ECU Tuscany: Money Matters

Financing your trip

The ECU Tuscany program is affordable and very close to the total cost that ECU students pay for on-campus tuition with housing and fees. The program has been designed to provide an exceptional study abroad opportunity to ALL of our students, with unprecedented value and affordability.

Cost to students:

$75 study abroad administrative fee

$9,965 per 12-week semester

$4,500 per 4-week summer semester

If you receive financial aid on campus, you should have no problem receiving aid for this program! You can also apply for ECU and national scholarships.

Student Shopping
Florence Market
Students shopping

The program cost (which is less than out-of-state tuition) covers the following:

  • Transportation to and from airports in Italy
  • International health insurance while abroad on the program
  • Lodgings and all utilities in Certaldo apartments
  • Classroom internet and internet in apartments
  • Tuition and instructional costs
  • Lodgings on all overnight trips
  • Transportation on all group trips in Italy
  • Dinners on all class days in Certaldo
  • Breakfast and dinners on all program overnight trips
  • Museum entrances, tours, and program activities
  • 2 days in Rome
  • 3 days in Venice
  • 3 days on the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii
  • 2 nights in Cinque Terre on the Mediterranean
  • Entrance to Cinque Terre National Park
  • Day trips to San Gimignano, Florence, Volterra, Pisa, Siena, and Lucca
  • Italian cell phone provided by ECU with faculty numbers and emergency numbers programmed into the phone

Estimate of other expenses while abroad

Depending on how many souvenirs you purchase or how much independent travel you do, in addition to program costs, you might spend $1,500-$3,000 during the 12-week semester program and $300-$500 during the 4-week summer semester program.

  • Airfare- $900-$1,400 depending on the season
  • All lunches- $4.00-$10.00 each when eating out, less when buying groceries at the market and fixing lunch in apartments
  • Breakfasts in Certaldo
  • Supplies for studio art classes- $50-$100
  • Any independent travel you plan to do on free weekends and breaks
  • Personal items or souvenirs

Money you will save while in Italy

Many students say they save money in Italy, compared to what they spend during a semester in Greenville- especially out-of-state students!

  • Greenville Lodgings and utilities costs
  • Automobile costs- gasoline, maintenance
  • Internet costs, Cell phone costs in the states
  • Cable costs
  • Social entertainment

Money Exchange

It is not recommended that you bring US dollars to Italy to exchange at the airport or currency exchange centers. The cost for doing so is high and you will not get a good return. For the best return rate, we recommend using a credit or debit card at the ATM machines located all over Italy.