Experience a Tuscan summer like no other, in the heart of the Renaissance. Students in FUA’s 3 week summer programs select 1 or 2 courses for an intensive 3 week program. SAI offers four Summer 3 week sessions at FUA, each with different start dates and course options: Summer I, Summer II, Summer III, and Summer IV. Students in the 3 week summer program can choose to add the 1 week program add-on course, Cultural Introduction to Italy, extending their program to 4 weeks.
Application open until: April 22, 2025
Apps accepted on a rolling basis, and after closing as space permits
Application Requirements
Complete online application
Personal statement (300-500 words)
Official transcript
Passport scan (photo page)
Italian privacy consent form
Highlights
- Enroll in a broad range of courses including Italian language, history, fashion, fine arts, and literature.
- Enjoy a variety of interesting activities!
Program Dates
July 21, 2025 – August 8, 2025
dates may differ as a result of add-ons
Eligibility Requirements
Age: 18+
Academic Year: High school graduate or above
* Contact SAI if you don’t meet requirements
Cumulative GPA:* 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale)
English Language:* Non-native English language speakers must submit TOEFL: 500+ (paper-based), IELTS: 5+, OOPT: 50+, or equivalent.
Global Studies | Urban Studies
Italian Studies and Linguistics | Italian Language
Italian Studies and Linguistics | Italian Literature
Professional Studies and Experiential Learning | Experiential Learning
The city of Florence is a veritable mine of food and cultural experiences spanning from the kitchens of the Medici family to the rustic regional cuisine of Tuscany, growing rituals such as aperitivo, and high profile restaurants recognized internationally. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the food, street, and cultural scenes that set Florence apart from other metropolitan cities; encourage the discussion of the historical weight of its storied past on the food culture of today, and construct a topographical map that indicates the pinpoints of Florence’s thriving gastro-cultural activities. Lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and tastings.
This course will examine excerpts of Dante Alighieri’s greatest passages from the Divine Comedy and other works in relation to the space and history of Florence. Textual analyses will be performed, unpacking the dense symbolism and motifs reflective of the intellectual and moral climate during 14th century Florence. Students will visit churches, piazzas, and palaces within the city and will examine these locations in the context of Dante’s life and surrounding controversy, the accusations and denunciations in his writings, the physical descriptions of the city, and the characters and historical figures present in his works. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students’ academic and personal enrichment.
This course develops basic conversation, reading and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. After taking this course, students will be able to express themselves in the Present tense, Passato Prossimo and to use both nouns and adjectives in the correct form with reference to gender and number. Emphasis will be given to oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.
This course will examine excerpts of Dante Alighieri’s greatest passages from the Divine Comedy and other works in relation to the space and history of Florence. Textual analyses will be performed, unpacking the dense symbolism and motifs reflective of the intellectual and moral climate during 14th century Florence. Students will visit churches, piazzas, and palaces within the city and will examine these locations in the context of Dante’s life and surrounding controversy, the accusations and denunciations in his writings, the physical descriptions of the city, and the characters and historical figures present in his works.
This special project allows students to interact with the local community in Florence through experiential learning in collaboration with the Community Engagement Member Institutions affiliated with Florence University of the Arts. These community projects are directly linked to the academic divisions of FUA and open to the general public in order to share academic results with the greater community. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Experiential Learning
Many FUA courses incorporate experiential learning components, involving hands-on projects. Courses which include experiential learning components will include this information in the course details & syllabus. Students will work & collaborate within the FUA Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI) to fulfill various projects & tasks as part of their coursework. These practical assignments take place on-site and will occur outside of the regular class sessions, with varying shifts assigned from Monday to Friday (occasional weekend shifts possible), including the possibility of later evening hours.
Course Registration
SAI students complete their course registration directly with FUA through the FUA student portal. Upon confirming enrollment in the SAI program at FUA, students receive information for creating their FUA student portal and selecting their classes. Note: All courses must meet the minimum enrollment of 12 students to run; therefore, all registrations require selection of an alternate course for each primary course choice.
FUA registration begins months ahead of the application deadline. Courses will fill on a rolling basis.
Program Add-on Course
SAI students enrolled in FUA’s Summer IV term are able to add the following 1 week Program Add-on course to the start of their term, to extend their programs by 1 week:
- Cultural Introduction to Italy (1 week / 3 credits) – This traveling course gives students the opportunity to delve into Italian culture through lectures, visits to cultural sites, and food tastings. Please note that students enrolled in this program add-on course arrive in Rome on July 14, 2025.
Students can also choose to pair this Add-on courses with a corresponding regular summer course to earn 6 credits on the same topic. For more information and full course descriptions see Courses.
| Pre-Departure Calendar | |
|---|---|
| April 22 2025 |
Application Closes Applications accepted after closing as space permits. |
| Within 1 week of acceptance |
SAI Deposits Due $500 Enrollment Deposit (applied toward program fee) $300 Security Deposit (refundable) |
| March 15 2025 |
SAI Scholarship Application Deadline Students wishing to apply for a SAI scholarship must have all application items submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on this date. |
| April 22 2025 |
50% of Total Program Fee Due Students who are accepted and submit SAI deposits after this date will have an amended pay schedule. 50% of the Program Fee will be due within 5 business days, based on the deposit payment date. |
| April 22 2025 |
Financial Aid Agreement & Financial Aid Program Deposit Deadline Students wishing to utilize SAI financial aid payment deferment must complete the Financial Aid Agreement form and submit the Financial Aid Program Deposit by this date. Students whose deposit payment date is on or after this date will have a deadline of 5 days after the deposit. |
| May 6 2025 |
Enrollment Closes Students must complete their enrollment, including paying deposits, by this date. |
| May 6 2025 |
SAI Financial Aid Verification Deadline Students wishing to defer payment until financial aid disbursement must submit the financial aid verification form to SAI by this date. |
| May 22 2025 |
Balance of Total Program Fee Due (For students utilizing SAI financial aid payment deferment, any balance not covered by aid is due) |
| On-Site Calendar | |
|---|---|
| July 21 2025 |
Arrival & Housing Check-in Students arrive at Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola (FLR). SAI airport pickup is provided between 9:00am and 6:00pm, and students are transferred to SAI housing. |
| July 22 2025 |
Orientation Events Students are welcomed to the program with an orientation that introduces them to their program while covering safety, policies, academics, housing, and culture. |
| July 22 2025 |
FUA Final Registration Course changes are not allowed after this date. |
| July 23 2025 |
FUA Classes Begin |
| August 7 2025 |
Final Exams |
| August 8 2025 |
Program End & Housing Check-out Students must move out of SAI housing by 10:00am to return home or pursue independent travel. |
| Pre-Departure Calendar | |
|---|---|
| April 22 2025 |
Application Closes Applications accepted after closing as space permits. |
| Within 1 week of acceptance |
SAI Deposits Due $500 Enrollment Deposit (applied toward program fee) $300 Security Deposit (refundable) |
| March 15 2025 |
SAI Scholarship Application Deadline Students wishing to apply for a SAI scholarship must have all application items submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on this date. |
| April 22 2025 |
50% of Total Program Fee Due Students who are accepted and submit SAI deposits after this date will have an amended pay schedule. 50% of the Program Fee will be due within 5 business days, based on the deposit payment date. |
| April 22 2025 |
Financial Aid Agreement & Financial Aid Program Deposit Deadline Students wishing to utilize SAI financial aid payment deferment must complete the Financial Aid Agreement form and submit the Financial Aid Program Deposit by this date. Students whose deposit payment date is on or after this date will have a deadline of 5 days after the deposit. |
| May 6 2025 |
Enrollment Closes Students must complete their enrollment, including paying deposits, by this date. |
| May 6 2025 |
SAI Financial Aid Verification Deadline Students wishing to defer payment until financial aid disbursement must submit the financial aid verification form to SAI by this date. |
| May 22 2025 |
Balance of Total Program Fee Due (For students utilizing SAI financial aid payment deferment, any balance not covered by aid is due) |
| On-Site Calendar | |
|---|---|
| July 14 2025 |
Arrival & Housing Check-in Students arrive at the designated airport location for the start of their 1-week course. SAI airport pickup is provided during the designated times, and students are transferred to SAI housing. |
| July 14 2025 |
Orientation Mandatory orientation introduces students to their field learning course and the city while covering safety, policies, housing, and culture. |
| July 14 2025 |
FUA 1-week Class Begins |
| July 21 2025 |
FUA 1-week Class Ends |
| July 22 2025 |
Orientation Events Students are welcomed to the program with an orientation that introduces them to their program while covering safety, policies, academics, housing, and culture. |
| July 22 2025 |
FUA Final Registration Course changes are not allowed after this date. |
| July 23 2025 |
FUA 3-week Classes Begin |
| August 7 2025 |
Final Exams |
| August 8 2025 |
Program End & Housing Check-out Students must move out of SAI housing by 10:00am to return home or pursue independent travel. |
| SAI Program Fees* | USD |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $120 |
| Security Deposit Refundable at the end of the term. |
$300 |
| Program Fee: 3 credits Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included). |
$5,300 |
| Program Fee: 6 credits Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included). |
$6,800 |
| Optional / Additional Fees: | |
| Optional Add-on Course (3 credits) 1 week course prior to regular program, includes housing. |
$2,725 |
| Optional Private Room Housing Supplement Private room in a shared apartment, with a shared bathroom. |
$1,000 |
| Optional Homestay Housing Supplement – Private Homestay housing in private occupancy room. Includes daily breakfast and weekday dinner. |
Contact SAI |
| Add-on Course Credits Fee for enrollment over 3 or 6 credits. |
$550 / credit |
| Add-on Non-Credit and Field Learning Courses Fees vary and are paid directly to FUA. |
Contact SAI |
| International Mailing Supplement When applicable, students are charged an international mailing supplement to ensure visa paperwork arrives in a timely manner. |
$90 |
*prices are subject to change
Please see SAI Policies for SAI cancellation & withdrawal deadlines.
Note: certain SAI-affiliated US universities require specific payment arrangements. These may require that some fees are paid by the student directly to SAI, and other fees are paid to SAI by the affiliated university on behalf of the student. If you attend a SAI-affiliated university please contact your study abroad office or speak with your SAI Admissions Counselor for details.
| Budget | Low Est. | High Est. |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare to/from Florence |
$900 | $2,200 |
| Books, Supplies & Course Fees |
$50 / course | $300 / course |
| Meals Includes groceries and eating out. |
$650 / month | $850 / month |
| Personal Expenses | $300 / month | $400 / month |
| Transportation within Florence Public transportation with some taxi rides. |
$100 / month | $175 / month |
| Weekend Travel Cost varies greatly by student. |
$300 / month | $1,000 / month |
This is a SAI 360° Services Program; it includes our full services!
- Program tuition and U.S. academic credit
- Accommodation in carefully selected student housing
- Airport pickup on arrival day
- Welcome reception and events
- Orientation to the host city and school
- On-site staff who foster a welcoming community for you and provide assistance when needed
- SAI Viva Experience: cultural engagement, excursions & wellness activities
- Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
- 24-hour on-site emergency support
- Farewell event
Pre-departure and Re-entry services
- Knowledgeable Admissions Counselor dedicated to you, providing friendly assistance
- Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
- Parent & family resources
- Online student groups to acquaint you with other SAI students
- Student visa advising
- Assistance with financial aid processing
- Need-based SAI scholarships
- Alumni Ambassador Program, with paid internship opportunities
- SAI alumni network
SAI offers all students the Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities, at no extra cost, for participants to get to know their community, city and country. Following is a sample of the activities included in this program. Please note that actual activities may differ.
Welcome Dinner
SAI welcomes you to Florence with a buffet of traditional Italian delights. Join us for your first real taste of Italy where you’ll get to know your fellow program participants and meet the SAI staff.
Scavenger Hunt
Join SAI for a practical walking tour of the historic city center. You’ll see the sites and find where to get daily essentials in your backyard.
Wine Tasting
Spend the afternoon in a charming, local wine cellar with your SAI cohort. Your tasting will be guided by a sommelier, leading you through the history and cultivation of three different wines, balsamic vinegar, and Tuscan olive oil. Sample and imbibe these curated sips alongside perfectly paired Tuscan antipasti.
Pizza Making
SAI offers Italian pizza making lessons throughout the semester taught by a local expert pizzaiolo. Each lesson teaches you how to make authentic Italian pizza from scratch. Enjoy the fruits of your labor at the end of the lesson! Gather with fellow SAI students to eat your own homemade pizzas!
Florentine Street Food Tour
Spend the evening tasting authentic local bites in a neighborhood beloved by Florentines. We’ll spend the evening in the heart of Sant’Ambrogio hopping from place to place. Start with a mix of classic Florentine street food before moving on to a local mainstay for an array of pastas. Next we’ll travel to southern Italy for some Pugliese street food before grabbing the most amazing pizza you’ll ever try. The cherry on top will be a scoop or two of gelato.
Hike to Piazzale Michelangelo
Start your adventure in the little town of Fiesole, just a short bus ride away into the hills protecting Florence. Here, we can mingle with the ancients, retracing Etruscan and Roman footsteps throughout the town. Fiesole’s clean, cool breezes have long been a welcome escape from the sweltering summer heat of the Arno Valley. On this hike we’ll get a bird’s eye view of the city below, which has inspired local and visiting artists, writers and thinkers. After a trek through the trees, learning about the natural history and the people who have long inhabited these hills, your efforts will be rewarded with a fantastic lunch paired with a bit of vino.
The following housing options apply to the regular summer program. Please note that add-on pre-session courses have different housing arrangements during the pre-session time only.
Standard Housing: Student apartment
SAI student apartments are convenient and well equipped, with shared occupancy bedrooms (option to upgrade to private bedroom, if available). Typical residences house 2 – 8 students and contain a combination of private and shared bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living areas. Furnishings, a washing machine, basic kitchen supplies, bed linens and towels are provided. All apartments are equipped with wireless Internet. Housing configurations are designated as female, male, and in some locations, gender-inclusive. SAI on-site staff is available to respond to any maintenance needs that may arise.
Optional Housing: Family homestay (additional fee applies)
SAI homestay families are thoroughly screened and are accustomed to welcoming visiting students into their homes. Homestays provide a private bedroom, with a shared bathroom, in the family home with basic furnishings. Daily breakfast and weekday dinner are included (no dinner on weekends). Please note that some homestays may be outside of the city center and require a commute to reach school.
Passports
Passports should be valid for 3 months after planned departure from Italy.
Student Visas
In accordance with Italian law, U.S. students studying in Italy for 90 days or less are not required to obtain a student visa. Therefore all U.S. students do not require a student visa for this program. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.