Arts Semester in Prato
Arts Semester in Prato
Semester in Prato is a group study program that allows you to enrol in a semester's-worth of units at the Monash Prato Campus. Units will be offered from the Faculty of Arts in intensive-mode.
Semester in Prato gives you access to global programming with the benefits of in-country support and services from Monash at our global sites. Studying on location in small groups, you learn alongside your peers in a welcoming setting, benefitting from the active contributions of Monash’s education, industry and government partners in these locations.
Location
Monash Prato was founded to connect Monash students and researchers with universities, governments, industry and cultural organisations in Europe. The centre is in the heart of historical Prato, in the eighteenth-century Palazzo Vaj. It is conveniently located in central Italy, providing you with all kinds of options for exploring Italy and further afield.
View testimonials from students who have studied in Prato in past years.
Modules and Enrolment
Semester in Prato offers up to three to four modules spaced over 9-12 weeks, with each module running for three weeks in-country. Each unit is taught in an intensive-mode within three weeks (one module).
If you choose to participate in Semester in Prato, the Prato units will replace those at your home campus. You cannot enrol in units located at your home campus in the concurrent semester. Note that Module 13 and 14 are outside of standard Semester 2 teaching period.
The Semester in Prato units can be studied in either of the following configurations:
You do not need to enrol yourself in your Semester in Prato unit in WES - your faculty will manually enrol you if you are successful in your application.
What is Intensive learning
Intensive, or block-style learning, is an increasingly popular way for students to take part in global experiences. The advantages of intensive learning are that you are taking one unit a time, which allows you to focus in-depth on the unit content.
You’ll be taking this unit with the same group of students in the same time period, so you’ll get a chance to develop strong relationships with your classmates and learning facilitators and complete the assessment shortly after learning the content. Please note that there may be excursions and walking tours involved in the units to allow students to immerse into the environment and context.
| Entry Requirements | Undergraduate students (Arts) |
|---|---|
| Eligible level of study | Undergraduate & Honours |
| Minimum Credit Points (at time of results release) | 48 Credit Points* |
| Minimum WAM/GPA | N/A |
| Eligible Monash Campus | Monash Australia |
| Language of Instruction | English |
Good academic standing | Yes |
| Program Type | Monash Global Campus Programs |
*Results from Semester 2, 2025
Contact your faculty advisor to make sure you have sufficient space in your course to take part in the Semester in Prato program.
Program Cost
The below costs should only be considered indicative of the costs for your program.
This is a Monash subsidised program. Monash students will be enrolled in their units and charged standard fees according to their verified funding status. This fee will appear on your Monash Fee Statement.
| Estimates | For Australia students | For Malaysia students |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | $412 | RM200 |
| Meals (per 3-week block) | $1000 | RM2775 |
| Ground Transport | $300 | RM1665 |
| Accommodation (per 3-week block)* | $1100 - $2200 | RM3052 - RM6105 |
| Flights | From $2500 | RM8326 |
| Unit-specific excursion fees | Will be informed as part of participation in unit | Will be informed as part of participation in unit |
| Insurance | FREE | FREE |
| Visa (if applicable) | $70 - $120 | RM194 - RM333 |
| Total Estimate Range | From $5382 | From RM17155 |
* Range of accommodation costs based on type of accommodation selected
* Costs in Ringgit are based on exchange rates as of 09/09/2025 (2.77)
* Range of accommodation costs based on type of accommodation selected
Travel Management
Important Note: Please attend the Offer Acceptance Information Session which will cover this topic extensively.
Semester in Prato is a group travel program. Accommodation bookings for the program are supported by Reho Study Tours. Reho Study Tours will provide you with a self-service portal through which you will be able to select your accommodation, and also make all payments. You will also have the choice to organise flights through Reho, if you'd like the additional support.
Accommodation
All accommodation bookings must be made through Reho Study Tours, and can be viewed here.
The Semester in Prato program provides you with access to a range of accommodation options, many of which are less than a 10-minute walk from the Prato Campus. You can share a room with other students in a self-contained apartment or stay in a local hotel.
Accommodation is booked starting the Sunday before the module commencement and ending the Saturday after the module end date.
Flights
Custom flights
You can elect to use Reho services and book a custom flight. Monash Abroad subsidises the cost of travel management assistance from Reho in arranging your flight.
Independent flights
You can elect to book flights independently, meaning you will need to make all flight arrangements by yourself. Should travel circumstances change, Monash will be limited in the assistance and support we can provide with your independently booked ticket.
Visas
Students are responsible for obtaining visas for their studies undertaken overseas. Monash Abroad is not able to provide individual visa or immigration advice. If you require a specific visa to enter the destination country (e.g. you are an International student), you will need to contact the relevant Consulate General in Melbourne for advice.
Failure to obtain your visa is not grounds for refund of program payments. You will still be liable for the cost of your program should you fail to make attempts to obtain your visa in a timely manner.
Travel insurance
If you are an actively enrolled Monash student and participating in an approved international program, you will be provided with complimentary travel insurance. You will automatically be covered once your application has been approved and your enrolment updated to reflect your study overseas.
Under this policy, travellers will also receive access to 24/7 emergency assistance provided by Global 24 Emergency Assistance and limited coverage for personal travel days.
Important Note: The Monash Abroad Travel Grant and OS-HELP loan (if applicable) will be paid approximately 2-4 weeks prior to program commencement and only when all Monash Abroad requirements are completed by you. Therefore, these funds should not be considered as your primary source of funding to pay program related deposits and balances.
Arts Semester in Prato Travel grant
In 2026, to support students who participate in semester-length studies in Prato, The Faculty of Arts are offering a generous funding of $2,500 to students undertaking 18 or 24 credit point enrolments at Monash Prato.
Monash Abroad Travel Grant
Monash students studying in Australia who are enrolled into a credit bearing unit for this program will receive a Monash Abroad Travel Grant if they are not otherwise receiving any other scholarship that is intended to cover most or all of your travel/tuition costs for your program (e.g, already receiving an NCP grant). You do not need to apply separately for this grant as your eligibility for this grant will be assessed as part of your application.
OS-HELP Loan
OS-HELP is a Commonwealth Government loan program that provides financial assistance to eligible Commonwealth Supported Place students, to undertake some of their study overseas.
If you are eligible for the loan and wish to apply, please submit your application as per the relevant OS-HELP loan term deadline, even if you have not been accepted into your overseas program by that deadline.
Student Loans
If you need help with study-related expenses, please refer to the student loans website and talk to a student adviser at Monash Connect.
Travel Scholarships
To support students who participate in semester-length studies in Prato, the Faculty of Arts are offering generous funding to students. Funding of $2,500 will be considered for students undertaking 18 or 24 credit point enrolment at Prato.
Please refer to the travel and placements scholarship website for more information.
Centrelink support documents
For the purposes of maintaining your Centrelink benefits during your overseas program, complete this form so that Monash Abroad can produce a letter of enrolment for you. Please note, these requests take approximately 3-5 business days, but may take longer during peak periods.
How to Apply
Applications for Arts - Semester in Prato during Semester 2, 2026 are for Faculty of Arts Students only.
Applications will open 2 March, 2026.
Step 1: Submit an application for this program
- Complete both the Application for Overseas Study Form and Semester in Prato Unit Preference Form.
- Select "Monash led programs" as the program type.
- Select “GCP | Arts - Semester in Prato, Italy (Semester 2, 2026)”.
- Select your modules and unit preferences using the Unit Preference Form.
Step 2: Assessment
- Assessment will be undertaken by the Faculty of Arts by reviewing your unit preferences, completed credit points, and that you have met the program eligibility requirements.
Step 3: Application Outcome
- You will receive the outcome of your application via email. If you are successful in receiving a place in the program, you will be issued a Letter of Offer and invited to attend an Offer Information Session.
Step 4: Acceptance
If you wish to accept your offer, you will need to:
- Confirm your decision with Monash Abroad
- Pay your deposit to Reho Study Tours
Important Note: Your participation will only be finalised when your deposit is paid. More information will be provided in the offer letter(s).
Step 5: Enrolment and travel approval
Important Note: You do not need to enrol into units on WES. You will be manually enrolled into your units by your faculty.
Once you have accepted your offer and paid your deposit(s), you will receive an email notification to complete:
- Post-selection form, and
- Travel Approval Request form, and
- Pre-departure Module on Moodle
Once you have completed these, Monash Abroad will update your status to “Approved for Travel”. You will then have access to the travel insurance coverage and be assessed for any relevant grants and scholarships.
Important Note: You must have a valid passport that does not expire until at least six months after the program end date.
Step 6: Pre-departure
An in-person predeparture session will be held before your departure, allowing you a chance to meet with your fellow students, roommates and with your academic leads. This date will be provided to all successful students.
| Program Dates & Deadlines | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Modules | Application Period | Decision Date | Offer acceptance Information session | Travel Registration portal Open | Acceptance Deadline |
| Semester 2 | M11, M12, M13, M14 | 2 March - 30 April, 2026 | 15 April, 2026 onwards. | Provided in your Offer letter | Provided in your Offer letter | Provided in your Offer letter |
Fine Art Prato
Students enrolled in this program will spend two months in Italy undertaking studies in Fine Art Practice, Art History & Theory and Curating.
Taught intensively by leading artists and scholars, the program consists of site visits, workshops, lectures and travel to major events (such as the Venice Biennale) and places (e.g. Siena, Florence, Milan and Rome).
Students directly encounter key works and collections of recent and historical art, ranging from the Centro Pecci (Prato), one of Italy’s leading contemporary art galleries, to the Renaissance masterpieces of the Uffizi (Florence).
Units and modules
While you can have flexibility to choose different modules and dates, the recommended combination below comprises the cohesive “Fine Art Prato” program.
- Module 11: AHT2130 Renaissance to Baroque: Italian art and architecture in context
- Module 12: FNA2112 Contemporary practices 4* or AHT2722 Curating: Practices
- Module 13: DWG2784 Drawing in Tuscany
* If you are enrolling in FNA2112 in Module 12, you must also enrol in DWG2784 in Module 13.
Excursions
AHT2130 will include an excursion to Rome which will have an extra fee to cover travel expenses (to be confirmed at the time of offer).
Tentative excursion date:
Rome: 25 September 2023 - 29 September 2023
The other units included in the offering may include single day excursions that may require purchasing train tickets and/or meals.
Design in Prato
The Prato Design Semester offers a “once-in-a-lifetime” international learning experience that will complement and extend your Design studies.
You will have the opportunity through participating in an integrated study abroad programme based at the Monash University Prato Centre in Italy, including intensive periods based in both Milan and Venice as part of the course, to explore and engage with contemporary and emerging design practices in ways that will challenge and broaden your way of thinking, inspire creative ideas and expose you to different means of problem-solving that will open your eyes and mind to intercultural perspectives.
Units and modules
While you can have flexibility to choose different modules and dates, the recommended combination below comprises the cohesive “Design in Prato” program.
- Module 10: COL3002 Collaborative Design Studio 5 and TDN3002 Design strategy and professional practice (6 cpts)
- Module 11: COL3002 Collaborative Design Studio 5 and TDN3002 Design strategy and professional practice (6 cpts)
- Module 12: DGN2500 Design thinking for global challenges (ELECTIVE); or
- Module 13: DGN3203 Design for culture and heritage (ELECTIVE)
Excursions
COL3002 (12 cpts) and TDN3002 (6 cpts) will include excursions to Milan and Venice which will have an extra fee to cover travel expenses (to be confirmed at the time of offer).
Tentative excursion dates:
Milan: 18 August 2023 - 25 August 2023
Venice: 20 September 2023 - 24 September 2023
DGN3203 Design for culture and heritage will include an excursion to Venice which will have an extra fee to cover travel expenses (to be confirmed at the time of offer).
Tentative excursion date:
Venice: 29 October 2023 - 4 November 2023
The other units included in the offering may include single day excursions that may require purchasing train tickets and/or meals.
*Results from Semester 1, 2025
**Results from Trimester 2, 2025
Contact your faculty advisor to make sure you have sufficient space in your course to take part in the Semester in Prato program.
| Entry Requirements | Undergraduate students (all degrees except Law) | Law students (Undergraduate & Juris Doctor) |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible level of study | Undergraduate & Honours only | Undergraduate & Postgraduate only |
| Minimum Credit Points (at time of results release) | 48 CP* | Undergraduate Law: 60 CP* Juris Doctor: 72 CP** |
| Minimum WAM/GPA | N/A | |
| Eligible Monash Campus | Monash Australia | |
| Program duration | Minimum 9 weeks (3 weeks for each module) | |
| Language of Instruction | English | |
Good academic standing | Yes | |
Modules & Units
There are three options to undertake your Arts Semester in Prato.
Choose between the 18 credit point option or the 24 credit point options: