A pretty mediocre school, Italy is amazing though April 26, 2026
By Nora M (Art, University of Southern Maine) - abroad from 01/21/2026 to 05/09/2026 with
Florence University of The Arts: Florence - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I loved the immersion and the art background I have gained in Florence and in my travels in Italy.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall, the courses offered here are not helpful for major-specific courses at home universities as an art student, which is surprising as they are an arts university. They lack higher-level art courses, and the administration is not helpful when trying to pick other courses, as well as when you need to switch out of a course due to it not being what it was advertised as. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They are rarely available to help as they do not have an office in person at the university. If you need help with student life, they are not responsive or extremely condescending through email. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was great, but extremely overpriced. They also changed my decision on living without me knowing, as well as some of my roommates. One paid for a single room and arrived, and had a roommate. The price was concealed and not clear until after arriving, and each of our roommates was paying over 8K to share a bedroom of three people. My roommates were wonderful people, and the random selection was great, but we also were not able to know who we were living with till we arrived on the day of. |
| * Food: |
We were forced to pay for a meal plan that only works at the school restaurant and at the school cafe. The cafe, for some, is out of the way, and they are often out of grab-and-go food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The culture itself is wonderful, being fully immersed living here, as well as having some Italian-speaking teachers (all classes are taught in English), but it helps to talk to them about local places to go and what to do with my time here |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have to deal with this, but my roommates were able to go to the walk-in care place for free for strep, and they got her a free taxi to and from the clinic. |
| * Safety: |
It's a city, so it's as safe as any city is. My roommates and I regularly walk around at night and early morning hours with no issues. There are certain areas, like the Cascine Park and the train station, that you should stay away from at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Id look for a better institute. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Florence is expensive, as it is extremely touristy. Groceries are relatively inexpensive, and it is easy to find budget options after speaking to teachers who are local. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew more about the school and the real experiences people have had here. I also wish I had taken more Italian prior to coming here, but everyone in the city center speaks English to an extent. I just wish I could reciprocate the language. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
