Program Reviews

The staff never informed us there would be an additional course fee to the class I signed up for until AFTER I returned back to the United States. This should have been informed before I chose my class. They emailed several times upset about a late course fee and would always inform us to pay in person, which is not possible. Additionally, the entire staff and emergency lines refused to assist me and fellow classmates in finding transportation from our apartment to the airport because it was a national holiday.

I had the pleasure of studying abroad in Florence, Italy about two years ago. As an Italian major, this was perfect for me. I believe I was fully immersed in the language, rich culture, and warm community that Florence had to offer. Through Florence University of the Arts, I took language and culture courses, participated in two internships, and even got to teach in a bilingual elementary school. The university offered possibilities I couldn't even dream of. I was able to truly get a glimpse of what teaching Italian would look like, and this experience made me love it even more! Between the helpful staff at FUA, the prestigious professors, and global ties that the university offers, I would recommend studying here to not just Italian majors, but to students of ALL majors.

I took Florence Sketchbook at FUA. We had assignments to do every week, but I found myself inspired to draw outside of class and that which was not assigned to me. Every day I would take my sketch book and sit on the Arno and just find some ornate design or piece of architecture that I was captivated and intrigued by. I sat on the ledges by the Arno River and just sketched. What I found was that people would walk over to me and just look at what I was drawing. The difference between Europe and the United States is that if I were to draw in New York, no one would really find that activity all that interesting and with the hustle and bustle of that city, everyone is always on the move and extremely busy. In Florence, the pace slows down, and people are actively involved in the beauty and history that is Florence. Individuals look around, interact with strangers, and different cultures converge in this magnificent city. I miss the feeling of comfort that I felt in Florence just being able to be alone and talk to others who were actually interested in the art that I was rendering.

Studying abroad for a semester in Florence was the best semester by far. Even though we did not have a dryer, a microwave, and ranch dressing, and I had to pay for water at all of the restaurants, those were memories I will never forget. I loved learning new things every single day and how the culture in Italy and Europe is different than in the U.S. Although some days were slightly difficult, it was all worth it in the end.

My class exceeded my expectations. I loved every day I was in Italy and Florence is the perfect city to live in. I would do it again in a heart beat! Studying abroad is a learning experience that can not be taught any other way.

I enrolled in FUA's 1 year Publishing Career Program as a post undergraduate student from the US. Having had 6 internships in undergrad before my time at FUA, I was impressed but the professional opportunities FUA provided directly through my career program's structure. Aside from creating a published book for a prestigious Florentine company by the end of the program, FUA provided additional projects through their different departments to further professional experience gained including writing for and editing the school's semesterly magazine, volunteer opportunities within the community and seminars that focused on specific tracks.

FUA is located directly in the center of Florence, providing the ability to use the historical center as a muse and learning point for many of the artistic and history based classes taught at the school. My absolute favorite experience with the school was being able to eat at Ganzo, FUA's restaurant that also serves as a learning lab for some of their culinary students. The meals served there were always unique with a spin on classic Tuscan dishes. I never left Ganzo hungry. Some of the head chefs are Michelin star, so eating meals prepared by a teams of chefs under their supervision made the experience that much better. Ganzo also has one of the best and most affordable aperitivos in Florence.

Overall, I enjoyed my time from start to finish at FUA. I credit the school for my falling in love with Florence and know the work I produced there during my studies will impress those I share with back in the stated once I apply for jobs. I would recommend their programs to anyone looking to study in Florence, Italy.

We had two classes, Food and Wine Pairing and International Gastronomy. Both the instructors and the classes were excellent. The exams were harder than expected, but fair.

I loved Florence and intend to return. I recommend while being there to take advantage of your brief time and experience everything to the fullest. If you feel well rested at any point, reconsider your life choices.

I absolutely enjoyed my entire trip to Florence. The time spent in class was a perfect amount of time to be able to learn in the classroom as well as experience Italy on our own. I REALLY enjoyed the day trips and thought they were so informative, well planned, and very fun. It was nice that the school also provided trips outside of school as well (the EFT trips) which I did take advantage of and was so glad that I did. Even though we hit a few problems along the way (the VERY busy train!) it was nothing we could control and our leaders were helpful, knew what to do and made the trip very fun. The only complaint I have is that when we arrived to our apartment, it was not yet ready and looked as if the former residents had just left- there were bags of garbage, the fridge was dirty, food everywhere and lots and lots of personal items left behind. We had to walk around the city to wait for our apartment to be cleaned and ready and after traveling for more than 12 hours and no idea where to go or where anything was, it was a bit frustrating. That being said, when we got back to our apartment it was nice and clean and we had no more issues. That was really the only problem I faced during this trip. Loved my trip overall!

The instructors work hard and do well.
Ganzo is well received with good food and service.
The administrative staff in general seem overwhelmed with too may students to handle. It seems like a bother to ask for support, because there are so many students who need support.
The hours for the library, gymnasium, etc. are limited.