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Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Rome Program. If your question is not answered here or elsewhere on the Rome Program Web site, please contact Erin French, International Programs Coordinator.
Finances
Documentation
Housing
Family and Friends
Finances
The following expenses will be applied to a student's U-bill:All other costs associated with the Rome Program are considered to be out-of-pocket expenses.
- Program fee
- Tuition
- ISU fees
- Study Abroad Administrative Fee
- Housing
- Utilities/cleaning escrow
For more information on specific costs, click on the links below depending on which semester you are interested in.
All questions about financial aid, including eligibility, the FAFSA form, resources for additional funding, and the time line for release of aid should be directed to Clay Gurganus, the financial aid officer for study abroad in the Office of Financial Aid.
Your initial costs in Rome could be 250-300 Euros, so you should have at least this much in cash (not traveler's checks) with you. Your expenses will include a taxi (or train) from the airport to the housing office and then a taxi from the housing office to your apartment. At the housing office you will need to pay for your mandatory Italian health insurance, Permesso di Soggiorno (permit of stay--semester students only), and your apartment key deposit before you go to your apartment. Additionally, you may need to buy groceries and/or personal items when you arrive, so having cash on you will make this easier.
To obtain Euros in the United States, contact your bank around one month before your departure. They will be able to tell you if they can order them for you. If your bank is a small local bank, you may need to call a larger national bank instead.Euros can also be obtained in the form of traveler's checks. Use a major brand such as Visa, Barclays, Citibank, or American Express, which is the most well known of all and thus the least likely to be refused. No matter which brand you choose, you can't use them in stores in Rome. You will have to cash them at a bank or an exchange bureau once you arrive.
You should take both if you have them. You should never rely on only one method to access money. The easiest way to access cash will be with an ATM card. Make sure your pin is four numbers, rather than a combination of letters and numbers or more than four numbers. Bring two cards with you: one for your main account that you will use all the time and the other for a different account for use only in an emergency. It is also important to test your cards in the U.S. before departure.The disadvantage to using ATM cards and credit cards abroad is associated service and exchange fees. Investigate how much your bank and credit card company will charge you to use your cards abroad.In addition, remember to notify your bank and credit card issuer that your cards will be used abroad. If you don't do this, they may think your card has been stolen.
All students are required to make their own travel arrangements, including purchasing their round-trip flights. Flights must be purchased before study visas are applied for in Dsn S 301, which is approximately 3-4 months before the commencement of the program. Generally, fall students must purchase tickets in April, spring students in September and summer students in February before studying abroad. More information will be given to students in Dsn S 301.
Documentation
A Schengen visa is an official document added to your passport allowing you to enter and travel throughout the Schengen Zone for a specified amount of time and for a specified purpose. Countries in the Schengen Zone (including those added on December 21, 2007) include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Americans can travel in Europe for up to 90 days with a U.S. passport, but that is for tourist purposes only. Since participants in the Rome Program are in Italy to study, they are required to obtain a Schengen visa before departure. Students holding a passport of one of the countries listed above do not need to obtain a visa.
Students will apply for Schengen visas in Dsn S 301. Further details will be provided in class, and one night of class will be set aside to fill out the application form.
Schengen visas for Rome Program students are issued by the Visa Department of the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago.
Visa applications are usually processed within 4 to 20 business days. However, the process could take up to 90 days, and there is no legal right to a visa.
Students on the Rome Program are required by Italian law to purchase an Italian health insurance policy. It is part of the nationalized health service and covers emergency treatment only. Therefore, it does not take the place of an American insurance policy, and students are required to have an American policy cover them in addition to it. Staff members at the La Magia Institute housing office will assist students with obtaining the insurance policy soon after they arrive in Rome.
All non-European Union citizens who wish to live in Italy for more than 90 days are required to obtain a Permesso di Soggiorno or Permit of Stay to be in the country legally. Students participating in the summer Rome Program are in Italy for less than 90 days and are required to obtain a Dichiarazione di Presenza or Declaration of Presence instead. Staff members at the La Magia Institute housing office will assist students with obtaining the appropriate permit soon after they arrive in Rome.
Housing
Apartment living in Rome is one of the more memorable experiences associated with the Rome Program. In most cases, accommodations are very different from what students are familiar with in Ames. Room sizes and apartments in general are smaller than in the United States. All of the apartments offered by the La Magia Institute, a non-profit organization that provides administrative support, teaching space and apartments to American study abroad programs, are furnished and come supplied with dishes, cooking equipment, towels and linens.
Typically, apartments accommodate four or six students, but larger groups of 10 or 12 are often available, too.
Apartments are typically clustered in several areas in the historic center of the city, usually within a reasonable walking distance of the studio. Students who think their apartments are too far away should investigate the public transportation system in Rome. Monthly public transport passes are available for approximately $50/month, providing students with a quicker way to get to and from the studio as well as the opportunity to cheaply explore the city when not in class.
Unfortunately, not all apartments have Internet access, and the College of Design can't request that it be installed. Students without access in their apartments should use the Internet at the studio or a local Internet cafe. The majority of apartments have telephones, but students are encouraged to use cell phones since the per-minute rates are generally less expensive.
The La Magia Institute prepares a list of available apartments for the semester. In Dsn S 301 students will be asked to organize into groups according to the number of apartments and how many beds are available in each. Apartments will be distributed on the basis of student preferences whenever possible, and flexibility on everyone's part will make the distribution process run much more smoothly.
Students participating in the Rome Program must live in the housing that is arranged by the La Magia Institute. It is not possible to contract housing on your own.
The La Magia Institute housing office is located at Piazza del Collegio Romano, 1/B. Click here to see a map.
Family and Friends
Yes, it is possible to visit while your student is studying in Rome. However, the first priority of Rome Program students is academics, and they will not be able to miss class while you are visiting.
It is recommended that visitors don't come to Rome during the first two or last two weeks of the semester. Field trips outside of Rome are also scheduled during the semester and these dates should be avoided because they are for Rome Program students only. In general, family or friends should visit only when the student thinks he or she is able to handle the workload in Rome, which is more demanding than in Ames. For more information on specific program dates, click on the links below depending on which semester you are interested in.Summer calendar
As noted in the La Magia Institute housing rental agreement, student apartments are for the exclusive use of the students. Therefore, no guests are allowed for overnight stays in student apartments. Ignoring this regulation is grounds for cancellation of the rental agreement, forfeiture of rent paid, and removal from the apartment.The La Magia Institute has provided the College of Design with a list of hotels for visitors. The College of Design does not endorse any of these hotels, and the list should be used only as a starting point for your research. The College of Design does not know the quality of or amenities offered at any of the hotels.Click here to download a list of hotels in Rome.
Updated 09/02/08-02:44 PID:273