Experience of a Lifetime!

I studied abroad with CET Florence in Spring 2025 and now in my senior year, I can confidently say it was one of the best and most impactful experiences of my entire time in college. Prior to coming to Florence, I had never left the U.S., so in every way my expectations were exceeded. Florence is a beautiful city with a rich history, and the professors do a great job of revealing the deeper history and culture with the many classes on area topics. It's a great home base; don't take it for granted. Examples of classes I took included Renaissance Art + Architecture, the Medici, and History of Modern Italy, many of which involving field trips to museums and churches. I stayed in an apartment but doing a homestay is also an option, and by the end I became great friends with my roommates and have kept in touch with them and other friends I made abroad since.

Three-day weekends were very conducive for personal travel, if you so choose. There is much to see within Italy and much of Europe is easily accessible. Italian is helpful to learn in advance but the program was all in English so fluency is not a requirement (I'm only a high A2/low B1 speaker after three months in Italy + a year of prior study). My only caution is that Florence is very touristy, especially in the warmer months, and there are many other study abroad programs, so it is easy to spend a few months there and not interact very deeply with the local culture, but if you are intentional you can certainly achieve this and the program can help you with events like getting dinner with a local family. Italy is known for its food for a reason, and cooking at home as well as going out to restaurants were an absolute joy - everything is so fresh.

Overall, I recommend CET Florence if you are considering going abroad. The on-site staff is incredible, and when else might you get the opportunity to spend multiple months living in, not just visiting, another country?