Italy: Florence University of the Arts

‌Florence - A city that challenges the concepts of past, present, and future. Its location allows students access to every region of Italy very easily. The benefits of studying abroad at FUA begin with the flexibility of the institution's academic sessions which are offered throughout the year. They offer studies in a diverse area of academic disciplines which feature experiential components such as educational field trips, getting involved in local culture through community service, as well as extracurricular activities. 


Dates & Deadlines

Term: Summer 2024
App Deadline: Friday, March 1, 2024
Program Dates: Sunday, May 13 to Thursday, August 1st, 2024*
*can select shorter session, see Study Abroad Advisor for more info

Term: Fall 2024
App Deadline: Sunday, March 17, 2024
Program Dates: August 26, 2024 to December 13, 2024*
*can select shorter session, see Study Abroad Advisor for more info

‌Apply Now

Interested in study abroad in the spring of 2025 or later? Please fill out the waitlist form below and the study abroad center will notify you when applications for future terms open:

Study Abroad Waitlist

Location

The city of Florence is an excellent compass for navigating Italian culture while Florence today, with its unique characteristics coupled with a primary position in international and Italian tourism, economy, and culture, is an intriguing example of how past, present, and future blend together in a stimulating European context. Its central position makes it a unique portal; it is located an hour from Bologna, an hour and a half from Rome, and 2 hours from Milan by train.

Florence is a city that is easy to walk from one place to another. You could easily walk from one side to another of the city center in 20-30 minutes. There are many cafes, restaurants, and shops spread throughout the city center. Many students get to walk past notable historical sites like the Duomo on their way from housing to classes. 

Notable Area Sites:

  • Mercato Centrale (Central Market)
  • Florence Cathedral
  • Palazzo della Signoria (the Old Palace)
  • Mueseo di Storia Naturale di Firenze (Natural History Museum of Florence)
  • Piazza della Repubblica (City center square)
  • Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella basilicas

FUA’s name bears the core of their educational philosophy: a group of prestigious, meticulously renovated historic buildings, that have witnessed the life of Florence throughout centuries to strive to bring innovation to the present. Florence University of the Arts (FUA) is accredited by the Region of Tuscany, delegated by the Ministry of Education, consisting of nine schools.

The Student Life and Development department (SLD) strives to bridge the cultural gap between our students and the Florentine locals by offering engaging activities to compliment FUA academic sessions. Student Life staff aims to assist students as they acclimate to their surroundings by providing educational field trips, housing coordination, health and safety assistance, and FAQs. From the time of pre-departure through to program completion, the Student Life and Development Department acts as a source of guidance and support for FUA students.

Courses: FUA offers a wide variety of courses all offered in English for students to chose from.  Florence University of the Arts (FUA) offers many academic areas for students to chose from. The most prominent fields of study are: 

  • Publishing, Digital Media, Visual Communication
  • International Hotel and Tourism Management, Culinary Arts & Food Service Management
  • Humanities and Fine Arts
  • Business and Economics
  • Italian language and Contemporary Italian Studies
  • Social Sciences

Course descriptions and offerings for each course can be found in FUA's Academic Catalog. These courses are not guaranteed to be offered each semester or session. Courses available for each session can be found in FUA's Academic Schedule. The right-hand side will list "open" or "closed".

Internships and Experiential Learning Special Projects: FUA offers these options for students to gain hands on experiences related to their fields of study. These options are offered on a for-credit and not-for-credit basis. Internships are experiences where students actively assist professionals in fulfilling daily tasks and chores in external placements. The students do not receive academic instruction but learn by performing tasks and span generally across the semester for 6 credits. Experiential Learning Special Projects consist of student learning by doing and observing the assigned tasks while also receiving academic instruction in the CEMI. These are generally shorter experiences and are offered usually for 3 credits. 

Students register for courses at the time of completing the application for the university itself. Students pick about 4 to 5 courses they want to take and also list an alternative for each course (note, alternatives are required). Final schedules should have a minimum of 12 credits during fall or spring semester. The program cost lists prices for 15 credit hours, any additional credits will be charged directly to the student.

College of Business: For College of Business students, there is a pre-approved bundle package (see Advisor for details). For the Business Administration emphasis, every course counts toward the 4 required electives, so a BA Emphasis student can complete an entire sequence of electives in one semester at FUA. That will give a clear practical edge in sports, fashion or restaurant management. In addition, you can get an FUA certificate in sports, fashion or restaurant management. 

6 credit hour experiential courses count as internships -- for marketing majors, international business minors, etc.  

Teaching Methods and Styles: Courses at FUA are offered similarly to in the US with regard to credit, lecture, and assessment, however, FUA tends to be a more hands on and experiential school. Students may have experiential learning as part of their course. It is important for students to read the syllabus of each course thoroughly prior to registering. They can meet with their study abroad advisor to get the full detailed syllabus. 

Academic Calendar: FUA offers very customizable sessions for students to take part in while in Italy. Their Fall semester is generally from late August to December and their Spring semester is from January to May. They offer 3, 4, 6, 9, and 12 week summer sessions, as well. Students can combine these in any way they like. To view the academic calendar, please see here.

Credits: 
Credits are the same as in the U.S. 

Grades:
Grading scale is the same as in the U.S.

Program Costs

Estimated Program Cost: $16,591*

*estimated total cost of participation, actual amount depends on type of housing accommodation selected, actual airfare purchase price, personal spending habits, and other factors

Estimated Total Program Cost$16,591
Estimated U-bill Charges$10,909
Estimated Out-of-Pocket Costs$5,682

Florence Cost Estimate Fall 2024 (4 courses)**

Florence Cost Estimate Fall 2024 (5 courses)**

Florence Cost Estimate Fall 2024 (Shorter semester, 4 classes)**

**Pending updates for Fall 2024

Cost of Studying On Campus at UNI*

*per semester, estimated, will vary per person

Tuition & Fees$4,864
Room & Board$4,824
Books$400
Personal Expenses$887
Transportation$350
Total$11,325

Source: https://admissions.uni.edu/cost-aid

Pending Updates for UNI Fall 2024

‌Eligibility Requirements to Study Abroad

The Study Abroad Center reserves the right to determine participants' eligibility to study abroad. Students must have a completed study abroad application, including supportive recommendation form(s). Additionally, students must meet all of the following in order to be eligible to study abroad:

  • Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher at the time of application and maintain this cumulative GPA prior to departure and throughout the study abroad process
  • If your cumulative GPA is lower than 2.5, submit the following to the Study Abroad Center (103 East Bartlett):
    • Letters of reference from two academic contacts (e.g. academic advisor and former or current professor) supporting your pursuit of study abroad. If you are attending a faculty-led study abroad program, one of the letters must be from a course leader. However, if the program has two course leaders, only one of the letters can be from one of the course leaders.
  • Must be over the age of 18 years old
  • Must meet the course prerequisites (participation in the program is dependent upon meeting these)
  • Must be in good standing with the university
  • UNI's partner institutions may require additional eligibility requirements to be met, these vary from institution to institution. Please consult with the Study Abroad Center staff to discuss these additional requirements, if applicable.
  • Applicants traveling to a region of a country or a country with an overall Travel Advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel) will not be eligible.