Four decades have passed since I graduated from Georgetown University. Those years in Washington, DC, in the 1970s, had a life-long impact on me, yet when it came time for my own kids to pursue their degrees, I sent all three overseas.
Back then, Georgetown’s green-filled campus lacked the variety of cafés, restaurants, and bars that can be found today. We managed to have fun with just one pub, a DJ for dancing on campus, plus guest visits from some of the finest musicians of the time — including Duke Ellington’s last concert in his hometown. And right outside the university gates, we could enjoy a burger and beer at The Tombs for just $1.30
Choosing the right college for my kids
Naturally, I often wished my three kids would have as life-changing a university experience as I had. However, as they approached their teenage years, both my husband Fabio and I started to question at what cost — to them and to us — if they attended college in the US.
Around 2014, when our son — and later our two daughters — were considering post-high school educational options, Georgetown’s annual tuition and average room and board fees, for example, totaled over $60k. In the 2024-2025 school year, tuition alone is $67,824.
It wasn’t only the exorbitant cost of a private US university that concerned us; it was the total cost of public universities as well. In Virginia, where we lived, the cost back then was approaching $30k annually. This was particularly shocking to my husband, who was raised in Italy, where the cost of public universities was extremely low, even free in some cases, and student loan debt was unheard of.
All three of my kids opted for university in Italy
Growing up with an Italian father and spending many summers in his hometown, our kids were familiar with the culture. This made opting for a university in Italy a natural choice, and not just because of the affordability. They often mentioned not wanting their college experience to just be a continuation of high school, where they would have landed someplace surrounded by former high school classmates.
Going to Europe certainly assured them that would not happen.
Two of my kids attended Florence University of the Arts where, as Italian citizens, they received reduced annual tuition of €6,700 (in 2015), or $7,300; while our youngest chose Polimoda, a fashion school, with her annual tuition of €11,500 locked in for four years (2016-2020).
The year all three were in university simultaneously, the cost of tuition, rent, and meals for all kids totaled $60k. And thankfully, they graduated without any student loan debt.
It wasn’t always easy for Fabio and me to send our kids so far from home in Northern Virginia. I embarrassingly remember crying in our son’s bedroom on a daily basis for a few days after he left. However, we knew they would benefit from an international education — during university and later as working professionals.
Living in Italy for four years to attend university — as opposed to just the typical American semester-abroad experience — is not for every student. It was easier for our kids as they were comfortable in the Italian culture, plus they had each other for support.
Advantages of attending college in Italy
One of the many positives of their Italian university experience was the educational system of starting off with a declared major, as opposed to the standard US system of taking all general education classes for two years and declaring a major in the following semesters.
This “experiential” training in Italy provides an opportunity for students to have hands-on learning from day one in their major. My kids found it extremely valuable to connect classroom theories to real-world situations.
In addition to enhancing their Italian language skills, my kids say they were blessed to easily explore other European countries, which wouldn’t have been accessible had they studied in the US.
They still reminisce about how they loved attending cultural events and sagras (food festivals) and meeting people from different countries on a daily basis. They also appreciated that their professors came from a variety of countries, adding to Florence’s international flavor.
Visiting our kids overseas helped us plan our own future
My husband and I visited our kids in Florence a few times a year, which allowed us to get to know Florence as well. We knew the day would come when we would move permanently to Italy; we just weren’t sure where until our kids took that leap to study in Italy.
When COVID-19 hit, our kids had to return to the US in June 2020. The older two had to give up their tourism jobs, and my youngest had just graduated. Fabio and I went from being empty nesters to having a full house.
But that changed again when two of the kids moved back to Florence in 2023, and Fabio and I decided to follow. After 36 years in the US, my husband is happy to be in his home country, and I’m delighted to be living in Florence.
Now, we just need to convince the third kid to move back to Italy. For now, she’s happy in Minneapolis, so we’ll give her time.
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