Italy
Ancient history, coastlines, and a passionate food culture.
Living in Italy
Confirm the fundamentals before you book a flight: monthly costs, neighborhoods to live in, academic culture, and weekend escapes.
Monthly budget
€900–€1,200
Language
Italian
Visa
National D visa plus residence permit on arrival—budget time for appointments.
Program lengths
Semester • Summer • Year
Neighborhood Vibe Check
Where our contributors actually lived and why it worked for classes, cafés, and late-night snacks.
- • Trastevere (Rome)
- • Oltrarno (Florence)
- • Navigli (Milan)
Weekend Essentials
48-hour itineraries and day trips that fit between classes.
- • Naples pizza pilgrimage
- • Venice Biennale day trip
- • Sicily volcano escape
Academic Notes
What the syllabi look like, grading culture, and campus resources.
- • Art, design, architecture, and culinary programs thrive here.
Must-do experiences
The moments that made our contributors feel like locals. Drop these into your first-week bucket list.
- • Aperitivo crawl in Florence
- • Cinque Terre hike
- • Truffle hunt in Umbria
Guides & stories
Dispatches from Italy
17 min read • Oct 2025
Study Abroad in Rome: A Complete Guide to Living, Learning, and Exploring the Eternal City
Practical housing, food, discounts, work, and weekend trip strategies to make Rome affordable and unforgettable for students.
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16 min read • Oct 2025
Study Abroad in Florence: A Complete Student Guide to Living, Learning, and Exploring the Renaissance City
Housing, food, discounts, work, and weekend trips—everything students need to live well in Florence without overspending.
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18 min read • Sep 2025
Weekend Trips in Italy: A Student’s Guide to Exploring Beyond Campus
One of the best parts of studying in Italy is traveling. Here are the top student-friendly weekend trips across the country.
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9 min read • Sep 2025
Italy on a Student Budget: How to Eat, Travel, and Live Cheap While Abroad
Italy can be affordable for students—if you know the tricks. Here’s how to enjoy Italian life without overspending.
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8 min read • Sep 2025
Top Italian Universities with Study Abroad Programs for International Students
Thinking about studying in Italy? Here are the best universities that partner with international programs and welcome study abroad students.
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10 min read • Sep 2025
Rome Study Abroad Survival Guide: How Students Can Thrive in the Eternal City
From metro tickets to finding the best gelato, here’s the complete survival guide for students living in Rome.
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7 min read • Sep 2025
What It’s Really Like to Study in Florence as an International Student
Florence is a dream for art and history lovers, but what is daily student life like? Here’s the inside scoop.
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9 min read • Aug 2024
Finding the Best Gelato in Rome: A Student’s Complete Guide
Living in Rome as a student? Skip the tourist traps and learn how to find the city’s best authentic gelato on a budget.
Read guide →Espresso shot
€1.20
Regional train
€12–€18