Università degli Studi di Firenze - UniFI- A short guide to the student life

Continuing my “Promoting Erasmus and studying abroad” pages, I now introduce you to the Università degli Studi di Firenze ! Let’s suppose that you are an Erasmus student or in general a student planning to study abroad for a semester or so. What are the factors that you would take into consideration before choosing your next destination and university? How would you organize your background research? What are the things that you’d love to know about your university in advance? Here’s a short research I did about one of the biggest universities in Italy that welcomes thousands of Erasmus students every year.

Welcome to the Università degli Studi di Firenze!

Background info; The university; The University of Florence is an important and influential centre for research and higher training in Italy, with 1,800 lecturers and internal research staff, 1,600 technical and administrative staff, and over 1,600 research assistants and doctoral students. It offers a wide range of study programmes at various levels and in all areas of knowledge. 126 Degree courses (First and Second Cycle, corresponding to Bachelor's and Master's Degrees) organised in 10 Schools, with a population of about 51,000 enrolled students, one-fourth of which come from outside of Tuscany. There are over 9,000 degrees awarded each year in Florence. According to the alumni data, the percentage of students who are in the workforce one year after their First Level degree is above national average.

An international University;

The University of Florence has a natural international vocation and the development of internationalization is one of its strategic priorities. It is one of the largest and most productive public research systems in Italy. This result is accomplished thanks to the number of permanent and temporary researchers working in a wide range of disciplinary and scientific fields, and the numerous junior scientists in training. It is also due to an intensive participation in research programmes of national and international relevance and to the significant scientific results achieved. External funds support the research and knowledge transfer activities. This combination of factors qualifies the Florentine institution as a modern research university and accounts for its excellent position in national and world rankings.

The life in the city;

In Florence, la vita é bella (life is beautiful). Secure in its place as one of the most atmospheric cities in the world, the central Italian city is for some, the jewel in the country’s crown. With its stunning Renaissance art and architecture on view in well-proportioned squares and in world-class museums, there is a sense of elegance and permanence that helps root all who live here. Every monument, piazza, statue, building, garden, church, bridge, and work of art in Florence reminds us that not only is love only real, but that it is also tangible. When you come to Florence, you don’t just see Florence’s beauty and take a mental picture of it. You feel Florence’s beauty permeate your heart. What initially began as pleasure for your eyes quickly becomes love coursing through your veins.

Florence is now one of the most visited cities in the world, with tourists thronging the square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Romanesque town hall and fortress; the Ponte Vecchio, the famous medieval bridge; - but it is also a vibrant urban capital. Fashion houses such as Ferragamo and Gucci are headquartered here, and traditional industries such as shoemaking, glass making and jewellery are going strong. Many internationals come to study, work and even retire here, adding a zest to this already cosmopolitan metropolis.

Housing and accommodation;

Uniplaces - An ESN suggestion for housing;

Don’t waste time and money to stay weeks in an hostel or in hotel. Uniplaces offers you over a thousand and the best accommodations for students in Florence, from rooms in shared student flats to private studios and whole apartments. 1) Choose your room & enter your move-in and move-out dates 2) Click “Request to book” 3) Fill in the booking request form The landlord will reply within 48 hours to confirm your booking. We will send you a confirmation e-mail, and that's it - you're ready to move in! You pay with Uniplaces the first month of rent and we keep that money till 24h after you have moved in and only transfer it to the landlord if everything is ok and exactly like stated in the offer! By doing this we make sure that the apartment is the same as in the pictures.

And a few extra websites that you might wanna keep in mind while searching for accomodation;

http://www.studentsville.it/

https://housinganywhere.com/

https://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-florence/student-housing

https://www.hometogo.it/

http://www.aboutflorence.com/apartments-in-Florence.html

...and of course do not forget to join the local ESN community!

ESN works in the interest of all international students, not just for Erasmus students. ESN offers a clear introductory programme for all international students to introduce them to the laws, rules and customs of their host country.

Important info!!!

Average rent; 370 euros(in shared apartment). Monthly transportation subscription; 35 euros. Monthly food cost; 340 euros. Average lunch price at a restaurant; 15euros. Average Fitness subscription; 50 euros. Beer Price at a bar; 5 euros.

Pack your bags and choose Rome as your Erasmus or studying abroad destination!