With its several thousand years of civilization woven into its legendary urban texture, Florence embodies all that the Renaissance sought to bring back to life. Bordered by its famous countryside of pine- and cypress-dotted hills, lush vineyards, and olive groves, the Florence of today is an innovative European cultural center as well as a university city. Apply to the Maryland-in-Florence (Architecture) program for the opportunity to spend your spring semester learning in this culturally rich environment. Maryland-in-Florence (Architecture) is hosted at the International Studies Institute (ISI Florence), where you will have access to a wide variety of courses in art history, architecture, fine and studio arts, Italian language & cultural studies, history, literature, philosophy, international business, political science, and more. You will also be provided with unique community-engagement opportunities that will allow you to make the most of your semester abroad.

You must be in good academic and judicial standing and you must not have any registration blocks to participate in this program.

All UMD Architecture students with junior or senior standing are eligible to apply to this program. This program is also open to Architecture graduate students. There is no language pre-requisite. Non-UMD students are not permitted to apply.

If you are not an Architecture student, you may submit an application for the Maryland-in-Florence program; the Maryland-in-Florence (Architecture) program is open to Architecture students only.

If you are interested in this program but do not meet the eligibility requirements, make an appointment with your EA advisor to discuss.

Visit the Academics & Study Abroad page which outlines key considerations for your academic planning as you navigate different phases of study abroad:

Browse UMD course evaluations in the Study Abroad Course Database:

Maryland-in-Florence (ARCH)
Course Evaluations

The Maryland in Florence (ARCH) program is designed for Architecture BS students in their Junior or Senior year. If you are an ARCH major and this does not apply to you, please reach out to the program advisor to see if it is possible to apply for this program.

The Institute offers courses in a wide range of subjects, including: studio arts and art history, history and political science, Italian language and literature, international business, and interdisciplinary studies in the humanities. Courses are designed to integrate the local resources and immerse students into the Florentine environment through on-site learning. A variety of co-curricular activities such as field trips, museum visits, academic tours, and artistic performances complement the rich cultural offerings of Florence.

All students are required to take the following courses:

Architecture Design Studio VI (ARCH 402 at UMD) for students with Junior standing OR;
Advanced Topical Design Studio: Urban (ARCH 408 at UMD) for students with Senior Standing

Survey and Drawing: Mapping Florence Architecture (ARCH 448)
Italian language
1 elective course of your choice

All courses offered on the Maryland-in-Florence (ARCH) program are resident credit.

Students share apartments with other program participants. All apartments are within walking distance of ISI facilities and come with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, and communal living space. All apartments have wireless internet connection.

See the Maryland-in-Florence Housing Overview for more details.

Fall Budget

Costs listed are for fall 2023.

Billable Costs
Application Fee	$50
Billable costs are charged to your student account. They are due based on the Office of Student Financial Services and Cashiering's payment schedule. Be sure to check your statements when they are available.
Education Abroad Fee	$1,200
This fee is charged to your account when the application status is changed from "Accepted" to "Committed." This fee includes Education Abroad services including registration, billing, advising, risk management, and pre-departure orientation.
International Health Insurance	$250
UMD Tuition	$12,325
This fee is charged to your UMD account upon course registration. This fee includes: Tuition, academic and advising support, course related activities, on-campus and in-country orientations, airport pickup, excursions, Florence Museum Card, 24/7 emergency phone, Permit of Stay fees (Permesso di Soggiorno), Florence Museum Car, and teaching services.
Program activities & student services	$995
Housing Fee	$3,325
This fee represents the housing provided during the program. Students live in shared apartments (utilities, internet, and cleaning included).
Roger Williams University Transcript for Select Transfer Credit	$500
TOTAL PROGRAM FEE	$16,645
Out-of-pocket Costs
Meals (estimate)	$2,500
Passport	$165
Roundtrip airfare from DC to country (estimate)	$1,500
Course materials (estimate)	$500
In-country transportation (estimate)	$150
Personal/Incidental expenses (estimate)	$2,100
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE:	$25,730

Spring Budget

Costs listed are for Spring 2023.

Billable Costs
Application Fee	$50
Billable costs are charged to your student account. They are due based on the Office of Student Financial Services and Cashiering's payment schedule. Be sure to check your statements when they are available.
Education Abroad Fee	$1,200
This fee is charged to your account when the application status is changed from "Accepted" to "Committed." This fee includes Education Abroad services including registration, billing, advising, risk management, and pre-departure orientation.
International Health Insurance	$250
Tuition	$12,970
This fee is charged to your UMD account upon course registration. This fee includes: Tuition, academic and advising support, course related activities, on-campus and in-country orientations, airport pickup, excursions, Florence Museum Card, 24/7 emergency phone, Permit of Stay fees (Permesso di Soggiorno), Florence Museum Car, and teaching services.
Housing Fee	$3,325
This fee represents the housing provided during the program. Students live in shared apartments (utilities, internet, and cleaning included).
TOTAL PROGRAM FEE	$17,745
Out-of-pocket Costs
Meals (estimate)	$2,500
Passport	$165
Expedited Passport Processing	$60
Education Abroad strongly advises expedited processing for new or renewal passport applications due to current delays with processing times.
Roundtrip Airfare from MD/DC to House Country (estimate)	$1,500
In-Country Transportation Expense (estimate)	$200
Course Materials	$500
Personal/Incidental Expenses (estimate)	$2,000
Covid Rapid Antigen Test in Host Country (estimate)	$50
The cost of a COVID test not prescribed by a physician is not covered by CISI Insurance
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE:	$24,770

You can use the cost of attendance comparison worksheet to view how study abroad programs compare to each other and the amount you pay on campus at UMD. As always, your EA advisor is available help you complete this worksheet and find affordable programs that fit your study abroad goals.

Please refer to the following resources for more information on funding study abroad:

PLEASE NOTE: All University of Maryland study abroad programs are financially self-supporting and, therefore, subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

Sally Roberts coordinates all logistical aspects of the Maryland-in-Florence (Architecture) program and is available to meet with both prospective and accepted students. To learn more about the program and complete the required advising meeting, schedule an appointment with Sally.

Community Engagement

As part of ISI’s initiative to help students gain valuable cross-cultural experience in an international environment, they promote many opportunities for community engagement, including volunteer work and service learning activities in Florence. Past opportunities have included coaching children’s baseball teams, assistant teaching in elementary schools, and volunteering at local churches and synagogues. Participating in such projects will give you invaluable hands-on experience and an extraordinary out-of-classroom exposure to the culture, language, and people of Italy. See the ISI website for more details.

Cultural Activities
The Maryland-in-Florence program also provides a variety of cultural activities around Florence and Italy such as cooking lessons, language aperitivi with Italian students, citywide soccer tournament, operas, 5k and 10k charity runs, local festivals and fairs, food tastings, and more. Course field trips are also an integral part of academic life. Professors organize course-specific trips in order to supplement in-class activities and engage students in the practical application of their studies.

Social Identity and Culture
Florence is a popular study abroad destination for students across the world- because of this we want all of our students to come prepared to think critically of their social identities, the culture of Florence, and the impact on this city. When in Florence, students are encouraged to live like the locals and find ways to learn from and engage with the local culture. This can include the volunteer opportunities above, getting to know their neighbors, or finding other activities or ways to engage. Students are encouraged to speak to their education abroad advisor if they have any questions about their role in Florence’s culture- and to think critically of this role prior to arrival!

Program Dates

Term	Year	Application Deadline	Admission Notification	Program Start	Program End
Spring	2023	10/01/2022	10/11/2022	01/11/2023	04/29/2023
Fall	2023	03/15/2023	01/20/2023	08/30/2023	12/16/2023