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Colorful stucco villas, palazzo, stores and hotels overlooking the Arno River in Florence, Italy.

Program at a Glance

UC Center, Florence

Country or area Italy
City Florence
Class Level So, Jr, Sr
Experience Type Language
Minimum GPA 2.0
Term Summer, Fall sem
Taught In Italian, English
Language Prereq no
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About The Program

This program in beautiful Florence offers intensive Italian language study at the first-year level in small, interactive classes and a supportive learning environment. Teaching is tailored to student needs and you can quickly put your language skills into practice. Complement your classroom work with field trips, internships and volunteering opportunities.

Where you'll study

Your home base in Florence for everything from classes to meet-ups for program tours and excursions is the Accent study center in Florence. You will attend classes in two palazzi; the main center is contained within the first two floors of the Palazzo Guadagni, an early 16th-century building in the tree-shaded Piazza Santo Sprito of the Oltrarno neighborhood. The heart of historic Florence, this bohemian neighborhood just south of the River Arno features winding cobblestone streets, outdoor eateries and cafés, traditional local businesses, and artisan’s workshops. Staff are on hand to answer academic questions, share information on cultural and social activities, and offer general advice. The main center has five classrooms for courses and lectures, a student services area, a computer lab with the latest iMacs, faculty offices, a lending library for UCEAP courses, and a comfortable student lounge. A second facility where you will attend classes is the Palazzo Jules Maidoff, a four-story Renaissance building with a beautiful walled garden a short walk from the Duomo.


TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES

The study center arranges field trips and activities to introduce the local culture and special features of your host country. There may be other optional excursions, which you can explore after arrival.

Tuscany tour to Siena and San Gimignano 

Pizza cooking lesson

Student movie nights

Leather workshop

Excursions to Pisa and Lucca during the academic year



After advancing through four levels of Italian, I can confidently converse at a proficient level. With this knowledge of the native language, I was able to connect with local people ranging from nuns celebrating Easter in the small town of Crema to a host family with a young daughter in Naples.


Nicole Mendoza UC Berkeley Political Science Italy


I absolutely loved Italy—the people, the food, the classes, the traveling, all of it. The annoyances were largely minor and none of them made me dislike my time. Rather, they made me appreciate the nuances of American culture that I hadn't seen before. I came to identify as an American in a way I did not think I would. I am better equipped to handle future situations where I am a "fish out of water" or solve ambiguous problems.


Nicole Mendoza UC Berkeley Political Science Italy


Going into the program with a personal emphasis on education and enrichment made me realize the value of international education. I didn’t feel like I was on vacation. Walking out of my homestay every morning, I felt like a Florentine.


Andrew Checchia UC Los Angeles English Italy