CET Italy

My experience in Italy and Siena specifically was a remarkable one. I had the opportunity to explore different regions in Italy and learn more about the culture and art history of each location. The art was rich and beautiful, and as an art major, it is the most crucial aspect that helped to better my experience in Italy. In addition, the art history class I took while staying in Siena also enhanced my knowledge of Siena and its past particularly, as well as the region of Tuscany (Pienza, San Gimignano, and Monte Oliveto Maggiore).

I would highly recommend CET Florence. The program staff are very kind and take time to organize fun excursions for the students such as pizza making and gelato tours. The classes offered are interesting and engaging, and the city itself is beautiful. Although Florence isn’t a huge city, there is still so much to do. Keep in mind that since you won’t be attending an Italian University directly, it will take extra effort to interact with local Italians your age. There are also many American study abroad students in Florence which is something to take into consideration depending on your preference. Overall, I highly recommend the program and had an amazing semester with CET Florence.

The CET Program offered me a wonderful experience that was both academically and culturally stimulating. I was able to successfully continue my undergraduate academics while simultaneously absorbing Italian culture. The program offers various trips & excursions to help students meet their peers and immerse themselves in the Florentine environment. Not to mention, the staff is extremely supportive and helpful. I personally suffered an injury at the beginning of the program and was thoroughly supported by the CET staff throughout the entire semester. I am extremely appreciative of their willingness to care for their students.

I loved using Florence as my home base for my studying abroad experience! Classes were fair, and the professors were understanding. The city is fantastic, and there are many places to go out and eat or walk. Many courses also take you to museums so you can have on-location learning (which was my favorite part). There are a lot of study-abroad students who spend the semester in Florence, so it's easy to make friends and get away with speaking English. Finally, everyone in the program lives in apartments around the city center. Although the location of the apartments are great, not everyone gets the same quality.

My summer in Florence was one of the best experiences with CET. The 6 week program was the perfect amount of time to get to know Florence and the Italian culture. The classes were engaging and allowed students to see Florence in a new way, while being fair with the workload. The professors were also very knowledgable and passionate which made the classes so interesting. I met so many new friends through the activities that were organized by the activity leaders who were both young and became close friends with the students by then end! There was a wide variety of activities for everyone and was one of the best memories from the summer. The housing was great and you live among locals, although some apartments are farther from the school than others. Overall, I would highly reccomend this program to anyone who wants an amazing summer!

This program is great if you want to see a lot of Florence. The classes take you to so many locations--I really feel like I saw all of the important Florence sites and was able to learn a lot about them from my professors. The program also had a lot of included extra activities like gelato tasting, a cooking class, a soccer game, and a pool day at a Tuscan villa.

Florence is a really great city as a study abroad students. There are so many students from US schools and it is really fun to meet them all. Traveling from the train station is so easy, too--pretty quick train ride to Rome, Milan, Pisa, and a lot of other great places, and easy to get to the airport. The week long fall break is great for seeing a lot of Europe.

Studying abroad with CET Siena was the most rewarding experience of my life so far! As a first-generation & Latina student, imposter syndrome made the idea of studying abroad seem impossible but everyone at CET Siena made me feel so welcomed and like I finally belonged somewhere. The staff genuinely care about getting to know you and put in so much effort to make your stay as comfortable and fun as it can be, from choosing nice apartments to planning a fun and immersive weekend trip. The roommates are some of the best people I have ever met. The staff plan some great weekly bonding events that help immerse you in Italian culture, let you get to know them and your peers, and get you walking around the beautiful town and learn about all its unique history. They’re also a wonderful resource to help you practice Italian language!

In terms of academics, the professors are very receptive of your needs. The Italian course is very comprehensive and it makes learning and practicing Italian in Siena so much less scary. Class schedules are arranged so you have plenty of time in the day to explore the city, visit the biweekly market, and enjoy the amazing Tuscan sunsets (one of my favorite things to do during my time there). The workload is also pretty light overall so you can take weekend trips relatively stress-free. If you’re looking to improve your Italian skills, CET Siena is definitely your best choice. English isn’t spoken as commonly as in other Italian study abroad cities (Florence, Rome, etc.) so you really get to practice what you learn in the classroom! In my experience, the people of Siena are genuinely happy to hear people trying to speak Italian and are very kind even if you make some mistakes. As a Latina, you find so much in common with Italians and Italian culture that you can genuinely feel like you’re at home.

The experience wouldn’t be complete without the food and travel. Siena has some amazing restaurants and local shops that have some of the best foods I’ve ever tried (if you choose CET Siena you should definitely check out the Tea Room by Piazza del Mercato). CET Siena also sets up a cooking class activity where you learn to make your own pasta and sauces from scratch at an incredible restaurant — it was one of my favorite activities by far! Traveling around Italy is super accessible from Siena’s train station; I was able to visit six other cities in Italy and four other countries during my time abroad for a relatively low cost. Siena itself is a very walkable city with very pretty architecture, making your walks to class or the store more enjoyable.

One of my favorite aspects of the program is the opportunity to meet other students from different US universities. The people I studied abroad with are now some of my best friends and made learning Italian and exploring the country so much fun. Overall, my study abroad experience with CET Siena was one of the most memorable periods of my life so far and I would do it all again if given the chance!

Before coming to Florence, I had only been to Europe once, to visit my brother when he was studying in Prague. I had a hazy expectation of what a semester abroad would entail -- likely getting familiar with a new city and people, lots of travel, new friends. All I can say is that CET Florence has exceeded every expectation, and truly clarified for me what it means when people say that study abroad changed their lives. While taking long weekends to travel throughout Europe is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, at the end of every travel experience, I am beyond excited to return to Florence, a place that I consider both a dream vacation destination and my home away from home. The food here is outrageously good, and I always get my steps in -- it is so easy to forget just how much walking you're doing when you're excited to turn every corner and explore a new street. CET has enabled me to make lifelong memories and friends in the most incredible place on earth.