Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester programs offer undergraduate students the opportunity to infuse their education with travel while earning valuable academic credit. If you have ever wondered what it might be like to study in Italy, many people find the Fall a better time to visit since the weather has cooled down. But the appeal of a study abroad in Italy goes beyond the climate; Italian language, culture, history, art, innovation, and design contribute to some of the many reasons to consider a Fall Semester as part of your undergrad experience!

Why Consider a Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester program?

A Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester program may place you in a campus such as the Lorenzo de ’Medici in Florence, a modernized 13th century AD convent. If you have come from a North American urban environment, likely this type of experience – the mix of ancient and contemporary – will be a treat in and of itself. Italy has almost limitless possibilities for history lovers, art appreciators, and students in general.

FUN FACT: Want to say “autumn” in Italian? Say ‘autunno’ (web)

A Day in The Life

Going to college, you know about waking up and getting to class, maybe catching a coffee with a friend, making plans for the weekend. If you enroll in a Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester program it doesn’t mean that you won’t be doing your same activities, but certainly, they will be anything but boring. As you may be studying and living near your host city college or on campus, it gives you the opportunity to walk or bike around streets and country side, as well as branch out and explore. Your time off may be spent in a museum, looking at works by Leonardo Da Vinci, or Michelangelo, or ordering an expresso at a coffee bar, then running off to tour the country side of Lazio, Umbria to see the leaves changing colors. Basically your living accommodations could be near shops and historical sites so you get to pack in both education and leisure time.

Wherever You Are

Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester programs are offered in many popular cities in Italy, such as Florence, located in the renowned region of Tuscany. Or, take courses in Rome and walk up the Spanish Steps, take in the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum and all the Pallazzos. Your host city surroundings contribute to an overall sense of cultural feast for the senses and many study abroad Italy programs offer excursions that add to your academic and cultural enrichment.

What If I Don’t Speak Italian?

Certainly there are Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester programs where you can learn Italian language, so if you are majoring in languages, interested in translation, comparative literature or cross-cultural studies, this could be a great opportunity to make Italy your language lab. Otherwise, you may pick up some Italian but your courses may be offered in English.

Rounding Out Your Education

Some undergraduates enjoy, or are encouraged, to seek volunteer or internships while in college; certainly not a bad idea whether you are in fashion design, culinary arts, business or journalism. If this is something you are thinking about, Fall Semester is usually 4 months and long enough to consider a program that has credit-bearing internship.

T’is the Season

Apart from foliage and cooler temperatures, Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester programs may coincide with fewer crowds at some of the more high-trafficked tourist sights. This may come in handy in Rome and Venice; The Sistine Chapel itself gets 3 million tourists a year[i].

Festivals and Harvests

Fall is harvest season in Italy. That means festivals celebrating food or wine pop up, so you get to taste your way through local produce (e.g. truffles, chestnuts, olive oil, olives, almonds, torrone) and regional seasonal cuisine.[ii] It also means the Mask Festival in Pinerolo, the Barcolana Regatta in Trieste, the Matera Balloon Festival in Matera, the Rome Film Festival and the Eurochocolate festival in Perugia. Yum.

Find a Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester program

Study Abroad in Italy Fall Semester programs are offered in different cities. Each of the sponsored listings has unique features. Check out Temple University: Rome for classes in Liberal Arts, Italian studies, International Business and Visual Arts. Or, make Florence your home base with SAI programs in Florence. If Italian Immersion interests you, what about spending your Fall semester improving your Italian in Ferrara through CIEE. Enjoy marine life? Try a Sea-Mester for fall semester. A Choose a subject or a destination that aligns with your interests or goals and enjoy an enriching and memorable Fall semester abroad in Italy!


sources: [i] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome | en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy |[ii] walksofitaly.com/blog/travel-tips/italy-in-autumn | http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/a/oct_fest.htm