6 credits (in the respective term) are the responsibility of the student. Additional fees will be billed by FUA directly. Please message your ISEP Student Services Officer to inquire about the extra cost and process.
HOUSING
The ISEP housing fee will cover the equivalent of the "8-16 multiple apartment" at FUA. "Multiple" is defined by FUA as up to 6 students per room. Any fees associated with a housing upgrade (room type or apartment capacity upgrade) is the responsibility of the student and should be paid to FUA directly.
PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible.
VISA/RESIDENCE PERMIT: As the Summer program lasts less than 90 days from start to finish, US citizens will not be required to obtain a visa to participate. Students of other nationalities should check to see if a visa is necessary to participate.
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
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