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Studying in Florence

Florence is the ideal city for a cultural stay or for temporarily studying or working; it is a medium-sized city with a historic center of unparalleled beauty. All over the world, the city is considered synonymous with art, excellence in craftsmanship, manufacturing and food and wine.
Less than two hours by train from Rome, Milan, Venice, it is a strategic place to know Italy and the Italian lifestyle. Considered an open-air museum, the city offers its residents and visitors a huge cultural, gastronomic and landscape panorama.
For sure you know that Florence is the homeland of Dante, father of the Italian language, and cradle of the Renaissance. In addition, both Opera and ice cream were born here and here the first Italian fashion show was held.
However, you should not expect a city closed in its past. Florence and Tuscany are not only tourism, art and history.
You will be embraced from the first moment by the pulsating life of the metropolitan city and the informal and international atmosphere. Foreigners appreciate the lifestyle that combines modernity and multiculturalism with tradition and sustainability. A famous travel magazine a few years ago declared the district of Borgo San Frediano the coolest district in the world, where Florentines and foreigners share different spaces and where next to small shops are the studios of Italian and foreign professionals. Moreover, the city remains at the top of the ranking of the most digital cities in Italy and many choose it as their second home to study or work in Italy.
Our mission is to welcome foreigners and cultural travelers who not only like to feel like guests of the city but want to live like locals and feel like citizens and ambassadors of Florence in the world.
An important part of this linguistic and cultural journey concerns the knowledge of the city, the territory, history and society. For this reason, in our courses we always bring authentic Italian language and culture to the classroom. And, for the same reason, we propose alongside the courses, a rich program of cultural and social activities designed and managed by teachers and partners, who are experienced in different aspects of Italian culture.

Some important things to know for your stay in Florence

Accommodation
Florence has a wide offer of accommodations, but the demand is very high, so it is not easy to find a good accommodation in the city at a good price, especially in the high season and for short periods. We therefore recommend that you start your search well in advance and not just focus on the old town. The city is small and well served by bus, tramvia, train. You can live in the neighborhoods outside the center spending less and finding good housing (sometimes even better than that in the historic center) right in the areas where the Italians live. Contact us to get an idea of the accommodation costs or visit the accommodation page of our site.

Permesso di soggiorno (Residence permit)
If you enter Italy with a study visa, you have 8 days to apply for a residence permit by filling out the the form (called kit) you find in the offices of Poste Italiane and making the required payment. Then you will be informed of the date for an appointment to go to the Questura, where they will give you your residence permit. It takes several months to have it. Pending the official document, the receipt of payment is effective and you can stay in Italy, but you can not travel outside Italy. With the residence permit for study, you can work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week and you can leave Italy for up to 6 months.

Health insurance
European citizens, assisted by the Health Service of their country, can receive treatment in all other countries of the European Union. Students from non-EU countries will need to take out private insurance in their home country (approved by the Italian Embassy) or they can enroll in the Italian National Health Service (NHS). Registration requires the payment of an annual fee via postal order and an appointment at the relevant USL office..

Codice Fiscale
Foreigners who temporarily reside in Italy can obtain a Codice Fiscale, which is a national insurance number to sign a rental contract, register with the National Health Service, open a bank account. You can request the number at the Embassy of your country before departure, or on arrival in Italy by going to the Agenzia delle Entrate. If you are waiting for a residence permit you can ask for a Codice Fiscale at the Questura..

Public transport
Florence is a small city and you can walk, bike, use the bus, tram or taxi. If you come by car, be careful where you park. In fact, parking in the city is reserved for residents or is subject to a fee. To move from Florence to the major Italian cities, you can easily use the train. If you want to explore Tuscany and the small villages, a car is more convenient and you can rent one in the city or at the airport. There are, however, buses that take you everywhere.

Payments
In all shops, restaurants, museums, taxis etc., the most common credit cards are accepted. You can use your card for each payment. However, we recommend that you keep some cash in your wallet to pay very small amounts.

Ready to go?

Contact us for personalised advice.