Winter in Prato
Winter in Prato
Winter in Prato is a group study program that allows you to enrol in a single unit at the Monash Prato Campus. Units are undertaken in intensive-mode during the Winter semester.
Winter 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. Rather than having to match curriculum from partner universities, existing Monash units are offered, and are directly credited to your degree.
Location
Monash Prato was founded to connect Monash students and researchers with universities, governments, industry and cultural organisations in Europe. The Campus 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.
What is Intensive-mode learning?
Intensive, or block-mode learning is an increasingly popular way for students to take part in global experiences. The advantages of intensive-mode 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.
Another benefit of intensive-mode study programs is that the shorter duration can allow students to take advantage of international learning opportunities whilst not forgoing pre-existing responsibilities at home.
Interdisciplinary unit, credit assessment and enrolment
Summer and winter semesters are a great option for current students looking to accelerate their course progression.
During the Winter semester, several interdisciplinary units across different faculties are being offered at the Monash Prato Campus. These units encourage students from various disciplines to collaborate on projects, addressing complex global issues in a local context. Your faculty/school will determine how the unit will fit within your degree structure, assuming you have space available.
You may contact your faculty/school directly to obtain course progression advice here.
You do not need to enrol yourself in your unit in WES - your faculty will manually enrol you if you are successful with your application.
| Entry Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Eligible level of study | Undergraduate & Honours only |
| Minimum Credit Points (at time of results release) | 48 CP* |
| Minimum WAM/GPA | N/A |
| Eligible Monash Campus | Monash Australia, Monash Malaysia |
| Program duration | 3 weeks or 6 weeks |
| Language of Instruction | English |
Good academic standing | Yes |
| Program Type | Monash Global Campus Programs (GCP) |
*Results from Semester 2, 2025
Contact your faculty advisor to make sure you have sufficient space in your course to take part in the 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.
* 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
| Estimates | For Australia students | For Malaysia students |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | $412 | RM200 |
| Meals (per 3-week block) | $1000 | RM2775 |
| Ground Transport | $600 | RM1665 |
| Accommodation (per 3-week block) | $1100 - $2200 | RM3052 - RM6105 |
| Flights | From $3000 | RM8326 |
| Insurance | FREE | FREE |
| Visa (if applicable) | $70 - $120 | RM194 - RM333 |
| Total Estimate Range | From $6182 | From RM17155 |
Travel Management
Important Note: Please attend the Offer Acceptance Information Session which will cover this topic extensively.
Winter 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.
Winter 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 or Embassy in Melbourne or Kuala Lumpur 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.
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 as long as all eligibility criteria are met. 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
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.
| Program Dates & Deadlines | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching period | Term | Application Open | Application Close | Decision Date | Offer acceptance Information session(s) | Travel Registration portal Open | Acceptance Deadline |
| Winter | Modules 7 and/or 8 | 2 March 2026 | 30 April 2026 | 24 March onwards | Provided in your Offer Letter | Provided in your Offer Letter | Provided in your Offer Letter |
Admissions into the program will be based on availability of accommodation in the module. How to ApplyStep 1: Submit an application for this program
Incomplete applications will not be assessed. Step 2: Selection and enrolment Your managing faculty will review all applicants after the deadline to assess eligibility to participate in this program overseas. Outcomes of your application will be issued from the decision date listed above onwards. Step 3: Additional data collection and travel approval Once your application has been assessed, you will be issued with an outcome email. If you are successful, your outcome email will include a letter of offer that you will need to accept. The outcome email will also include two additional forms and pre-departure module for you to complete:
Once you have actioned these, Monash Abroad will assess your Travel Approval Request and you will be notified of the outcome. We may also contact you if we have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed before you are approved for travel. Please note that travel approval takes approximately 1-2 weeks, but may take longer during peak periods. Once you are approved for travel you will have access to the travel insurance coverage and be issued with 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. PROGRAM CONTACTS For all academic enquiries, including eligibility, please contact Monash Connect. For programmatic questions, including accommodation, visas and application process, please contact monashabroad.globalcampus@monash.edu. | |||||||
Important Note: You must have a valid passport that does not expire until at least six months after the program end date.
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.