Lorenzo de' Medici Institute: study abroad in Florence
The Lorenzo de' Medici Institute (LdM), a branch campus of Marist College in New York, is one of Italy's leading international higher education institutions, with campuses in Florence and Tuscania and over 500 courses across 36 departments.
About the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute
The Lorenzo de' Medici Institute (LdM), now a branch campus of Marist College in New York, is one of Italy's leading international higher education institutions, with its main campus in Florence's historic center and a second campus in the town of Tuscania, in Lazio.
The academic offer includes over 500 courses across 36 departments, organized into seven broad academic areas: Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Italian Language and Culture, Creative Arts, Design, Nutrition and Italian Gastronomy, Science and Mathematics, and Agriculture. LdM offers semester and year-long study abroad tracks, four-year US Bachelor's degrees awarded in partnership with Marist College, professional certificate programs and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies.
The institute welcomes over 2,500 students each year from North American and international colleges and universities, spread across its Florence and Tuscania campuses and, historically, also Rome, offering a deep immersion experience in Italian language, art and culture.
Main academic areas
500+ courses across 36 departments · Bachelor's Degree (Marist College), M.A. in Museum Studies, Certificate Programs
LdM statistics and indicators
Employability not published: LdM is primarily a study abroad provider, not an institution with aggregated placement data.
LdM's history
The Lorenzo de' Medici Institute was founded in Florence in 1973, initially as an Italian language school, to meet growing demand for study abroad programs from North American students interested in Italian culture. Over the decades the offer gradually expanded to include liberal arts, design, creative arts, science and agriculture, cementing its reputation as one of Europe's most established and widespread study abroad providers.
In 2006 LdM formed a strategic partnership with Marist College in New York State, becoming its branch campus and gaining the ability to award US Bachelor's degrees accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools directly in Italy. This shift marked a fundamental turning point, allowing the institute to pair its traditional exchange programs with full degree tracks.
In 2013 LdM celebrated its first 40 years of activity, a milestone confirming its role as a reference point for international education in Italy, with students coming from dozens of colleges and universities across North America.
What people say online about the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute
Online reviews of LdM are overwhelmingly positive, with solid iAgora scores and enthusiastic testimonials on Go Overseas and GoAbroad.
Solid ratings for student life (4.3/5) and academic program (4.1/5).
An authentic and transformative experience, the charm of both Florence and the quieter Tuscania.
The value of immersion in a less touristy Italian setting compared to other programs.
- Authentic and transformative study abroad experience
- Charm of both locations, Florence and the quieter Tuscania
- Immersion in a less touristy Italian setting
- Lasting bonds with other students, greater personal independence
- Wide range of programs: from creative arts to Italian gastronomy
- Reviews focus more on life experience than academic rigor
- Being primarily a study abroad provider, less emphasis on research
- No serious or recurring criticism found in the public sources reviewed
FAQ — Lorenzo de' Medici Institute
LdM represents an established bridge between the North American university system and Tuscan cultural immersion, able to offer both short exchange tracks and full four-year degrees through its partnership with Marist College.
