Is Florence a good place to study for international students?
Florence is a good place to study if you want a public university in one of Europe's great cities of art and can handle high rents. The Tuscan capital has about 361,600 residents (2026) and one public university, the University of Florence, with about 50,000 students. The historic centre is compact and walkable, with further campuses at Novoli, Careggi and Sesto Fiorentino. It suits students of architecture, agriculture, the life sciences and the humanities who budget carefully.
Which universities are in Florence, and which are public?
Florence has one public university, the University of Florence (UniFi), and it is the only option in the city that ApplyAZ works with. Its roots go back to a Studium founded in 1321, and today it teaches across the centre and three large campuses. Florence also has public academies of art and music, known as AFAM institutions, plus private design and fashion schools and study-abroad centres run by foreign universities, which charge fixed fees and sit outside Italy's income-based system.
- University of Florence: public, founded 1321 (as a Studium), about 50,000 students
- Public academies of fine art and music (AFAM): arts and music diplomas
- Private design and fashion schools: fixed fees, not ApplyAZ options
- Study-abroad centres of foreign universities: fixed fees, foreign degrees
What can you study in English in Florence?
In Florence, English-taught degrees sit at the University of Florence, which offers 10 programmes taught fully in English, mostly at master's level, plus 18 more taught entirely or partly in English. The fully English-taught degrees focus on sustainability, the life sciences, the digital transition and automation. Most bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian. Compare Florence with other cities on our English-taught programmes page before you build your shortlist.
How much does it cost to live in Florence as a student?
Living in Florence as a student usually costs about €850 to €1,200 a month, and rent is the biggest line. Single rooms averaged €627 a month in August 2026, according to Immobiliare.it Insights, second only to Milan among Italian university cities. DSU Toscana residences cost far less but go to scholarship winners first. Transport is cheap: UniFi's 10-month student pass for 2026/27 costs €50 or €65, depending on your ISEE.
- Single room in a shared flat: €450 to €700 a month; €627 average (August 2026)
- DSU Toscana residence: no rent for off-site scholarship winners given a place (2026/27)
- Rent help: up to €3,150 a year for off-site DSU winners without a residence place
- Transport: €50 or €65 for a 10-month UniFi pass, October 2026 to July 2027
- Typical monthly total: €850 to €1,200, rent included
How do you find student housing in Florence?
Finding student housing in Florence starts with the DSU Toscana call, which offered 1,917 residence places in the city for 2026/27 and closed on 7 September 2026. Places go to scholarship winners, so most international students also search for private rooms, ideally near their campus. Rooms go fast before October, so start in spring. Italian law caps deposits at three months' rent, student contracts run from 6 to 36 months, and you should never pay before a viewing and a written contract.
Which scholarship covers students in Florence, and how much is it worth?
Students at the University of Florence are covered by DSU Toscana, the Tuscan right-to-study agency. Its 2026/27 call was open to families with an ISEE up to €27,000 and an ISPE up to €60,000. Winners get a cash grant set by income and status, free canteen meals, a fee exemption and, if off-site, a residence place or a rent contribution of up to €3,150 a year. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE), so lower-income students can pay little beyond the regional tax.
How do you get to Florence and get around once you are there?
Florence is easy to reach: Florence Peretola airport is linked to the centre by the T2 tram in about 20 minutes, and Pisa airport is a second option. High-speed trains reach Bologna in about 35 minutes and Rome in about 1 hour 30 minutes. In town, most students walk or cycle. UniFi's 2026/27 pass costs €50 with an ISEE up to €36,151.98, or €65 otherwise, and covers buses, trams and regional trains between Florence's main stations.
What is student life like in Florence?
Student life in Florence mixes world-famous art with an ordinary university city of cafés, markets and aperitivo. Students gather in squares such as Santo Spirito and Sant'Ambrogio, study in libraries across the centre and the campuses, and pass the Duomo and the Uffizi on the way to class. Tourists crowd the centre in spring and summer, and summers are hot. Weekend trips are easy, with Bologna, Pisa, Siena and the Tuscan coast all close by train.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Florence?
Your first weeks in Florence are about paperwork, and the order matters. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival, using the kit from a post office. You also need a codice fiscale, health cover through private insurance or voluntary SSN registration, confirmation of your DSU Toscana status or rental contract, and a transport pass. Buy the UniFi pass by 30 November 2026, as the discounted budget can run out sooner.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno with the post office kit within 8 days of arrival.
- Get your codice fiscale from the Agenzia delle Entrate if you do not have one yet.
- Arrange health cover: private insurance or voluntary registration with the SSN.
- Confirm your DSU Toscana status, residence place or private rental contract.
- Buy the UniFi student pass on the Autolinee Toscane portal by 30 November 2026.
Can you work part-time while studying in Florence?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Florence, within limits: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. Italian universities, Florence included, offer paid student collaborations of up to 150 hours a year in libraries and offices. Tourism, hospitality and retail hire in Florence, but most jobs expect some Italian, so start learning early. Treat work as extra income, not a way to cover rent in one of Italy's priciest cities.
How does Florence compare with other Italian student cities?
Florence is one of Italy's most expensive student cities: its average single room, €627 in August 2026 (Immobiliare.it Insights), is below Milan's €704 but above Rome's €615 and Bologna's €585. It is smaller than Milan and Rome, with a slower pace and a centre you can cross on foot. Bologna, 35 minutes away by train, offers far more English-taught master's. Students pick Florence for architecture, agriculture, the humanities and the city itself, not for low costs.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Florence?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Florence by building the University of Florence into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We are independent and take no commissions. We write your CV and SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU Toscana scholarship and prepare your visa file, with a named person owning each stage. Organised students can use our roadmap alone. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
