Location
  • Italy
    • Milan
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring
Subject Areas
Art History Business Communications Cultural Studies Fashion Design Film History International Business International Relations Literature Music Political Science Psychology Sociology +4
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment Dormitory Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

What's Included
Accommodation Classes Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare Visa
Apr 09, 2025
Oct 25, 2024
42 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Ciao e benvenuti in Italia! Milan is a wonderful blend of classic architecture and Italian culture as well as a global center for finance, education, commerce, design, and fashion.

With a wide range of majors to choose from, students can enjoy the flexibility to choose what program will best fit their academic goals. This study abroad opportunity welcomes students of all Italian language levels, whether they speak no Italian whatsoever or are fluent. Featured programs include Art, Music, Business, Italian Language, Design and Fashion, as well as Social Sciences.

Milan will be your classroom. Only in Milan can you marvel at the grandeur of the Duomo, see the artistic detail of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” in person, and find classical manuscripts at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. In addition to the academics, students will also enjoy the ability to participate in field trips, ranging from a weekend in Tuscany to a ski weekend. Welcome to study abroad!

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

Today, and every day, we celebrate who you are and who you will become. We take pride in simply getting to know you, and look forward to adventuring through this incredible world with you.

Studying abroad as part of the LGBTQIA+ community can present unique opportunities and challenges in exploring a new culture, so we have compiled resources on sexual orientation, gender identity, and allyship to help prepare you and support you along the way.
Going abroad, whether this is your first time or your umpteenth, can be a trip both literally and figuratively. Seeing something new or being someplace unfamiliar has its own challenges, especially when it comes to mental health and physical accessibility. With IES Abroad, you won't handle these concerns on your own.

We have not only compiled resources on mental health, physical health, and self-care to help prepare you and support you along the way, but we also have a dedicated Student Affairs staff that are available for you to contact from the United States and once in your host country.
Going abroad, whether this is your first time or your umpteenth, can be a trip both literally and figuratively. Seeing something new or being someplace unfamiliar has its own challenges, especially when it comes to mental health and physical accessibility. With IES Abroad, you won't handle these concerns on your own.

We have not only compiled resources on mental health, physical health, and self-care to help prepare you and support you along the way, but we also have a dedicated Student Affairs staff that are available for you to contact from the United States and once in your host country.

Impact 🌎

As part of IES Abroad's Global Good Commitment, IES Abroad employs sustainability measures in the following ways:
-Moving toward more sustainable Headquarters and Centers abroad
-Producing printed materials mindfully
-Hosting events and conferences in LEED-certified buildings
-Purchasing carbon offsets for staff air travel
-The formation of the IES Abroad Sustainability Team - a dedicated group of volunteers responsible for implementing sustainable practices across our organization. The team comprises of members across our Centers, departments, teams. It is truly a global effort, and we are better for it.

Program Highlights

  • Experience the vibrant atmosphere, charming culture, and delectable foods native to Milan.
  • Choose to live in a homestay, local apartment, or dormitory; all three of which provide a unique cultural experience and connections to Milan residents.
  • Take an Italian language course (included) and explore optional internship opportunities and subject-related field trips.
  • Enjoy trips that highlight the true beauty of Italy, such as excursions to Tuscany, Sicily, the Alps, and Lake Maggiore.
  • Climb to the top of Il Duomo, stroll the fashionable streets of Via Montenapoleone, or wander the grounds of the Sforzesco Castle--all quickly accessible from anywhere in the city.

Popular Programs

group of smiling with city skyline behind them

No matter what level of Italian you speak, we invite you to study here and experience Milan’s rich culture. You are placed in an Italian language course that’s been designed for you based on your language level. Our Italy Today Program offers you courses in liberal arts and social sciences, all of which address aspects of contemporary Italian society. You can also take courses at a local university—maybe you’ll even make some Italian friends while you’re at it.

student poking her head into view on a balcony on top of the Duomo di Milano

We provide one-of-a-kind courses that explore the world of business, as well as a wide variety of courses focusing on contemporary issues in Italy. Take an elective in Art History, Political Science, or Photography to create a diverse course load. Round out your study abroad education with the required Italian language classes that are tailored to your skill level. You can also enroll in a local university course to learn about international business alongside Italian and international students.

two students performing, one singing, one playing the harp

As a music student in Milan, you have the opportunity to work with world-class musicians, soak up the local music scene, perform at a variety of venues, and attend a wide range of performances. At the Center, there is a full range of opportunities for instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, and performance majors, and partnerships with the Civica Scuola di Musica, the Conservatorio G. Verdi, La Verdi Symphonic Choir and Orchestra and more!

student standing in front of a rack of clothing in a sunlit room

Our Fashion Design & Merchandising Program offers a holistic fashion experience. Encounter the sources of global trends in business, design, tailoring, fabrics and materials, modeling, and marketing. Learn about the business of fashion from local experts and professors from the best universities in Milan. Join the Milanese design and tailoring scene through practicum courses at professional fashion institutes offering hands-on lessons in clothing and accessory creation.

Students posing with celebrity in Milan

Experience Milan like a local student this summer, in one of Europe's iconic hubs for global business and finance. What better place to bolster your business studies than in a city that’s at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship—home to world-renowned companies like Giorgio Armani, Bugatti, and Pirelli?

Milan's Duomo at Sunset

Participate in an accelerated Italian learning experience with a full semester of course credits designed to fit conveniently in under 90 days. The shorter timeline offers much of the same academic rigor and cultural richness as the longer Fall offerings in Milan but without the visa requirements involved with a longer stay. Students of this program will enroll in an Italian language course along with IES Abroad classmates which fits their current level of proficiency.

Program Reviews

4.92 Rating
based on 98 reviews
  • 5 rating 91.84%
  • 4 rating 8.16%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.2
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.8
  • Housing 4.8
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 17 - 24 of 98 reviews
Default avatar
Alexandria
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

One of a life time experience!

Milan is a beautiful city and I am so glad I chose to study abroad there! I can't say enough positive things about my experience in Milan and my experience with IES. The program was so proactive about making sure students were ready to embark on this journey and followed through with their support once we arrived. Another one of the huge reasons I chose to study abroad with IES in Milan was because of the opportunity to complete an internship. I knew this was something I wanted to do and would give me a unique experience to put on my resume. The IES internship coordinator was extremely helpful in finding a placement for me that matched up with my career goals and desires. I ended up completing a marketing internship for the British School of Milan. Everyone was so welcoming and always made sure I was comfortable with the work I was assigned, not to mention answered any of my questions. Lastly, I had a great housing experience with IES. I chose the apartment option and had 6 roommates. Our apartment was spacious and in a great location, about a 15 -20 min walk from Duomo! I lived in Brera and that neighborhood and they are known for having superb restaurants! I never had a bad meal while I was over there!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve-racking experience was definitely when I was first landed in Italy and had to navigate through the airport to find IES. There are IES representatives at the airport but I did not travel with anyone I knew so being completely by myself in a foreign country was a little nerve-racking. Try and make friends while your waiting for your flight! Chances are, there are other students who are traveling from the same as airport as you! IF you can find a buddy to look for once you get off the plane it will definitely ease your nerves for sure!
186 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Tolu
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Nothing Was the Same!

Everything in Milan is so much better! The food, style, culture and language are so interesting in a way that made me want to continuously learn and experience more. My time abroad through IES has put me at peace with myself in a way I didn’t know was possible. Give me a couple of years and I’m moving to Milan!

The faculty at IES Milan also played a huge role in shaping my experience abroad. Each of my teachers truly cared about me as not just a student, but also a person. They went out of their way to offer advice, recommendations and helpful tips so that we could have the best possible experience in Milan.

I lived in the Collegio di Milano Residence Hall which gave me a completely different experience than many other students studying abroad. I lived with other Italian and foreign students, and 6 other IES students. The residence hall made my experience so much of what it was because of the incredible people I met. In the Collegio I was exposed to a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds everyday. I can proudly say that I have friends from all over the world now!

I love that IES Milan offers so many different opportunities for students to fully engage and connect with the culture. WIthout the classes, internships, living options and trips, my time abroad wouldn’t have been as successful or as life-changing as it was.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take every opportunity to go out of your comfort zone, talk to locals and visit Milan's hidden gems!
147 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kandise
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I found my voice abroad!

Patrizia (the voice teacher) is caring and very informative in recomending rep. Truly, studying with her infinitely changed my voice-- for the better! As well, there are plenty of performance opportunities, even if you are not in an ensemble or performance class. As well, the Italian classes were informative about Milanese culture and Italian history. The upper level classes are engaging and thought provoking. Some of the classes in other disciplines are very easy and feel like introductory classes, even though they are marketed as upper level courses. The IES Abroad faculty and staff are caring and considerate towards any mental or physical health issues you may run into!

What would you improve about this program?
Some of the classes in other disciplines are very easy and feel like introductory classes, even though they are marketed as upper level courses. As well, students living in the Collegio di Milano were not provided a singular Community Assistant, so maneuvering the city was difficult in the beginning
135 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Julia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Milanese Adventure

I had the amazing opportunity to study and intern abroad in Milan through IES. I absolutely loved my experience in Milan, and the IES team was extremely helpful in preparing me for my time abroad. I especially appreciated how easy they made the pre-departure experience. They helped with all preparation aspects, from the visa process to packing for 4 months away!

While there, I took classes in subjects I was interested in that helped me learn more about Italian culture and contributed to my major. Through my internship, I expanded my cultural awareness and developed skills I know will be beneficial in future work experiences.

I also had the opportunity to explore the city and other parts of Italy through field trips IES planned. Whether it be taking cooking lessons, touring historical sites in Milan, or flying to the south of Italy, I will remember these experiences forever. I am grateful that IES planned them because I would not have been able to do them on my own, and they made my abroad experience even more amazing.

The apartment I lived in was also great. It was in a safe area and was very secure. The Italian student living with us, called a CA, was extremely helpful and helped me adjust quickly!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers would be to take advantage of everything Milan has to offer. In my opinion, the best way to do this is by just walking around the city. It is a great city to explore on foot; it is also very safe. I spent so much time just walking around discovering small local caffes, where I talked to locals; little boutiques; and beautiful historical sites. I would also advise travelers to take advantage of free art museums! In addition to the larger, more famous galleries, there are vibrant, smaller ones you can find with just a little research.
131 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Morgan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Time of My LIFE

I absolutely loved living in Milan, Italy and studying abroad through IES. The Business Studies program provided many courses that were similar to courses at my home University and many classes unique to Milan. For example, I took a business class about managing fashion companies which is extremely unique to Milan and also transferable to my school.

Milan was an amazing city for me because it had a lot to do but was small enough for me to easily navigate on my own within a few days of being there. The public transportation was great!

The program administration was amazing and extraordinarily helpful when I needed to go to the doctor and complete insurance reimbursements.

I chose to live in an apartment and WOW- my apartment was beautiful. I don't think I'll have another apartment like that for a while.

I would definitely recommend Milan to someone who loves to travel to big and small cities around Europe and especially within Italy. The Milan airports were extremely accessible and reliable and usually pretty inexpensive compared to other airports. I traveled somewhere new almost every weekend and Milan was a great home base to do that from!

What would you improve about this program?
I would try to get more students to enroll in the program. When I attended, there were only around 200 students which is small compared to other study abroad programs.
131 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Abbey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A life changing opportunity

My experience IES Italy Today was absolutely incredible. As I arrived in Milan, I was extremely apprehensive to move to a new city especially one where I didn't speak the language or know anyone. I couldn't believe how quickly Milan became my home away from home. Milan is probably my favorite city, from the gorgeous walk from classes to the duomo, the best gelato places, the most charming neighborhoods, and of course the sandwiches at Panini Durini (a chain coffee and panini shop that is the best- think of Panera but so much better). Studying abroad during fashion week this spring was also a once in a lifetime experience. Milan during Fashion and Design Week is full of the most incredible energy and IES gave us a lot of information about the events going on that were open to the public which was really helpful. IES does an amazing job of having events for students to get to know each other especially in the beginning which was really helpful. I can't imagine my life without this experience and the incredible friends that I know I'll be close to forever. IES also has amazing trips organized, I went on the Venice and Verona trip as well as the Parma trip and absolutely loved the time I spent with my friends. I would absolutely choose this experience over again in a heartbeat.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I think if I did the program over again I would try to do the internship as well because a lot of my friends had incredible experiences interning in Milan. But I absolutely loved my experience!
141 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jaci
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Decision I Ever Made!

Leading up to my flight to Milan, I was nervous about traveling alone and leaving my friends and family. The moment I landed in Milan, I knew I made the right choice and the four months I spent in Italy were the best four months of my life. I enjoyed all of my Business Studies classes and the professors were determined to helping students succeed in the classroom. I did not expect to like my Italian 101 class, but it ended up being my favorite class! My professor was the absolute best and made it so easy to quickly learn Italian and about Italian culture to help get around the city. I lived in an apartment provided by IES and it was in a great location close to the IES and the popular areas in the city. Living with my roommates as well as an Italian CA made it much easier to adjust to a new city. I loved learning about Milan's history and culture, eating the AMAZING food, and the fun nightlife. The Milan airports, trains, and bus systems are easy to use and make it very easy to travel to other parts of Europe. I also went on some fun trips offered by the program. My four months abroad went by very fast and I was extremely sad to leave. I could not imagine studying abroad anywhere else and would highly recommend Milan to anyone who wants a study abroad experience that is going to exceed their expectations! Grazie Milano!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take advantage of aperitivo! It's an endless buffet of delicious food included with the price of one drink. I lived right next to Navigli where a lot of the aperitivo restaurants were and I wish I had gone more. Such a great way to get together with friends and get some really good food and drinks at great prices!
156 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Katelyn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing classes

I love my business classes abroad! I learned so much about finance and business in Europe. Although my favorite class would have to be my Italian 101 class. It was nice being able to practice a language I was learning every-time I ran errands! All the professors are very kind and supportive.

The food was phenomenal. I ate endless amounts of prosciutto, pasta, and pizza. I was staying with a host family and they cooked dinner for me every night. Food is fairly inexpensive, I would not spend much money grocery shopping or out at restaurants.

The nightlife is super fun. There are always bars close-by and dance clubs are open very late. It's the best place to meet people and make new friends. It gives you a chance to enjoy the city at night.

What would you improve about this program?
I would improve communication with staff & students. Sometimes it was difficult to reach them.
140 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

For my particular program, there were a few different options for housing - homestay, apartment (with other American students), or Italian dormitory. I chose the Italian dorm, since I wanted to meet Italian students my age and be completely immersed in the language. I didn't have to worry about roommates, since I had a single room, but everyone shared the kitchen and other dorm facilities; it was...