This is a WCCCSA program. For how to start the application, please refer to “How to Apply” page.
Program Dates & Application Timeline
- Application & Deposit Deadline: Friday, Jan 8, 2027
- Early Bird Deadline: pay deposit to Unicollege by Friday, October 2, 2026 & save 100 Euro!
- Remaining Balance of Program Fees Due: Monday, March 1, 2027
- Tuition Due: Check your campus’s calendar
- Program Dates: April 2 – June 5, 2027
Apply early so that you are eligible to apply for study abroad scholarships:
Benjamin Gilman Study Abroad Scholarship Application due Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 11:59pm Pacific Time
Program Info Session
TBD
Program Documents
About the Program
Location
LIVE AND STUDY in Florence, Italy, where the Renaissance was born and everyday life unfolds among centuries of art and innovation. Learn alongside WCCCSA faculty while Florence becomes your classroom—through academically rich courses, field-based learning, and a weekly Italian Language and Culture experience integrated into the program. Beyond campus, walk through Medici palaces and historic quarters, explore layers of ancient, Renaissance, and modern Florence, and engage with the city as locals do. Sip an afternoon espresso, enjoy a gelato in a Florentine piazza, build lasting memories, and earn college credit from your WCCCSA home campus.
Campus & Classrooms
Classes will be held at the UniCollege Student Center, which is centrally located and a short walk from the student apartments. Wi-fi is available throughout the Study Center; students and faculty also have access to computers and a printer, projector, white boards, and so on.
click on this link for an exclusive Virtual Tour recording of the Unicollege Florence Campus. Join us for a great sunset view, then continue to tour the college classrooms, cafeteria, and more!
Housing
Students will stay in self-catered apartments near to the study center. Typically, each two-to-four-bedroom apartment is shared by four-to-six WCCCSA students on a twin-bedded basis. Students will have a shared kitchen and living space. Bed linen and wireless internet are provided. Apartments are within a short 10-20 minute walk to the Study Center.
Optional meal plan
The base meal plan (450 euros) offered at the study center includes 45 meals – that can be extended with an additional fee of €15/meal. Meals include one main course (can include pasta/sandwich/meat/fish, etc. + water and coffee).
Transportation
Transportation subscription (valid for one month on all public transportation in Florence; the pass can be recharged as needed). UniCollege will provide instructions and support with ground transportation from the airport in Florence to students’ apartments upon arrival.
Faculty & Courses
Courses and faculty information is TBD. Students will register for three 5-credit courses at their home campus. Those three courses include a 5-credit Italian Life and Culture course. This course will be taught by local qualified guest lecturers from Unicollege, focusing on historical, political, economic, and cultural aspects of Florence and Italy. Local faculty will assign work and grades for the course.
Course #1: ART 120 Drawing (5 cr.| Ogilvie)
Study abroad in Florence and experience drawing in one of the world’s most inspiring artistic cities. Open to students of all majors and skill levels, this course explores drawing from still life, landscape, and architecture with an emphasis on observation, technique, and design. Through lectures, demonstrations, in-class activities, and group discussions, students will develop skills in perspective, value, composition, and the illusion of form and depth. You will learn to draw from observation, understand the principles of one-point and two-point perspective, and explore a variety of black-and-white media while strengthening creative problem-solving and visual communication skills. Whether you are an art student or simply looking for a meaningful and unforgettable international experience, this course offers the opportunity to grow creatively while living and learning in beautiful Florence.
Course #2: ART 202 Art History – Medieval/Renaissance (5 cr. | Ogilvie)
Step into the heart of Florence and experience art history where it was born. Art History 103 invites students of every major and artistic emphasis to explore the rich traditions of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque art while studying among the churches, museums, piazzas, and masterpieces that shaped Western culture. More than a lecture course, our class is a learning community centered on curiosity, conversation, and discovery. Together we will ask meaningful questions, engage in interactive analysis and interpretation, and deepen our understanding of the ideas, beauty, and history that continue to influence the world today. Through research, discussion, and firsthand encounters with great works of art, students will gain a deeper appreciation for creativity, culture, and the enduring human search for meaning — all while living and learning in the unforgettable city of Florence.
Course #3: HUMAN 205 Italian Life and Culture (5 cr. | Rondinelli): Taught by Professor Rondineli, this course focuses on the historical, political, economic, and cultural aspects of Florence and Italy Renaissance. Prof. Rondinelli will assign work and grades for the course. This course incorporates curated weekly activities around the city of Florence, focusing on the historical and current cultural landscape within and around the city.
Students will register for all three 5-credit academic courses at their home campus.
This is an academic program and students are required to enroll in a full-time course load (15 credits). Failure to participate in the academic coursework may result in dismissal from the program. Students are encouraged to make the most of their classroom learning as it will enhance understanding of all the local area has to offer.
WCCCSA Faculty (WA, U.S.) Professor Susan Ogilvie
Susan Ogilvie is a Tenured Professor of Art History, Drawing and Painting, currently teaching at Olympic College. She holds an MA in Art History, an MFA in Illustration, both from Academy of Art University, San Francisco, an MA in Philosophy from University St. Thomas, Texas as well as a BFA in Fine Art, from Northwest College of Art & Design, Poulsbo. She believes that art and art history are core experiences for everyone as they develop great observational skills, critical thinking and problem solving. Whether studying biology, nursing, engineering, music or political science, you name it, drawing leads to better communication and understanding. It is the universal language. Art history teaches us the human pathway to communication throughout the ages. Medieval and Renaissance Art History is Professor Ogilvie’s favorite era as it branches into every culture and storytelling. To sketch and see; to experience and hear the stories of people before us enables us to create and live our own experience. Professor Ogilvie is a professional artist and former Director of Education at Northwest College of Art & Design. She is the recipient of the Olympic College President’s Award in 2025.
Unicollege faculty (Florence, Italy) Professor Paolo Rondinelli, Ph.D.
Professor Paolo Rondinelli is a professor of Italian Studies, Literature, and Culture, recognized for his scholarly contributions and the recipient of prestigious accolades, including the Pasolini Prize (2005, ex aequo) and the Boccaccio Prize (2009). He holds a Ph.D. in Humanism and Renaissance civilization, as well as the Advanced License for Teaching Italian to International university Students (DITALS). Since 2013, Professor Rondinelli has collaborated with the Accademia della Crusca, the foremost institution for the Italian language and the oldest linguistic academy in Europe. Among his most notable publications are the critical edition of Francesco Serdonati’s Proverbi italiani (Florence, Accademia della Crusca, 2024) and his work on Lorenzo Lippi’s Liber proverbiorum (15th century), published by Bononia University Press. He currently serves as Professor of Philology of Italian Literature at Pegaso University, as well as Professor of Italian Language and Linguistics at Unicollege.
Program Activities at a Glance
Included in the program students will have:
- 9 STUDENT LIFE ACTIVITIES: 1 per week (2 hours each) held by the local professor of Italian life and culture course, see the previous section for further details.
- Cultural activities: ticket-free walking tours in Florence and its surroundings, enriched with historical and cultural context. Examples include visits to Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Strozzi, Santa Maria del Fiore, and the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella.
- Student life activities: to foster social and cultural exchange through events such as language tandems, karaoke nights (in Italian and English), lasagna or pizza night, and more.
- Optional day excursions to Siena and Pisa, each for an additional fee of 200 euro (each option needs at least 12 participants).
Independent Travel
You are free to use your weekends to explore new neighborhoods in Florence, or take short train trips to other cities in Italy. Or you may even choose to leave the country and travel to Europe’s great cities including London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Paris.
Cost: 6000 Euro
this cost is inclusive of 1500 euro as deposit, due at the time of application.
Included
- Accommodation in a shared, self-catered apartment (centrally located)
- Remote- and in-country 24-hour emergency contact service for duration of program
- Welcome event (Italiano aperitivo style)
- Daily breakfast
- Online pre-departure cultural induction, jointly delivered by WCCCSA and Unicollege
- Onsite orientation program with Unicollege staff, covering safety and security, cultural differences, and daily life in Italy
- Full access to Unicollege campus facilities, including Wi-Fi, cafeteria, and university common areas – and with assistance of English-speaking front-desk personnel
- Public transportation card valid for the city of Florence for the first month and rechargeable beyond that
Not Included
- Round-trip airfare and in-country transfers
- Bellevue College tuition & fees for 15 credits
- Course books/materials
- Passport & visa fees, if apply
- Meals not mentioned above
- Personal expenses
- Additional excursions and fieldtrips to those listed
- Anything not specified as included in the program
- Optional personal effects coverage and medical insurance upgrade
WCCCSA Scholarships
WCCCSA Florence participants are all eligible to apply for the $1,000 WCCCSA scholarship. Applications are due on or before Friday, Jan 8th, 2027.
Pre-Departure Orientation (mandatory)
- When: Saturday, March 6, 2027
- Where: TBD
- Time: 10am-3pm
What to bring to Orientation:
- Signed copy of the Student Guidelines
- Copy of your passport photo page
- Flight itineraries
- Notepad and pen to take notes
- And questions
You should also invite parents, guardians, or whomever you feel should attend with you. Coffee will be provided in the morning and lunch will be included. The faculty will be available to discuss their courses and expectations.
Last Updated June 17, 2026
