Considering Italian study abroad?

Question

I am an American university student thinking about studying abroad in Italy next year. I'm looking for somewhere I can live fairly affordably. I really want to be immersed in the culture and come away with a better understanding of the local ways of life and language. I was thinking about Florence, but I've heard it's pretty touristy and there are a lot of American students. I would probably do some travelling in other parts of Italy on breaks and such, so this wouldn't be the only place I see.

Where would you recommend I go to live and study?

Answer 1

Try to visit this website which I just came accross, a lot of information on study abroad, hopefully may help you:

http://summer-study-abroad-program.blogs...

Answer 2

I agree with GC, though Perugia is getting kind of dangerous for students.  There's lots of drug trafficking.

I would recommend you the other choices.

I live in Varese, Lombardy.  The majority of the people in my city are British, very few Americans.

Cheers and good luck

Answer 3

Try to visit this website which I just came accross, I've found a lot of useful information on Study Abroad Program :

http://summer-study-abroad-program.blogs...

Answer 4

well coming from someone who lived in Italy for 2 years i can give you some good advice....florence is awesome             great nightlife  great people and it is centrally located in the country with great access to the north and south of the country as well as the nice areas of either coast.    Padova is another great town located around a lot of cool stuff   trust me you are young and want to have lots of fun and make the best use of your time    dont stick yourself out in the middle of no where with no americans at all   chances are this is your first major trek outside the good ol US and you dont wanna jump into something with no one sharing the same expierience as you    florence is your best bet!

Answer 5

As someone mentioned before, see if your University has an exchange program. If it doesn't, you could try a provider. Arcadia University (http://www.arcadia.edu/abroad/default.as... ) and IES (https://www.iesabroad.org/IES/Programs/I... ) are two such providers.

I would recommend staying away from Florence and Rome. They are both beautiful cities, but very touristy. I would try one of the smaller cities in Italy. You will learn the language faster because you will have to use it and you will still be able to go see the major sites in Italy. Of the providers above, I would recommend the IES program in Siena. It's a beautiful medieval city in the Tuscan countryside, and it's in the middle part of Italy so you could access all of Italy without spending 10 hours on a train.

You should be able to rent an apartment in any of the cities with universities in them relatively cheaply because the students need somewhere to live. Also, if you go on one of the provider programs they will find you housing and it will be included in the program cost.

I hope you enjoy studying in Italy as much as I did!

Answer 6

I cunsel you to go to Parma...it's not bad...there are a lot of pubs, restaurants, cinemas, and ewerithing you want for havin' fun...and there is a very goog university...it's not very big..it has 100-200000 inhabitants

Answer 7

Maybe you could come and study in Pisa. It's a small city with  one of the most important italian uiversities. The position is good as it's located on the coast, close to the beach and within 1 to 4 hours from the most touristic places like rome, venice, florence. the weather is good, there are not many american students, it's not that expensive, it's full of italian students because of the university so it's a young and lively city. I heard there is a program exchange with chicago university but I don't know much about it, sorry. Oh,  I was about to forget it, it's in tuscany and i know people love it!

Answer 8

I think Perugia is the most comfortable place for a student.

There is an University jsut for foreigner where Italian is teached in a very good way.

Perugia is not so big for American people, but you can find there all what you wish and need....

See you soon here!!! :-)

Answer 9

Does your university have an exchange program? Check at the Italian Department at your university.

I'd rule Florence out too. Bologna, Rome and Perugia are where you'll find many exchange students wanting to learn Italian. Rome being so big means that you may be able to find affordable housing - certainly not in the center of the city but in one of the many suburbs. There are several US exchange programs in Venice too but I would assume them to be expensive. Wake Forest University and the University of Kentucky have programs in Venice. Perugia is a beautiful place and it is just about one big campus.