Midyear in Florence: At-A-Glance

First Year Writing Seminar

Italian language classes for all levels

Out-of-classroom learning and assignments

Live in an apartment with peers or a homestay with a local family

Weekend excursion to Rome & Tivoli

Fall

At Brandeis Midyear in Florence, you start your college career off with engaging academic content and activities that help you connect with the local community and your peers. Take electives that check required classes off your list or try something new and uniquely Italian.

Academics in Florence

Semester
Snapshot

Curriculum & Syllabi

You take a writing seminar, one Italian language course, and three electives to meet a total of 15 recommended credits.

First Year Writing Seminar

You take this 3-credit course taught exclusively for Brandeis Midyear at Florence students. This course will fulfill Brandeis’ University Writing Seminar (UWS) requirement for first-year students.

FL/ENGL 150 First Year Writing Seminar

Italian Language

You are placed into one of these 3-credit courses, according to a placement test or previous coursework you have completed.

FL/LANG 100 Beginning Italian Language
This course will transfer to Brandeis as ITAL 10a.
FL/LANG 150 Advanced Beginning Italian
This course will transfer to Brandeis as ITAL 20b.
FL/LANG 200 Intermediate Italian
This course will transfer to Brandeis as ITAL 30a.
FL/LANG 250 Intermediate High Italian
This course will transfer to Brandeis as ITAL 105a.

Electives

Choose three 3-credit electives to meet a total of 15 recommended credits. These courses fulfill core curriculum requirements at Brandeis according to the following categories.

Humanities (Hum)

FL/ITLS 330 Italian Cinema

Creative arts (CA)

Social Science (SS)

Start college in Florence

The city as your classroom. Take classes that fulfill requirements at Brandeis. Start your language core requirement by taking Italian Language. Interested in something uniquely Italian? Try Food and Culture in Italy or Italian Cinema. And you won’t just be in the classroom—many classes have field-based components in the city. Take an art history class and have at least half of your sessions in a museum, church, or piazza. This is what study abroad is all about.

Work that’s rewarding. Florence is known for easy living, but that doesn’t mean easy A’s. CET Florence is known for academics as rigorous as what you’re used to in the US. Your courses challenge you. Your professors push you during in-class discussions. Your assignments ask you to think critically. All of this work ensures you leave Florence with a global perspective that will serve you for a lifetime.

Housing and Meals

Apartment or homestay
Off-campus housing
Live with Brandeis peers
2-8 people/apartment; 1-3 students/homestay
1-2 people/apartment room; 1-2 students/homestay room
Kitchen, common room, shared bathroom per 2-4 students, in-unit washer
Wifi access, linens, basic furnishing, kitchenware, regular cleaning service for common areas

Living Like a Local

Connecting locally. One of the best parts of studying abroad is making friends with locals. Engage in some friendly competition during a basketball or soccer tournament with classmates and some locals. Not into sports? Befriend a University of Florence student at one of CET’s aperitivi (a happy hour with appetizers). Or have dinner with a local family for a night of cultural exchange. Not only will you have a better grasp of local culture, but you’ll also get to flex your Italian language muscles.

Eating in Florence. Have your fill of some of the most famous cuisine in the world. You’ll love the pastas, the sauces, the hors-d’oeuvres. On a budget? Try ribollita soup, made with bread, kale, cannellini beans, and vegetables. Feeling adventurous? Grab a tripe sandwich topped with salsa verde from a street vendor…a Florentine classic. And don’t forget the gelato after dinner. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Italy.

Learn more about Midyear in Florence on YouTube

Life in Florence

There’s so much to see and do in Florence, from climbing the Duomo to chatting with locals over a cappuccino. But the rest of Italy and all of Europe are at your doorstep, too. Each Friday morning, head to a new destination—check out the art scene in Berlin, find the best baguette in Paris, explore the Italian coast, from Cinque Terre to Amalfi. The Italian train system couldn’t be easier, and the airport is just 30 minutes away. Buon viaggio!

Experience Italy with CET

Around the city. The program offers different activities that allow you to explore Florence, experience Italian culture, or just unwind. Hike in the Chianti region. Take a day trip to Bologna. Learn the art of pizza making. And there’s even more to see on your own.

Explore Italy like a local. Let us help you go beyond tourist destinations. You might spend the day in the medieval city of Volterra, dive into 3000 years of history in the beautiful Umbrian hilltop town of Orvieto, or explore the the ancient village of Colonnata.

Volunteer in Florence. Give back to the community by opting to volunteer 4 hours each week with a local organization. Become a tour guide at some of Florence’s oldest churches, keep the city beautiful with the Angeli del Bello, or practice English with local high schoolers.

Student Resources

"As someone who wanted to pursue a Business major at Brandeis, I was excited to see business/economics classes offered. However, in retrospect, I have my entire career at Brandeis to focus on that, so I recommend taking classes that are out of your comfort zone and that you won't be able to take anywhere else."

— Skye Spinner, Brandeis University

READ SKYE'S STUDENT PROFILE

“I am more vibrant, more adaptable, more cultured, and more understanding than I have ever been before. My experience allowed me to understand myself in such a different light, seeing how big the world truly is and how ample your opportunities and strengths are.”

— Eva Tibbetts, Brandeis University

READ EVA'S STUDENT PROFILE

"This semester has easily been the highlight of my life so far, and even though it is not an easy thing to uproot one's life and live in another country, I would 100% recommend the CET program in Florence."

— Randall Lawlor, Brandeis University

"Of course, living in any new country or place forces you to assimilate into the cultural atmosphere. While living in Florence, and Italy, we were told that this would come in the form of acceptance to current realities, relaxation in a sense, and again that everything, in the end, would work out. I thought I understood and would be able to adapt to this lifestyle immediately but it wasn’t until this moment that I realized how big a cultural difference this was from America."

— Ada Rose Wagar, Brandeis University

READ ADA's BLOG POST

Explore more resources:

On-site Staff

Emiliana Caldarelli
Director of Italy Programs

Stefania Bernini
Academic Director of Italy Programs

Elizabeth Johnson
Resident Director

Melissa Rossi
Academic Coordinator

Donatella Cerretelli
Housing Coordinator

Margarita Degurko
Academic Assistant

Gabriele Marchese
Activities Coordinator

Program Fees

Fall/Spring

$21,790

What's Included

Tuition

All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.

Housing

We arrange for you to live in an apartment, right in the historic city center. Your program fees go toward rent, furnishing, and other management costs.

Staff Support

From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.

Visa Support

We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. You do the legwork, but we’ll make sure you have the documentation and information you need, when you need it.

Insurance

You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.

Activities & Excursions

The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!

Course Materials

Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.

Transcript

At the end of the term, your grade report is sent directly to Brandeis University.

More on finances

Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $17,590 goes to tuition and fees, and $4,200 goes to housing and other student life fees.

Local Cost of Living. The cost of living in Florence is similar to other major American cities. Some things might be cheaper (e.g. groceries, coffee, bus tickets), but other things can be much more expensive (e.g. utilities, taxi rides).

Estimated out-of-pocket expenses:

Homestay Fee: $2,900
Round-trip Airfare: $1,100 - $1,600
Meals (apartment): $2,400 - $2,800
Meals (homestay): $1,200 - $1,400
Personal Expenses: $1,200 - $1,600 (excludes personal travel)
Visa Application Fee: $50

How to Apply

Eligibility

• Pre-requisites: None
• Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation
• Open to Brandeis University students
• GPA: 3.0 or higher preferred, but admissions decisions are made on a case-by-case basis; lower GPAs still encouraged to apply

Online Application Form

Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.

Passport Information

Upload a scan of your passport to your online CET account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.

Academic Recommendation

Use the link in your online account to send a recommendation request to one of your previous teachers.

Study Abroad Office Recommendation

This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements for the program. To send the electronic form request, simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your online account.

Your study abroad advisor for the Brandeis Midyear in Florence program is Ari Kramer, [email protected].

Application
Deadlines

Fall Semester:

May 15

Have a question? Get in touch!

Karen "K" Olivas

Student Services Coordinator
202.349.7321
[email protected]

Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us!

Midyear in Florence: At-A-Glance

Fall