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Six important things to do before leaving your country!!!
1. Advise us about the time of your arrival in Florence. 2. Make sure your flight or train reservation has been confirmed for the dates you agreed on with us. 3. If you are not a student carrying a European Union passport and if you are going to stay over in Italy over 90 days make sure your student visa will be delivered to you before your departing. 4. If you have applied for our pick-up service please do not forget to keep with you the emergency phone numbers we will provide you with. 5. Please do plan your arrival at your home residence in Florence between 8.00 am and 10 pm. 6. Make sure your health insurance is liable to cover medical treatments abroad. Please note, if you are a student from a European Union country you do not need a health insurance. They only have to apply for the E111 document at the national health service in their countries.When shall I make the balance payment for my course?
On the first day of your course.What am I supposed to bring with me on the first day of my course?
If you are taking an Art course: on each course page you will find the suggested material. If you do not have the material for your course do not worry, our Art teacher will instruct you where to to buy it on the first day of your course in an Art shop offering discounts to our students. If you are taking a language course: a pen, a pencil and an exercise book.Why do I have to take a language test on the first day of the course?
If you are going to attend an Italian language course, each non-beginner student is encouraged to take a short test before starting a course so that his/her language needs can be ascertained, and it can be ensured that he/she is placed in a group of a similar level of ability and knowledge.When can I start classes?
If you are not a beginner or if you apply for an Art course you can start every Monday. If you are a beginner or if you apply for a Culture (Art History, Literature, Cinema) course please refer to our school calendar. If you wish to take private tuition you can start whenever you like, at the time it suits you.What time am I supposed to be at school on the first day of my course?
At 9:30am if you are taking a language course; at 10:00am, 11:30am or 1:30pm if you are taking an Art course (please check our confirmation email). If you think you can be late please let us know. Accademia del Giglio is located just a few steps from Palazzo Vecchio, on the corner between via Ghibellina and via del Proconsolo, just in front of the Bargello National Museum (for further details please refer to our map).
Florence
How do I get to Florence?
You can fly from Milan or Rome into Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport. From there, it is easy to get into the city using public transportation or the "Fly by Bus" shuttle service. Since it is only five kilometers from the airport to the city, even a taxi ride will not break your budget. Or do as the Italians do and take the high-speed Eurostar train from Milan (2 hours and a half journey) or Rome (1 hour and a half). You will be whizzed past the Tuscan countryside and into the heart of Renaissance Florence. You can also land at Pisa Airport: a swanky single-class train will whisk you to Florence in precisely an hour, every hour.When am I supposed to arrive in Florence?
You are expected to arrive in Florence on the day before your course starts, between 8 am and 10 pm. Please do not forget to inform us about the approximate time of your arrival.How do I get to Florence?
You can fly from Milan or Rome into Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport. From there, it is easy to get into the city using public transportation or the "Fly by Bus" shuttle service. Since it is only five kilometers from the airport to the city, even a taxi ride will not break your budget. Or do as the Italians do and take the high-speed Eurostar train from Milan (2 hours and a half journey) or Rome (1 hour and a half). You will be whizzed past the Tuscan countryside and into the heart of Renaissance Florence. You can also land at Pisa Airport: a swanky single-class train will whisk you to Florence in precisely an hour, every hour.
Living in Italy
What are the major holidays in Italy?
Capodanno (New Year's Day): January 1st Befana (Epiphany): January 6th Pasqua (Easter): on a sunday in March or April Pasquetta (Monday Easter): the first Monday after Easter Liberazione (Liberation Day): April 25th Festa del Lavoro (Labour Day): May 1st Festa della Repubblica: June 2nd San Giovanni (Feast of the patron saint of Florence): June 24th - Only in Florence - Ferragosto (Feast of the Assumption): August 15th Ognissanti (All Saints' Day): November 1st Festa della Madonna Immacolata (Feast of the Immaculate Conception): December 8th Natale (Christmas Day): December 25th Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day): December 26th On the above-mentioned days the school will be closed except for private classes.Will my electrical appliances work?
Electricity in Italy is 220 volts AC at 50 Cycles per second. In order to use small appliances, such as laptop computers, hairdryers, and so on, you will need an adapter. Adapters ("adattatore" in italian) are available in most of the electronics store in the centre of Florence. Alarm clocks, cd players and stereos will not work properly even on converters since they use the 60 Cycle American/Canadian standard.Tipping
A charge of 10%-15% is usually already included in the restaurants bill, but if you like the service you can leave a 5-10% extra tip to the waiter. Tip hotel staff according to the standard of hotel.What is the best way to phone home?
Buy a SIM card (ask for the best one or for offer to call your country) in one of the many shops in Florence and use your smartphone.Can I open a bank account in Italy?
Foreign students are unfortunately not entitled to open a bank account in Italy, they can only open a "libretto al portatore", which is a sort of a savings book where you can put your money, but you cannot have the use of an ATM or of a credit card.Can I work while studying?
Yes, it's possible to find an evening part-time job in a bar or a restaurant or you can look for some job opportunities in magazines.
The school
What are your sanitation measures against Covid-19?
Please visit this page.Discounts
Discounts for our students: Zecchi (Art material), Pizzeria and trattoria Il Gatto e la Volpe, via Ghibellina 151r.Can I use internet at school?
Yes, AdG is a WiFi area! It means that if you have your notebook it's possible to connect to internet whit our DSL, for free of charges!Is it possible to contact some of your old students?
Yes, you can visit our students' page and read their comments.Where do your students come from?
Our students come from: Europe 30% North America 20% Japan 10% Latin America 20% Other 20%What is the average age of your students?
Our students are generally aged between 22 and 25, but we often happen to have younger or elder students attending our classes.
Visas and Permit of Stay
How can I obtain my permit of stay when in Florence?
If you are a non European student and you wish to apply for a permit of stay in Italy, this is what you have to do. Within 8 days after your arrival date you are requested to go to a post office and ask for a permit of stay kit, envelope with yellow stripe: for non-EU citizens. Please note: applications can be submitted only to some authorized post offices, so in order to know which is the nearest office entitled to accept your application, go to poste.it, look for “office search” and select the item “permesso di soggiorno”. Now, you have your kit, where you will find the application form. Fill it out accurately and then prepare the following documentation: - photocopies of your entire passport; - letter of acceptance issued by your school or university in Italy; - copy of your health insurance; - one 14,25 € revenue stamp (marca da bollo); - copy your visa issued by the Italian embassy in your country; - copy of receipt of payment of 27.50 € for issue of the residence permit on electronic medium. When all the above-mentioned items are ready, you can take them to the post office, where you will be requested to pay 30,00 € and you will be given a registered letter receipt (mod.22A), which contains your user ID and your password (in case you wish to track down your application on line). Finally, after a few weeks you should receive a letter, which will invite you to call to the Immigration Office. On this occasion you will be requested to produce 4 passport-size photos. As for the health insurance we normally recommend INA ASSITALIA: this is a rather unexpensive insurance, and all Italian embassies accept it. Cost: six months 49 €, one year 98 €. You can buy it at any post office through a “bollettino postale” (a sort of postal payment form). Here is the data you should use to fill out the “bollettino”: C/C postale n. 7127003, payment to (intestato a) INA Assitalia Agenzia Generale di Roma “conto 20" via del Tritone 18 , 00187 Roma. Please do not forget to specify on the form the name of the city you will be living during your stay in Italy and the reason of your payment, that is “polizza sanitaria stranieri”.How can I get a student visa to come to Italy?
If you are a citizen of the European Union, or if you carry a passport of one of the countries which are members or partners of the European Union you are not required to apply for any visa to come to Italy. On the contrary if you are an oversea student or if your country is not a member or a partner of the European Union you are kindly requested to contact the nearest Italian Embassy or Consulate in your country and apply for a visa. In order to obtain a visa you will need our letter of acceptance attesting you will be taking classes during your stay in Italy. Please do not forget that we are entitled to mail you our letter of acceptance only after completing all our admission procedures. Please make sure your visa will be delivered to you before leaving your country. If you have problems in obtaining your visa (in some countries it may take up to 5 weeks to obtain it), advise us AT LEAST 8 days before your course starts. Those students who advise us too late may have their course cancelled and they will be allowed no refund.