PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Enjoy an espresso and then head out to stroll the streets of Florence, often referred to as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Explore historic landmarks like the Medici Palace and awe-inspiring cathedrals that showcase the city’s rich cultural heritage.

• Flourish in an active learning environment at FUA-AUF. Gain real-world experience through internships and hands-on projects, perfect for students who love practical, dynamic learning.

• Join a diverse community of 4,000 students from around the world and benefit from FUA-AUF’s central location in Florence, providing easy access to the city’s cultural scene.  

• Experience the essence of Florentine lifestyle by indulging in an aperitivo/apericena with friends or admiring the picturesque sunset at Piazza Michelangelo. 

LIFE ABROAD

Enjoy living in this walkable city, where most social and cultural activities are within 5-20 minutes of the AUF-FUA campuses. Unwind during your free time by visiting countless cultural treasures like the Uffizi, Bargello, and Academia museums or shop for authentic leather goods at Mercato Centrale. 

LIVE 

Make yourself at home in fully furnished, off-campus apartment-style housing with fellow students. Explore the city's charm on foot or with the help of a reliable and frequent bus network. With housing and campus buildings conveniently situated within the historic city center, you’ll be surrounded by a vibrant community of approximately 15,000 international students who study in Florence each term. 

DINE 

Wander through the city's open-air markets, offering an array of local produce, meats, cheeses, and fish, or take a short 5-10 minute walk to a nearby grocery store before preparing meals in the shared kitchen in your apartment. You’ll receive 5 “units” per week as part of your housing for the duration of your program, which can be used for on-campus activities including dining.  When you feel like trying something new, head to a restaurant and taste local specialties like Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Steak), Riboli (Tuscan Veggie Soup), Tagliatelle funghi porcini e tartufo (Pasta with mushrooms and truffles), or Crostini Toscano (Tuscan Canapés). Estimate spending around $800 USD for meals per semester. 

EXPERIENCE 

Kick off your time in Italy with a 1-week, 3-credit field learning course designed to serve as your cultural orientation in Rome. Engage in lectures, visit historic and contemporary sites, savor the local cuisine, and broaden your cultural horizons. Once you are in Florence, enrich your academic experience with optional Educational Field Learning trips or choose select courses that require overnight excursions where you will engage in hands-on learning (additional fees required). Expand your horizons each week with extracurriculars like City Walks and Sport Nights, hosted by FUA-AUF’s Student Life and Development (SLD) Office. Discover the dynamic San Lorenzo Market, Mercato Sant'Ambrosio, and Santo Spirito Flea Market, all within walking distance from campus. 

EXPLORE 

Explore the captivating charm of Florence and its surroundings. Embark on an adventure by train to nearby gems like Pisa, where the iconic Leaning Tower awaits you. Discover Lucca's medieval allure enclosed within its historic walls. Journey to Arezzo, known as the city of high fashion and gold. Extend your horizons to Italy's iconic cities: Milan's fashion scene, Torino's chocolate legacy, Bologna's culinary delights, Rome's historical treasures, and Naples' original authentic Italian pizza. If you’re looking to venture farther away to other parts of Europe, you can catch flights at Peretola Airport in Florence or from nearby Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa. 

THRIVE 

Take classes from the Department of Happiness Sciences in yoga, meditation, health and fitness, walking, wellbeing, and philosophy. Unwind at Sorgiva, the wellness learning lab managed by fellow students and faculty from AUF-FUA’s Apicius International School of Hospitality. Immerse yourself in spa therapies, rejuvenating massages, and nature-infused treatments during service hours. Further enrich your experience by applying to be matched with a local Florentine family through the Italian Family Club, fostering personal connections through shared experiences. 

INTERNSHIP 

Consider a credit-bearing, hands-on internship experience and apply your learning through supervised placements across various public-serving outlets. Seamlessly integrate these unpaid opportunities, lasting 6 to 11 weeks, into your class schedule, dedicating up to 20 contact hours per week (average 10 hours), and enhance your skills while embracing the local culture. Please see additional details in the course description. 

What We Love About Florence 

Nestled in the heart of Tuscany, Florence is a city that effortlessly blends the enchantment of medieval history with modern-day conveniences. As you stroll through its streets, you'll find yourself transported to an era of artistry and tradition that still thrives today. Beyond its captivating architecture, the city embraces a dynamic international student community. With a variety of cultural festivals, volunteer opportunities, and student events, you'll find ample chances to immerse yourself in Italian life while fostering global connections. 

See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses

Program Website

Course Description

FUA-AUF offers courses from International Business, to Fashion, to Culinary Arts, 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 12-15 US Credits per term. 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. 

Required Course 

All students will automatically be enrolled in a 1-week, 3-credit field learning course designed to serve as your cultural orientation in Rome. 

Internships 

Students can elect to enroll in credit-bearing internships in a variety of fields. Internships can last from 6-11 weeks normally allowing for 10-20 contact hours per week. Internships are worth 3 credits and 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:

Fashion

Art and Photography

Journalism

Italian Language & Culture

Social Sciences

Style and the City: Florentine Fashion Walks

Introduction to Photography: From Darkroom to Digital   

Art, Fashion, Food, and Wine Journalism

Communicating in Italian

Eastern Religions and Philosophy

Special Project: Experiential Learning in the Fashion Industry - Fashion and Accessory Design   

Florentine Art Walks

Travel Writing

Italian Language Beginner

Philosophy and Science in Early Modern Italy

Athletic Footwear Design and Construction   

Fresco Painting

Introduction to Rich Media: Podcast Production   

Italian Language Intermediate

World Religions

Fashion Show Production, Coordination, and Promotion

Art Therapy   

Photojournalism

Contemporary Italian Literature (in Italian)

Cultural Perspectives: Awareness, Exposure, and Engagement

Digital Knitwear Design   

Florence Sketchbook   

Special Project: Experiential Learning in Journalism   

Florentine Literary Walks  

Culture Shock: Cross-Cultural Psychology

For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below. 

Website for Course Availability

ISEP STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER Grace Glancy 703-504-9975 | GGlancy@isep.org Thank you for your interest in ISEP Study Abroad! I’m your Student Services Officer and main point of contact here at ISEP. As you search for programs, I’ll be available to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at any point in your search process for help, tips or advice.

Academics

Undergraduate
(in English)

*This program is OK for Sophomores

Fields of Study

  • Area Studies:

    European Studies Italian Studies

  • Business: Recommended!

    Accounting Business Management Entrepreneurship Fashion Merchandising Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management Marketing

  • Communication:

    Advertising Digital Communication and Media Journalism Mass Communication/Media Studies Photojournalism Publishing

  • Computer and Information Sciences

    Web Page/Multimedia Design

  • Education

    Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures

    Italian Language and Literature

  • Health Sciences:

    Art Therapy Health and Wellness Nutrition Sciences

  • History

    European History

  • Hospitality and Tourism:

    Culinary Arts Event Planning Hospitality Management Hotel and Restaurant Management Tourism Management

  • International/Global Studies

    Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution

  • Law/Criminal Justice

    Criminology

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences Recommended!

    Humanities

  • Philosophy and Religious Studies

  • Psychology

  • Social Sciences

    Sociology

  • Visual and Performing Arts: Recommended!

    Apparel and Textiles Art Studies Ceramics Design and Visual Communications Digital Arts Drawing Fashion/Apparel Design Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other Graphic Design Painting Photography

Academic Requirements

  • U.S. GPA: 2.75 or higher
    *accepts lower GPA with explanation
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS
  • LPR Writing Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Reading Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Listening Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Speaking Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
LPR = ISEP Language Proficiency Report

Special Application Instructions

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 semester program does not last longer 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.  

All full year students, and some students of other nationalities will be required to obtain a visa/residence permit. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Special Needs Support

  • Learning

Other Academic Conditions

PROGRAM DATES

Both the Fall and Spring semesters last 12 weeks (1 week of orientation + 11 weeks of courses including exams). Some courses are 3-week ‘intensive courses’ while others last the full 11 weeks. It is up to the discretion of the student to determine if they wish to enroll in all 11-week long courses or a combination of 3 week and 11 week courses for a maximum credit load of 15 US credits.  

- Fall Semester runs from Late-September through Mid-December 

- Spring Semester runs from Mid-February through Early-May 

COURSE SEARCH

1. Using the link under Website for Course availability, select the Session Drop down menu, then select the appropriate term (Fall or Spring) 11-Week Semester. Study Abroad should automatically be the next filter.

- It is possible to combine 3-week courses within the 11 week semester if students wish to take some intensive courses. Students can select 3-week session courses from Sessions II, III, & IV but NOT session I. 

2. Courses are listed by Department 

3. Clicking on the course title will bring up the course description 

SPECIAL ACADEMIC NOTES

All course specifications are listed in course requirements.

Courses in the Department of Photography often require that students have a proper camera at their disposal.  

Additional fees may be required in the studio art school as well as the culinary school at the cost of the student. 

Courses with Internship, Experiential Learning, or Special Project designations often require a Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Some may also require a certain level of Italian.  

CREDIT LOAD

The ISEP program fee covers up to 15 credits at FUA-AUF. Any fees associated with taking more than 15 credits are the responsibility of the student. Additional fees will be billed by FUA-AUF directly.

Semester & Prices (based on your filters)

Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.


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Florence University of the Arts - The American University of Florence

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