Study Abroad in Italy | ISI Florence

Studying abroad has been the best experience ever! ISI Florence has housing where everyone is spread out into different apartments across Florence to get a very authentic experience. You can have one to 10 roommates! They really put a lot of thought into their room assignments, I went into the program not knowing anyone and am coming out of it with 7 new best friends. I seriously cannot recommend it enough. I got to go to so many Italian cities and travel to other 6 European countries. The classes were doable but they are extremely strict about attendance so I would not book trips before you get you syllabus. I even more money you think you will spend because when you get here you will want to get food out, buy gifts for people, and do everything you want to. I recommend staying open-minded and embracing every moment. I have made memories here that will last so forever and learned so much about myself and the world around me. If you are questioning whether or not to study abroad, GO!

Going abroad has been the most incredible three months of my life. I not only visted 9 countries and crossed off many things from my bucket list like skydiving in Switzerland, riding a camel in Morrocco, and swimming in the seas of the Amalfi coast, but I’ve also made incredible friendships that will last me a lifetime and learned so much more about myself and the world outside of my life in New Jersey. Having come from a family that could not afford to travel in my life, this experience has been such a blessing and one I will never forget. I came into study abroad knowing no one and it was so easy to connect with others as everyone’s in the same boat and has a similar open minded headspace going abroad. Recommendations I would give are to save a lot of money, more than you think you’ll need. Everyone makes it seem like traveling to other countries is so cheap, and while it is cheaper than in the US, it still adds up quick. I’d also say to be open minded and to give yourself grace because it can be overwhelming at times. That being said, traveling at this age teaches you so many practical skills like planning ahead, budgeting, and communicating effectively with others. It is so fun and the only time you’ll really be able to do something like this in your life before you have the intense responsibilities of adulthood. I will say the academics of my program, ISI, were harder than I thought. I think the classes themself were easy but juggling school with travel, social life and living responsibilities was difficult at times. I would just say really take time during the week to study and keep up so that you can explore on your weekends with no stress! I recommend Florence specifically as a city to study abroad because it is so walkable, there is so much to do and see, and it quickly feels like home. It is also pretty centrally located in Europe, making it easy to travel to many different places. The night life is really fun if you like bars or clubs there is something for you and expenses are comparable to that of the US. Just be aware that anything near the duomo is going to be more expensive. I am someone that thrives with change and new environments but I know that adjusting can be hard for people. Some of my roommates are this way and still say that while it had its difficulties that this experience has been the best in their life. All in all, I have enjoyed every minute of my time abroad and as I type this in my final days here I’m so excited, and envious lol, of anyone that chooses to come here after me. You will not regret it!!!!!

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My experience studying abroad with ISI Florence has been amazing! When you start the process they are extremely helpful and host meetings for more information about the process. They give checklists and settle you into your apartment. Overall, it has been a life changing experience filled with meeting new people and learning Italian culture! I loved every second! Can’t wait to be back!

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I came into this experience thinking I would have the time off my life and make life long friendships. While I made many really good friends and some that will stay in my life for good, it took a long time for me to get there. I was homesick for a much longer time than others when hearing about their experiences.

Amazing experience getting to come to study abroad in Florence. ISI made the transition very easy to living in Florence. The classes were very interesting and engaging. I got to experience and learn about the city in all of my classes that included class field trips to local sites around Florence and neighboring cities. Highly recommend!

I had an amazing experience studying abroad in Florence this past semester. ISI provided me with all of the necessary resources to have a successful academic and social experience in Florence. I always felt safe and supported here and this was thanks to ISI.

During my time studying at ISI Florence I was able to learn what it means to live in Italy. I traveled around the country via train and got to see many different regions. The ISI student services office set up out of class activities that allowed students to learn how to cook pasta, make leather goods, and much more. It was a wonderful semester that I will always cherish.

I have made so many amazing friends and met people that I would have never crossed paths with while abroad. I have become a more confident and adventurous version of myself that I will be forever grateful for. I can now call myself a world traveler and I have been given the opportunity to see so many amazing places around the world

During my time in Florence, I had the opportunity to work as a tour guide at the Museo Galileo. This experience was formative for me, due to my interests in cultural studies and curation, but also because of my passion for science and education. Florence was a beautiful city to live, exist, and eat in, but working there was a truly unique experience that helped clarify my goals for the future.

While it was nice to be in Florence, I gained almost no cultural immersion or Italian skills. Though the ISI staff and faculty are some of the best I have ever seen, the consortium of American schools involved consisted of many academically unmotivated and close minded students. This made it very hard to learn Italian because while I had a great teacher, she had to keep up the pace of the class, so I was never able to personally advance my Italian skills in the classroom.

It was really nice to be in Florence, but I gained almost no cultural immersion or Italian skills. While the faculty and staff at ISI are some of the best I have ever seen, the American schools involved in the consortium are filled with academically unmotivated and close minded students. This made it hard for my Italian class to advance; thus, while I had a great teacher, I learned almost no Italian because she had to keep the pace of the whole class.

The director, staff, and teachers are all amazing at this institution. They make sure everything is taken care of and inform you of many opportunities for events or community engagement in and around Florence. They are kind and professional. The educators are exceptional. Florence is the perfect size; you can easily walk every where.

Right off the bat-- there is not much about any program that could make studying abroad for four months in Florence anything less than magical. The city itself is beautiful, and you'll never run out of things to do. However, International Studies Institute (ISI Florence) made my experience the best that I could have hoped for. Firstly, the apartments are far better than any dorm I've been in on a college campus, with large bedrooms, readily equipped kitchens, and spotless amenities. You can tell that ISI made a continuous conscious effort to have their students fully immerse themselves in their surroundings. They encourage you to try to speak the language when you're out and about, and their staff is always readily available for advice and questions. I found that the ISI staff was even more helpful than my home university's staff, because the program is so small that they are able to give each and every student individual attention. I felt as if I actually made connections with the faculty and staff, which is something that not many people can say about their universities. When I had a health problem in the middle of the night, I called the emergency line and a staff member appeared almost instantaneously, so there was never a moment where I felt unsafe in the program. Though there isn't a huge option for classes, it seems that you can't go wrong with any of them. Even classes that I initially didn't think I'd be interested in taking taught me so much valuable information that I'll hold with me forever. It's obvious that each of the professors are genuinely passionate about the subjects they teach, so it makes you excited to learn the material. I can't say a bad word about ISI, and I'm so grateful that I was a part of this program during my four months abroad, because they made it a safe, fun and engaging experience that I wouldn't trade for the world.

I had traveled abroad prior to this experience and knew that I wanted to not live in my home town after graduation. In living here, I was more confident in my ability to acclimate to a region and my ability to live abroad. I am currently looking at going to grad school in Norway and working in Europe.

The time I spent in Florence, Italy might have been the most rewarding four months of my life. I grew as a person in so many ways I didn’t expect. I became more cross-culturally aware, and recognized the differences in customs, perceptions, and cultures, between me and others. I met people from all over the world, and not only gained new perspectives, but broadened my worldview as well. My new sense of independence this semester, taught me many things about myself and allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them. My program’s Italian class proved to be very helpful when I was speaking with locals and could hold a conversation. Meeting others from different countries also informed me of the perceptions of my own country in the U.S. In classes, I was able to learn how to interpret famous works of art, Renaissance history, sport history and culture, and the Italian language. The opportunity to study abroad allowed me to grow as a person in many ways I didn’t expect.

Studying abroad was an amazing and life changing experience. It put me out of my comfort zone and I really have grown from it. I was pushed to make new friends and going to different events where I didn’t really know anyone. It helped me be more independent and I’m grateful for that.