An English Student's Guide To Living And Studying In Rome, Italy

Rome is a magical place, a vibrant and frenetic city that offers locals and tourists a mountain of cultural wealth and beneficial experiences. This you already know, of course. What brochures might not have mentioned is the difficulties associated with living here. Living and working in Rome requires a great deal of cultural savoir faire (or more aptly, saper' fare in Italian - for consistencies sake). 

The purpose of this hub is to share my experiences accumulated while studying abroad in Rome and how to avoid being ripped-off or pigeon-holed into a second-class existence during your stay. 

Housing Arrangements

Preparation is key. During my university days in Rome, I made it my absolute moral priority informing study abroad students the moment they landed that they should seek housing accommodations outside their university's walls. In 90% of cases I was informed that paying an extra buck (followed by at least 3 zeros) or two amounted to little and that comfort was key. So be it -- but why pay more?

A little digging can reward you handsomely. Italian university students are loathe to pay more than 400 euro per room, which is around half what a study-abroad is likely to pay. Granted, you will not find a house which is a two minute walk from the campus, but who cares?

A great place to start is Rome's local Craigslist settings which avoid having to deal with non-English speakers. Bear in mind that you could probably search locally with one of Rome's most notorious (and cheap) classified newspapers as well, but finding a home-owned who welcomes international students can be a tough task (the stereotype is that international students are rowdy and stupid).

The Right University

There are quite a few choices in Rome, and not all will be the right destination for everyone. The first option is the American University of Rome, which is conveniently situated in Monte Verde, directly in front of Villa Sciarra (a cute park) and a brisk walk from Villa Pamphili, one of Rome's better parks. Trastevere itself is but a hop away.

AUR (which happens to be the university that I went to for years) features a relax, quasi-informal attitude which may cater to study-abroad students who are mixing work with pleasure. The campus is well-equiped if a little cramped. I would recommend this university for Arts students and I.R graduates due to the vibrant communities in this sector. I had my in-and-outs with the university over their communications program, but ultimately, I have few qualms with the experience.

Another possible choice is John Cabot university, the most centrally located university of the all (smack bang in the midle of Rome's nightlife hub). As an AUR graduate, I recall some lively competition between our universities, the only subjective experience I have is that there seemed to be the notion that JCU was a little better organized than AUR, but I personally cannot guarantee anything of the sort -- with the exception that their soccer team was better than ours (if that is an indicator of anything at all).

JCU's website offers information for prospective students as well as offer a glimmer of student life.

Both AUR and JCU offer classes that are taught in English for mother-tongue speakers. Degrees are issued by American universities. For universities of other kinds please consult the link module to the right of this text.

The Proper Permits

Getting anything done in Italy, and especially in Rome, requires immeasurable patience. While it is true that many ignore visas (permessi di soggiorno - permits of stay) you should get your cards straight before being projected head-first into beurocratic hell.

Here is an except from an article I wrote on attaining working permits in Rome:

Residing at the same address for longer than three months will require you to apply for a permit of stay. There are three main types of permits that may apply:

• Permesso di Soggiorno (permit to stay): required by non-EU citizens, has an expiry date, is renewable, and is issued (with varying durations of validity) for the first six years of residence in Italy
• Carta di Soggiorno (permanent residence card for non-EU citizens): issued for an indefinite period, after the sixth year of residence in Italy
• Carta di Soggiorno Cittadini U.E. (permanent residence card for EU citizens): issued to EU citizens and their immediate family and dependents who intend to stay in Italy longer than three months

Most foreigners abroad will opt to work "under the table" (sottobanco) and most do this with a high degree of success. Some jobs will hire you with the tacit agreement that you are paid this way, illegally. It might sound tragic, but it is an incredibly common practice, due to the immense beurocratic odyssey that is the alternative. Bear in mind that higher income jobs in Rome will hire you and expect you to apply for a permesso, but are usually not willing to sponsor you unless you have demonstrated your worth for a few months. Ironic isn't it?

A great way to get informed and get started is by following this link: Immigration portal

A sense of humor

Aside from securing the legality of your stay you will want to come culturally prepared. In order to make the most of your stay I advise getting a brief crash course in Italian hand gestures and body language. I will add, however, that it is entirely possible to live within an international bubble while you are here. Many night-life areas in Rome are wholly dedicated to international students. In Campo dei Fiori and Testaccio, for instance, pubs will hire English speaking staff and almost every customer will speak English.There is every chance that you can spend the entire time in Rome without learning a single word of Italian and getting by.

I hope not.

A means of transport

Daily strikes savage Rome and although when working the transport system is erratically functional, an alternative means of transport is necessary. Cycling you say? Riding a bike in Rome is quite dangerous due to the fact that priority lanes for bicycles are inexistant. Added to which, to Roman drivers who are constantly barraged by motorini (scooters) you will occasionally become target practice. Rememer! It is not how good you are, but how bad they are (I learned this one the hard way).

Neverthless, monthly passes for Rome's relatively efficient transport system are incredibly cheap (18 euro for students) and are well worth the investment.

For more information please visit ATAC, Rome's official "public" transport website. ATAC in English