Florence is an inspiring place in which to live and study. Students will spend 12 weeks in this Italian city, the birthplace of the Renaissance, studying courses in communications, visual arts, math, English, and literature.
The city will become your classroom when on a given afternoon you will stroll with faculty and classmates through the streets of Florence to admire the architecture of Giotto and the Baroque sculptures adorning the fountains of the city, explore the Uffizi Gallery with its vast collection of painting and sculpture, view the magnificent Santa Croce where Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli are buried, discuss art with Florentine painters in their studios, explore the book shops near Via Cavour, and visit one of the most traditional spots in Florence, the Ponte Vecchio, a 14th-century bridge spanning the River Arno.
Florence 2026 Information
Important Dates
- November 7, 2025: Last day to request a refund of the $450 deposit less $150 processing and non-refundable deposit fees.
After Nov. 7, AIFS will not refund any of the $450 deposit. Students may also be subject to any nonrefundable cancellation fees by AIFS after this date. Details on the AIFS Agreement & Release form are on your AIFS application.
- December 5, 2025: Total program fee is due. No refund of payments after this date.
- January 31, 2026: Depart U.S.
- February 1, 2026: Arrive Florence
- February 2-3, 2026: Orientation and workshops
- February 4, 2026: Classes begin
- March 11-22, 2026: Mid-semester break
- April 6, 2026: Easter Monday (no classes)
- April 30, 2026: Last day of class
- May 1, 2026: Depart Florence
Zoom Information Sessions
- June 17, 2025 - 4:00 p.m.
- June 24, 2025 - 9:30 a.m.
- July 1, 2025 - 4:00 p.m.
- July 8, 2025 - 9:30 a.m.
- July 15, 2025 - 4:00 p.m.
- July 22, 2025 - 9:30 a.m.
Program FAQ
Information on program courses, faculty, housing options, and frequently asked questions are available on the AIFS website.
Program Costs and Payment Schedule
The AIFS program costs for Florence Spring 2026 will have a base price of $8,745. These costs will include all lodging, medical insurance, and AIFS services. They will not include airfare (there will be a group flight option for an extra fee), class tuition, books, and day-to-day expenses such as food.
Minimum Qualifications for CCCCD's Study Abroad Program
To apply for the Florence Study Abroad Program, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 and have completed at least 12 college units after high school graduation, at the time the student applies to the program. In addition, the student must be 18 years of age at the time of boarding the airplane.
Provisional Student Enrollment Deadline TBA
Students who do not meet the application criteria (at least 12 units and at least a 2.25 GPA) may use their current semester progress report to assist with meeting the criteria. Students will be approved for the Study Abroad Program after the progress report has been reviewed by the program's dean. If you have questions, email htakanashi@4cd.edu. Provisional students who finish the semester without meeting any of the minimum requirements will be dropped from the program.
Application Process
Enroll online to complete your application. Once you have applied online through AIFS and have placed your $450 deposit, you will be contacted by CCCCD’s Study Abroad Office.
Submit the Agreement Between the Foreign Study Student and the Northern California Study Abroad Consortium. You can get this form at the Study Abroad office.
Financial Aid Office
- Complete the FAFSA
- Contact Sonya Castro at the DVC Financial Aid Office at scastro@dvc.edu.
Scholarship Information
- AIFS Scholarships Application DEADLINE: Friday, June 13, 2025 (request application Harue Takanashi after you're approved)
- Gilman Scholarship DEADLINE: Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 11:59pm Pacific Time
- Contact Scholarship office
AIFS Program Cancellation and Refund Policies
Please see the important dates section at the top of this page when considering a refund and/or cancellation. You are responsible for checking the AIFS Agreement & Release form about any refund dates and potential cancellation fees! Students who withdraw after December 6, 2024, could be liable and billed by AIFS for any canceled bookings they signed up for (such as airfare & Scotland excursion, etc.). Students should therefore inform AIFS as soon as possible if they need to withdraw from the program.
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AIFS will put details of their cancellation policy on their website and it is your responsibility to be familiar with them. AIFS will also recommend that you consider purchasing optional trip interruption or cancellation insurance and they will provide a link to CISI, a company they consider to be reputable: www.culturalinsurance.com. CISI is not affiliated with SRJC, and questions about such insurance should be made directly to the company.
Here is a summary of what you should know if the program were to be canceled by either AIFS or SRJC due to circumstances beyond their control (including, but not limited to, pandemics):
If the program were to be canceled before November 8, 2024, everyone would receive a refund of their $450 deposit plus any payments made. SRJC will therefore do everything it can to make any hard decisions before Nov. 8 to ensure no economic risk to anyone. After Nov. 8, if the program is still open, it is because both SRJC and AIFS have every reason to believe that the program will happen, but we cannot make any guarantees.
If the program were to be canceled after Nov. 8, 2024, but before Dec. 6, 2024, all fees paid except the $450 deposit will be refunded.
If the program were to be canceled after Dec. 6 (including once the program has started), students would only receive recoverable costs. What this means: AIFS must make payments in advance for many program components such as housing, transportation, excursions, etc. In the event of cancellation, AIFS will endeavor to obtain refunds from suppliers and pass any recovered costs on to the students.
For this reason, AIFS recommends optional trip interruption or cancellation insurance. You can research this on your own, or check out the company that AIFS recommends: Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), at www.culturalinsurance.com. AIFS will provide you with a link and you will be able to purchase a plan directly through the CISI website.
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Refund requests must be done in writing to AIFS. They accept emails and that is generally the easiest way (customizedfacultyled@aifs.com). See the official AIFS refund policy on your Agreement & Release form on AIFS application.
You are responsible for checking the AIFS Agreement & Release form about any refund dates and potential cancellation fees. Check the important dates section at the top of this page.
Students should therefore inform AIFS as soon as possible if they need to withdraw from the program.
Additional Information
Academic Counselor Drop-in Hours for Study Abroad Program
If you have questions, or to request a Zoom meeting about counseling for Study Abroad, please contact DVC Academic Counselor Christie Jamshidnejad at cjamshidnejad@dvc.edu.
For more information, review the Florence Spring brochure and AIFS FAQs web page.
Additional Questions?
If you have additional questions, please contact Harue Takanashi in the Study Abroad Office at htakanashi@4cd.edu.