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First-Year Florence Experience Admission

Thank you for your interest in the First-Year Florence Experience (FFE), a program designed for highly motivated first-year students who wish to pursue foundation course work in a study abroad environment while also allowing for a cultural exploration of Italy.  This program offers students international experience at a lively campus in one of the most creative renaissance cities in Europe. Students across the U.S. are looking for ways to make their college experience distinguished, and Marist Italy's First-Year Florence Experience accomplishes exactly that. 

 

Requirements for FFE Admission

  • Due to Italian law, all non-European Union citizens must be 18 years of age in order to enroll at the Florence campus
  • Strong Academics
  • Aptitude for travel
  • Successful interview with a Marist-Italy staff member
  • Study abroad friendly major

In order to be considered for the FFE program, students must first be offered admission to the New York campus. Students must demonstrate academic excellence in their high school transcripts, maturity, and leadership skills. Most majors work well with the FFE program, but certain highly specialized programs such as computer science, lab, and biomedical sciences, special education, athletic training, information systems and technology, and others with a high number of courses offered only in Poughkeepsie will find it challenging to spend a semester or a year abroad. Please call to find out if your major is eligible. In general, most liberal arts, communication, business, and fine arts majors will match very well with the FFE program and promote new opportunities in those majors.

Program Requirements

  • Valid Passport
  • Student Visa
  • At least 18 years of age

In order to study in Florence, Italy, students will need a valid passport and a student Visa. If you have not applied for a passport please do so. The Marist-Italy staff will assist you in acquiring a student Visa. Information on applying for a U.S. passport can be found on our Transition to Florence site.

Students participating in programs such as the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), the Learning Disabilities Program or Division I Athletics are not eligible to participate in FFE and may be eligible to study abroad at another time.

When you are accepted to the FFE program you must complete the Enrollment Form and mail it to the Office of Undergraduate Admission to secure your spot.