Program terms: Fall, Full Academic Year, Spring
Restrictions: Vanderbilt/External applicants accepted
Type of Program: Study Center/University Hybrid
Costs: Budget Sheets
Academic Calendar: Similar to VU
Key Dates:

Term	Application Deadline	Program Dates
Fall 2025	03/03/2025	To be determined
Full Academic Year 2025	03/03/2025	To be determined

In this study center/university hybrid program, students study fashion, business, and more in Milan. IES Milan has partnerships with over five local universities to provide a wide variety of course options to fit your academic needs. Milan is a modern city that is known for its world-class art, architecture, design, business and finance activities, and fashion.

Choose your track:

Fashion Design & Merchandising 

GEO's only active program with a specific fashion focus! Take courses at the Milano Fashion Institute (MFI), where classes have a strong focus on product development, brand design and communication, and textiles. The Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) teaches Design, Fashion, and Visual Communication. Available courses customized for IES Abroad students include Textiles and Trends and History of Fashion. For students seeking experience in the initial design stages and in the workroom, a limited number of courses are available at Arsutoria School including Footwear Design and Handbag Design. Arsutoria is a well-known leather making school that is located in central Milan, just 15 minutes by public transit or 30 minutes by foot from the IES Abroad Center. 

Business Studies 

Take courses at Bocconi: Voted “number one worldwide in the specific category of value for money” by Forbes, Università Bocconi is one of the most prestigious European schools of business, economics, and finance. Università degli Studi di Milano and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore provide course options in Liberal Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Physics & Math.

Italy Today

In addition to taking courses at the fashion and business schools listed above, students can also go to the Università IULM and take courses in the areas of Communication and Media, Tourism, and Gender Studies. 

Create your own academic experience by selecting from the following program components. You take 15-19 credits per semester. Language courses are taught in Italian, and all other courses are taught in English or Italian. 
 

• IES Abroad Italian language course at your proficiency level (required, 4 or 6 credits)
• English-taught IES Abroad area studies courses (optional, 3 credits each)
• Track-related courses (in English or Italian) at local universities (optional, credits vary) 
• English- or Italian-taught IES Abroad elective courses (optional, 3 credits each, see page 6) 
• Internship and seminar (optional, 3 credits) 
• Community-based learning placement and seminar (optional, 3 credits) 

1-day excursions are included in this program, as well as course-related experiences. There are internships and Community-Based Learning opportunities. Students choose between apartments, residence halls, and homestays while living in Milan. 

For more information, visit program homepage.

Fact Sheet

Housing: Apartment (shared), Dormitory, Homestay
Minimum GPA: 2.75
Language of Instruction: English, Italian
Language prerequisite: No
Additional prerequisites: N/A
Costs: Budget Sheets
Student contacts: Peer alumni

Photo: Courtesy of Ben Woods