CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Florence, Italy

Name: CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Florence, Italy
Brand: CEA CAPA Education Abroad
SKU: 15324
Rating: 4.9 (125 reviews)

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4.90 Rating

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Location

Italy
- Florence

Term

Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

Subject Areas

Advertising Anthropology Art History Arts Business Communications Cultural Studies Design English Fashion Design Film Gender Studies Graphic Design History Humanities Journalism Liberal Arts Linguistics Literature Marketing Performing Arts Philosophy Photography Psychology Social Sciences Sociology Visual Arts +17

Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, Work study, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

High School Diploma Associates Bachelors

Housing

Apartment Host Family

Language

English

Pricing

Price Details

Included: Personalized Pre-departure Advising; Tuition & Registration; Travel Medical Insurance; On-site Orientation; Housing; Volunteer Opportunities; On-site Staff Support; Excursions and Cultural Engagement; Host Institution Services & Amenities and more. Scholarships available.

What's Included

Some Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2023

Last Reviewed: Apr 01, 2025

Wish List

98 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Capital of Italy’s Tuscany region and known as “the Cradle of the Renaissance,” Florence has long been a source of inspiration for visionaries such as Galileo Galilei, Leonardo da Vinci, and Niccolò Machiavelli. It is known for the Cathedral on the Pizza del Duomo, a domed edifice engineered by Fillipo Brunelleschi, which includes an iconic bell tower rising high above the city. This once-Roman city, established by Julius Ceasar in 59 BC and steeped in history, is the present home to some the worlds top fashion designers and major wine labels.

The CEA CAPA Florence Center offers a variety of learning opportunities in English and Italian where you get to explore the city with your professors as guides.

In addition to Study Abroad programs, explore CEA CAPA Internships Abroad Florence, our dynamic program that provides hands-on, practical experience to help you rise above the competition.

Interested? Click the “Visit Site” button to learn what’s waiting for you!

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Video and Photos

CEA Study Abroad Students in Florence, Italy

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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

BIPOC Support

CEA CAPA provides, in conjunction with Diversity Abroad, Destination Guides which provide resources and tips for Black/African-American students, Latinx students, Asian American students, and all other students of color.

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LGBTQIA+ Support

Through our personalized advising, CEA CAPA takes steps to understand the needs of a diversity of student identities like the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to diversity and identity training, CEA CAPA leadership engage in continuous department level project work to identify and revise policies and practices using the appropriate Justice, Equity, Diversity or Inclusion lens as a frame to reduce bias and barriers that impact students, faculty, and staff. CEA CAPA is intentional in elevating diverse student voices and providing a platform for a broad array of identities to share their experiences abroad. The CEA CAPA World Blog promotes stories and personal experiences from the perspectives of diverse student bloggers and vloggers.

Neurodivergent Support

CEA CAPA is willing and able to assist students with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Students are requested to disclose disabilities through the application health forms as part of their application and in discussion with their application advisor or program manager. The earlier CEA CAPA is made aware of learning or physical disabilities the better we can work with the student, institution, and overseas team to tailor an Individualized Education Program if necessary to support the student.

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Impact 🌎

Sustainability

CEA CAPA makes a conscious effort to create study abroad experiences that leave a positive impact on host communities. Each location implements a variety of strategies to support the local community and promote sustainability. Examples include:

Use of recycling bins in Study Center locations and in CEA CAPA housing

Signage in CEA CAPA housing urging students to limit water and electricity usage

Students are often given reusable bags and water bottles upon arrival to limit single plastic use

Students are provided with instructions for acquiring transportation passes to promote use of public transportation rather than taxis

Program Highlights

Hands-on learning experiences that transform the world abroad into a classroom
Personalized Pre-Departure Advising, including visa and immigration support
Courses offered in English that fulfill major and general graduation requirements
Comprehensive on-site support, including 24/7 emergency phone
Career workshops, Internships Abroad, and Alumni Ambassador positions

Program Reviews

4.90 Rating

based on 125 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 94.4%
4 rating 4%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 1.6%

Academics 4.2
Support 4.8
Fun 4.85
Housing 4.65
Safety 4.7

Good for Students, Foodies, Photographers

Showing 1 - 8 of 125 reviews

I studied abroad with CEA CAPA during fall semester 2024 and absolutely loved it. The one thing that really makes CEA CAPA stand out from other programs is the amazing and supportive staff. Everyone from the people who sat at the front desk to the professors was so amazing. I would also recommend this program because they are dedicated to getting their students to really know the city. We had field trips all the time in classes going to see the art and aspects of the city that we were learning about in the classroom. I loved this program and would definitely recommend it!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I think I would study abroad with someone I know because a lot of people go with friends or friend groups and it can be kind of difficult to make friends sometimes.

Pros

The amazing staff
The classes are super interesting
My housing was awesome

Cons

The difficulty of traveling from Florence

Studying abroad with CEA CAPA in Florence was honestly one of the best experiences of my college life. The program was super organized, and the staff was always there to help with anything—from classes to travel tips. The courses were interesting and really connected to what was happening around us in the city, which made learning feel way more real.

Living in Florence was amazing. The city is full of history, great food, and so much to do. CEA CAPA set up fun excursions and cultural activities that helped us experience Italy beyond just being tourists. The housing was in a great location, making it easy to get around and feel at home.

Overall, I’d 100% recommend this program to anyone looking to study abroad in Italy. It’s the perfect mix of academics, culture, and adventure!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone! Do things that make you uncomfortable because they often end up being the most rewarding!

My experience at Cea Capa's Florence study abroad program was unforgettable. I had the most amazing experience immersing myself in the Italian culture, from exploring the art, to eating all of the traditional Tuscan food, my time in Florence was truly amazing. I have the best memories of traveling to all of the nearby cities and learning about the rich history found in each one. I also made friendships that I am sure will last a lifetime, as well as all the memories I have from my study abroad time!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

If I could live this experience again I would try learning Italian before arriving. Speaking the language of the city you are staying in will enhance your experience and help you connect with people at a deeper level. It can also make navigating through the city much easier!

I studied abroad with CEA CAPA in Florence, Italy Fall of 2024. I was apart of the Social Sciences and Cultural Studies program which fit my degree track as a Communication Studies major. I had the most amazing experience of my life. Studying abroad was my first time out of the country and I am beyond happy I chose Florence as my home country for four months. CEA CAPA did a wonderful job integrating students into the culture, addressing safety protocols, recommendations for food and sites, and overall academic support. I lived in a beautiful apartment with five other roommates that was less than an 18-minute walk to campus and less than 30 minute walk from the train station. We were placed in more a local neighborhood, where we got to experience authentic restaurants, boutiques, and cafes. I was able to have so much fun while also maintaining good grades due to the support from professors and staff. Although I went into the program knowing my roommates, I was still able to meet so many new friends who lived in different states and went to different schools. The connections and memories I made here will last a lifetime.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Take time to explore Florence on your own! I believe it is so important for self-development and growth to spend time with yourself and embrace your surroundings. This can be booking a solo day trip, going to a museum solo, or even a walk to a park.

Frst time visiting the Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset with my roommates!

If you're thinking of studying abroad in Florence, this is your sign to DO IT. I've never made a better decision. I had the time of my life and I'm so grateful for all of the memories I made. Best food I've ever had, most kind welcoming people in the CEA CAPA program and in the city. It's so lovely and such a special place. I had a hard time adjusting at first, but the directors and CEA CAPA staff made the transition so seamless with their kindness and warm personalities. I can't tell you how incredible it was being in Florence, everyday felt so new and like a new beginning. I found myself in my time abroad as a lot of students do if lucky enough to get the opportunity. Florence has so much character and history, if you like art like myself you will be inspired every single day. Go abroad, make new friends, explore AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. This doesn't necessarily mean go away every single weekend unless that's your style, but just don't waste a single second and get the most out of your experience because it will be unique to you and there's something so amazing about that.

What was your funniest moment?

There was a night my friend and I were just pondering around town at night and we came across this pizzeria right next to the Duomo. I was SO HUNGRY and this group of Italians were sitting right next to us and one of them cut me a slice of their pizza and it was actually genuinely the nicest thing ever and my friend and I just ended up talking to these guys and dancing with them outside the pizzeria for hours.

Pros

Best food you could ever imagine
So much art and history to appreciate
Art classes were so much fun

Cons

Far from home
Cold showers
Traveling often can get tiring

Studying abroad in Florence through CEA CAPA was by far one of the best decisions I've ever made. I created 4 months of everlasting memories and friendships. The program was very well-organized. They provided us with great housing that was centrally located in the city center and near our school buildings. They provided us with many activities and day trips that were included with the paid tuition. The program staff was all amazing. They all genuinely cared about us students and wanted to help us not only succeed, but also make the most of our time abroad.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

I tried tripe! It wasn't my favorite, but it's a traditional Florentine dish so I'm really glad I tried it.

Interning abroad in Florence was the best thing I ever did. Know that when you study abroad you will mostly be surrounded by other American students. However, when you intern you expose yourself to many of the Italian people. So many doors become open in terms of the Italian work culture, family culture and eating culture among a lot of Italians from all circles of life. So don't think twice about this, it will forever change you for the best. It is something you will carry with you and cherish forever.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

If you want more free time don't intern abroad, it's a full commitment but also rewarding.

Pros

great food
easy language to learn
easy to commute

My experience with CEA CAPA in Florence, Italy was very positive overall. I chose this program because of the location, excursions, length, and opportunities and it did not disappoint despite me traveling abroad solo. Going alone turned out to be a wonderful opportunity as I constantly found myself going out of my comfort zone to meet new people, try new things, interact with the local community, and travel around Europe. I was quickly able to make friends through the orientation and classes. I would even go on some spontaneous trips with these new friends! I was able to travel and see many places in Italy as well as several other countries that I never had before. Having never left the USA before, this experience was eye opening and gave me entirely new perspectives on the world. Additionally, the food, sights, people, and culture make Florence a must see. I found the academics provided by CEA CAPA to be generally easy and interesting which made getting the most out of my time abroad easier! The volunteering opportunities provided by CEA CAPA also made my experience so fun! I volunteered at a local elementary school to help teach English to local students. It was one of my favorite aspects of the entire experience!

The only real downsides I can think of is that it can get quite expensive so definitely save your money if you're planning on studying abroad and also that in some places the technology may not be as adequate as you may be used to in other countries. For example, my laptop broke while I was abroad, and no shops were able to fix it despite it being fixable in the US. Other than that, my experience was very smooth and enjoyable and I 100% recommend everyone studies abroad at some point in their academic career!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would have taken advantage of the interning opportunity. Despite having a great time, I wish I interned as well because it makes the abroad experience look even better on a resume and working in a different country is something that fascinates me.

Pros

Location
food
culture

Cons

Distance from home
Some technology problems

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

Long before college, I knew I would eventually like to study abroad. Of course, I had no idea which program to choose until I began researching in 2015, but I knew one thing for certain: I was going to Italy.

After meeting (many times) with my home university's study abroad advisor to learn about my options, the CAPA program was far-and-away the best fit for me and my course requirements.

With this program, I was able to study in my dream location of Florence, Italy, and take classes that would all go towards my major, minor, and general education requirements. I wanted to make sure I was receiving the most I possibly could from my study abroad. CAPA gave me that.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

A month before our program's start date, CAPA and my home university provided each student with a pre-departure packing list and other helpful tips. With these materials, students were informed of the possible cultural shock that can be experienced, what to expect on your day of arrival, and preparation for orientation.

My favorite piece of these helpful tips was the packing list. It's definitely important to prepare for the weather changes in your city abroad!

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. The CAPA staff treat each of their students like family. Throughout the program, there will be "family dinners", tours through Florence, and one-of-a-kind experiences to better understand the Florentine and Italian cultures.

All of these trips were free to CAPA students and excellent resources to get to know CAPA staff, other students, and your professors.

Take everything in and really push yourself. Try things that intrigue you and participate in activities that interest you.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Most students had 1-2 classes a day, with a break midday to grab a yummy and cheap lunch. I loved hearing of new restaurant recommendations for the CAPA staff.

Depending upon your breaks and class times (can be anywhere from 1 hour and 15 minutes to 3 hours), you should have plenty of time to enjoy Florence in the afternoon and evening. This is the perfect time to go shopping and exploring!

At night, hang with friends to experience Florence's fun nightlife. Again, CAPA can provide the best recommendations for places to go at night, all of which are safe and centrally located. My roommates and I would go out to eat or to a club 2-3 times a week and did our studying earlier in the day.

Like in the States, most students spend Sunday as their catch-up and relaxation day.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Before abroad, I was really concerned about learning the Italian language. I knew nothing going into my program and was really concerned I wouldn't be able to communicate with locals. To combat this, I took Beginners Italian with CAPA, which was 3 days a week.

This course prepared me with so much more than just the foundations of Italians. CAPA professors are very understanding of what American students go through in foreign countries. My Italian professor did an excellent job at preparing us with common phrases and good vocabulary to know while walking through and living in Florence.

Also, I quickly learned that the more I spoke with locals and attempted my Italian, the stronger my Italian got. Locals love to see Americans make attempts to speak Italian and are willing to help without embarrassing you! Definitely take advantage of this and get to know people!

Of all the aspects of living abroad, what was your very favorite?

The locals. Between the CAPA staff, restaurant workers, and shop keepers, I met some of the very best people in Florence. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming to me. Traveling abroad, especially for the first time, can be rather frightening.

From the moment I touched down in Florence to the end of my program, I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe. Each day, I was spoken to politely and Florentines really seemed to care for their visitors.

If you take anything from what I've said, please understand that talking to the locals of Florence and Italy is so important. I am so grateful for these friendships and people, many of whom I still speak with through Facebook. They made my abroad experience so much brighter than I ever could have anticipated or dreamed of.

Danielle Lukas

2014 Alum

Christine Brackenhoff

2014 Alum

Erin Largey

2014 Alum

Brooke Scanlon

2014 Alum

Patrick Scally

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Letizia Ialini

Program

CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Florence, Italy

Job Title

Student Services Advisor, CEA Florence

Letizia studied Economics at the University of Florence. During her university career, she temporarily moved to Bournemouth, England where she worked as a trainee in the financial department of an industrial company. This first experience abroad sparked her interest in traveling and learning, leading her to continue her studies for an academic year in Australia. Letizia greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn a new language, to travel, and to make friends around the world.

female headshot

Did YOU study abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Letizia: I studied abroad in Australia and it was the best time of my life. In 2004 I was studying economics at the University of Florence and I knew that an experience abroad would have contributed to make my resume more interesting to the eye of a future employer.

I wanted to have “a plus”, something different from my pears that would graduate the same year as me. I thought that a study abroad experience could make me more flexible, capable to adapt quickly to a new environment and more open minded. All qualities that a future employer would look for when selecting a candidate.

I actually learned so much during my time abroad, much more than I could have ever imagined. Studying abroad has helped me not only on a professional point of view, but also on a personal point of view. I have invaluable memories of my time in Melbourne. I met people from all over the world and after 10 years I am still good friend with most of them.

What was your favorite traveling experience?

Letizia: I don’t like big cities, I never have. I have many traveling experience that are sweet memories in my heart: Tasmania in 2005, Portugal in 2008, and east Australia in 2009, but the one I cherish the most is New Zealand in 2009. My husband and I decided to rent a car and drove from Auckland to the Waipoua Forest which is one part of the largest remaining tract of native forest in the North Island.

Waipoua Forest

The drive to the forest is spectacular: the road winds through huge and spectacular kauri trees, the colors of the sky are indescribable. With a Maori guide we adventured into the forest at dusk and followed a trail that lead us to meet one of the most significant tree, the natives call it Te Matua Ngahere – 'Father of the Forest' – which is huge and estimated to be between 2,500 and 3,000 years old.

The forest at night was magical, many animals, that we would never have seen during the day, were coming out their shelters and we had the feeling of being lucky viewers of an intact world that was exiting a long time ago.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Letizia: Not every student has an easy start. Sometimes studying abroad can be challenging, especially during the first few weeks away from home. Some students start missing home and for different reasons they think that they cannot successfully complete their time abroad.

We always do our best to encourage and support these students and most of the time they decide to remain with us and positively complete their semester abroad. Seeing this students overcome their difficulties in one of the best part of my job. Through this experience they learn they can actually overcome every adverse situation.

They decide to challenge themselves and grow up in a way they usually do not even expect. Hearing from them once they go back home and understand how happy they are they have decided to stay is one of the biggest gratifications we could actually have knowing we, in some way, influenced that decision.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

new zealand view

Letizia: I feel very lucky to be part of the CEA team. CEA is a very dynamic organization and as a company it is always trying to improve. The good thing is that every semester is basically structured as the previous one but really nothing is actually the same. We always work with different students and we continuously try to provide them with the best experience they could possibly find in Florence.

CEA is constantly trying to make progress and get closer to what students really need. New ideas in order to reach a better result are always welcome and I find this attitude rewarding of my efforts. Our team in Florence is made of young people and we all get along very well. This is something that I am sure influence the students experience in many ways as the atmosphere is a very positive one.

Bruno Grazioli

Academic Director, CEA Florence

Emily Schiavone

Center Director, CEA Florence

Alexandra Mitchell

Director of International Programs

Vittoria Chesi

Senior Academic Coordinator, Florence

Location

Location:

Florence

Currency:

Euro

Weather:

Jan-Mar

61 F / 36 F

Apr-Jun

82 F / 45 F

Jul-Sep

90 F / 57 F

Oct-Dec

70 F / 37 F

Airports:

Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola

( FLR )

Gelato festival is April should be enough to get your attention, but this won't be the only thing that keeps you coming back for more. Florence sits in the Tuscany region and is regarded for its artistic history and worldly views.

About CEA CAPA Education Abroad

With 22 destinations across 13 countries, CEA CAPA Education Abroad offers an ideal balance of academics, internships, and adventure to more than 4,000 students each year. Click on “Visit Site” to explore our study and internship opportunities and find out just out how far international education can take you. Why study abroad or complete an...