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Preparing for Rome

Passports and Visas

Passports: A passport is the most important document a student will have while traveling abroad. It identifies citizenship and is required in order to enter and return from almost every country in the world. If your son or daughter already owns a passport, he or she should check that it will be valid for the duration of their stay abroad.

Passports must also be valid for at least 90 days beyond the end date of the program. To read more about obtaining a passport, please view our section on travel documents. It is recommended that at least one family member also have a valid passport in case of emergency.

Visas: All U.S. nationals who will reside in Italy for the semester or year must have a visa from an Italian Consulate in the U.S. Failure to secure a study visa prior to your departure for Italy will mean dismissal from the program.  Individual information will be given to each student regarding student visas after they have been admitted.

Health and Safety

Health

Health Exams: Students should have a general physical exam if they haven't had one recently. Students should be up to date on all shots and also have a dental checkup.

Medical Identification: If a student is allergic to penicillin or have a condition such as diabetes or another condition that may require emergency medical care, students should carry some sort of identification on them to that effect.

On-campus Physician: The Rome Center offers on-campus consultation with an English-speaking Italian physician during two regularly scheduled hours each week during the fall and spring semester. The physician may examine students, write prescriptions, and/or recommend follow-up attention at private or state facilities in the area.

Prescriptions: If a student takes prescriptions, speak to your doctor about obtaining a supply for when you will be abroad. Prescription medications vary from country to country in name, potency, and purity and may NOT be sent to you through international mail. Also, students should keep the medication in the original container and have a letter from their doctor explaining what the medication is needed for and a generic breakdown of what the medication is.

Glasses or Contacts: Students should bring a typed copy of the eye prescription and a pair of glasses or contacts. Extra contacts should also be carried.

Safety

Important Documents: Before leaving for Rome, make two copies of all your important documents (passport, bank card, credit cards, traveler's checks and travel itinerary). Keep these in a safe place, leaving one copy at home in the U.S. When you don't need your passport, carry the copy. Get a police report documenting any losses.

Emergency Numbers: Students should carry with them the address and phone number for the Rome Center at all times:

Loyola University Chicago
Rome Center
Via Massimi, 114-A
00136 Rome, Italy

The local phone number for the Rome Center is: 355-881

Be Inconspicous:It is important for students to try not to speak too loudly or draw unnecessary attention. Students should learn some basic phrases in Italian.

Organize Your Funds: Funds should be organized into separate areas. Always leave some currency and a credit card at the residence hall in a secure place as a back-up. A money belt is helpful to carry money, credit cards and passport. However, avoid reaching into the money belt in public places.

Leave Your Travel Itinerary With Someone: Students should let a Rome Center staff member or a family member at home know that they are traveling.

Online Resources about Health and Safety

Insurance

Loyola University Chicago and the Italian government require students to have international medical insurance. Specific information about insurance can be found in the student handbook.

Pre-Departure Orientation

A pre-departure orientation session is held at Loyola Univeristy Chicago's Lake Shore Campus during the semester prior to a student's planned attendance at the Rome campus. Visiting students are encouraged to attend one of the pre-departure information sessions in Chicago if at all possible. An extensive orientation program is held at the beginning of each semester in Rome for all students.

Tuition, Fees, Room & Board

Tuition, fees, room and board for Loyola University Chicago students can be found on the Bursar's Office Website.

Visiting students who do not attend Loyola University Chicago should contact their study abroad office for specifics on tuition, fees, room and board at the Rome Center.

Other costs for all Rome Center students can be found here.

All bills are electronic and sent to your student's LOCUS account. Paper bills are no longer available. To read more about this and also how your student can give you proxy access, please see eBilling.

Financial Aid

Students presently attending Loyola University Chicago and receiving any assistance—Illinois State scholarships, grants, loans—can have these funds applied toward study at the Rome Center. The only funds that cannot travel to Rome are work-study dollars.

Students at other institutions should inquire with their own study abroad office and financial aid office about what financial aid they are eligible to take to study in Rome.

Handling Finances Abroad

There are several ways in which a student can use personal funds in Rome:

ATM Machines: ATM machines are the easiest way to access cash and are located within walking distance of the campus in Rome and throughout the city, as well as in other traditionally "tourist" areas of Italy. The exchange rate issued through ATM machines is generally quite favorable to the dollar. VISA, CIRRUS and PLUS cards have worked well almost everywhere, and American Express at its office locations. Be aware, though, that cards issued by small local banks may not work in Europe. Check with your bank to find out exactly how your debit card might work overseas (What is the transaction fee? What is the daily limit for withdrawals? What networks does it have access to?) Also, be sure that you have a four-digit PIN number that works overseas.

Traveler's Checks and Money Orders: Traveler's checks and money orders made out to a student can be changed to Euros at the Business Office of the Rome Center. Traveler's checks are used widely and can be easily cashed in Europe. Students are strongly urged to buy some traveler's checks to avoid carrying large sums of cash. Traveler's checks may also be purchased at the Rome American Express Office or any other American Express Office in Europe. The Rome Center CANNOT exchange or accept any payments by personal check.

American Express Card: An American Express credit card, obtained in the U.S., is very useful in buying traveler's checks or for other purchases while traveling. With this credit card students can also cash personal checks at the American Express Office in downtown Rome or in any European locale which has an American Express Office. This card MUST be in the student's name—not the parents'. Despite this policy there could be instances when the American Express card is not honored. American Express is not as widely accepted in local shops and restaurants.

Other Credit Cards: There is a credit card machine in the Student Business Office. The only cards accepted are MasterCard and VISA. Students can use credit cards in the business office to put down deposits for study trips or pay for books. VISA and MasterCard cards can also be useful while traveling, particularly VISA. They may be used to receive cash advances in some exchange offices and banks if the individual has requested this added service. This service is expensive; students should ascertain the fees. All cash received through a credit card advance will be in the local currency, generally Euros. Students should notify their credit card companies that they will be traveling abroad and for what length of time so that their card is not cancelled.

Transferring Funds Overseas: In emergencies, wiring money is most expeditious. The holder of an American Express card can wire a money-gram directly from any American Express Office in the U.S. to the American Express Office in Rome. Western Union also offers a wire service. Due to the bureaucracy of Italian banks and/or Roman branches of American banks, it is inadvisable to wire money to any banks, even U.S. banks with Italian branches.

Other Tips for Managing Funds Overseas

Do take some Euros with you(approximately €200). You will need some cash available when you arrive to the Rome Center.

Never carry large sums of cash with you or leave it in an insecure place. Manage your finances during your time in Rome with ATM cards, travelers's checks and credit cards.

Leave copies of your bank cards, credit cards, travelers checks, other financial documents, and phone numbers to contact with someone at home in case these are lost. This will expedite the process of cancelling these cards.

Student Handbook

All students and parents should read the student handbook, which has important information from everything from Rome Center policies to what to pack.

Contact Numbers

Prior to Leaving For Rome: The John Felice Rome Center recognizes that parents play a guiding role in their son or daughter's preparations to go abroad. Sometimes parents wish to help by interacting with the Rome Center Chicago staff on behalf of their child on issues related to program preparation. While we are appreciative of your support for your child and happy to help you understand what our program is all about, we generally ask that the student be in contact with us rather than the parent when it comes to issues that are specific to the students. Such issues might include course choices, bill payment status and what required documents we have and haven't received from them. Due to laws in effect that govern students privacy, our staff cannot legally provide many types of student-specific information to anyone other than the student. We feel that it upholds the quality of our services and the professionalism of our staff to respect the students' privacy and these laws. We appreciate your understanding.

Although we do want your student to contact us directly when possible, you are welcome to contact us with any questions or concerns that you may have.

Issues in Rome: If your son or daughter is dealing with a problem or question in Rome, please encourage him or her to see a Student Life Assistant (SLA), staff member, the Chaplain, the directors or a faculty member in Rome. The five Student Life Assistants live within the residence halls and the Dean of Students also lives on campus. At orientation, students will meet the staff and become familiar with where they can reach them. These people are dedicated to assisting your son or daughter with whatever issue, question, or problem might come up.

Again, although we do want your son or daughter to try to resolve whatever issues may come up in Rome themselves, if you have concerns or questions, the Rome Center Chicago Office is happy to help.

To reach the Rome Center Chicago Office, call: 800.344.ROMA or 773.508.7662; or e-mail us at: rome@luc.edu.

To reach the Rome Center directly, call: 011.39.06.355881.