What are the Admission/Eligibility Requirements for the program?
Academic Admission Requirements
Undergraduates with a 2.25 cumulative GPA and graduate students with a 3.0 cumulative GPA are eligible to apply. Non-UNO students must submit an official transcript and other application materials to the UNO-Rome program coordinator. New students seeking college credit must meet the general admission requirements of the University of New Orleans.
Student Conduct Admission Requirements
Students must be in good standing with their home institution to be considered for admission to the UNO-Rome program. As part of the program application, all students must complete the “Academic & Disciplinary Record Form,” including the authorization to release academic and disciplinary records to the UNO-Rome program administration for verification with the Student Conduct office at the home institution. These records, which will be reviewed by authorized program personnel only, will be used to determine eligibility for admission to the program. Students on disciplinary and/or academic probation will not be accepted to the UNO-Rome program. After review of all application materials, students will be notified in writing of their admission status with the UNO-Rome program.
What will my days be like in Rome?
Students are required to take 6 hours (2 classes) while in Rome. Classes are generally about 2 hours long, to allow you and your professor time to explore the local area during class--you definitely won't be sitting inside of a classroom all day this summer!
Most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are reserved for our field trips, with our arrival and departure times different each week. In general, students wanting to travel on the weekends can safely make plans that allow them to leave Rome after 5:00 pm on Thursdays and return before class begins the following Monday morning.
In addition to the Florence field trip on the first weekend of the program and our bi-weekly field trips, your professors may decide to take you on class trips during class time to apply what you're learning "inside" the classroom outside as well. The whole point of your summer in Rome is to learn in a personal way that you can't do from staying inside your classroom all summer, so we work hard to take advantage of the local area.
Although students are free to travel on the weekends, many also remain in Rome because there are a ton of fun things to do here, too. Your Academic Director can share ideas of what's going on in Rome on the weekends with you.
How much spending money do I need?
No meals are included in the cost of the program, so students will need to budget for their own breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. A student can get by very cheaply if he/she uses the kitchenette in each room (i.e. a bag of pasta and a jar of pesto would cost about 4 euros and work for a few dinners). However, students with more money could certainly spend several times that by eating out at a local cafe, if their budget allows (i.e. 10-15 euros for dinner). The same can be said for students staying in Rome each weekend versus those traveling each weekend, or those who tend to shop and buy a lot of things versus more conservative spenders. We have an Excel budget spreadsheet that we share with students to help them better estimate their spending, so if this is something that you're interested in, please take a look under the FORMS heading for this template so you can best estimate what you might spend this summer.
Why should I study with this specific program?
Foreign language skills are not required, we are here to help you!
Housing and weekly field trips are included, all you need to do is show up and be ready to learn!
You will make new friends from UNO, other American universities, and perhaps even local friends, too!
It will change the rest of your life! Since the program began in 2009, we have taken hundreds of students abroad to Rome each summer. So many of them report back to us with how much this one summer impacted their lives--how discussing their experience in a job interview helped them get hired, how it inspired them to do a longer study abroad program, or even how it just allowed them to expand their comfort zone. The benefits of this are endless, but if you need convincing, we're happy to also connect you with a past student to ask him/her questions about their summer, too.
Europe is at your fingertips! Choose to dive deeper into Rome by staying there on weekends (there are DEFINITELY enough events going on around town to keep you busy!) or by traveling across Italy or even the rest of Europe on free weekends. See our presentation under VIDEOS for a slide that compares the cost of travel in Europe--getting around Italy and Europe is cheap and easy--so start dreaming of your weekend plans now!
What should I be doing to make sure I'm prepared for this summer (before I'm accepted)?
if you've never left the country before or never studied abroad before, it can seem overwhelming, but do not worry! Keep in mind that many of our students are in your shoes--they've also never left the country before! So whether this is your first time on a plane or if you're an experienced traveler, here's a general timeline of what you want to do and when to do it by:
- Apply for the program (select your classes, pay your $300 deposit)
- Submit required paperwork to our office (upload your photo, immunization records, etc.)
- Apply for a passport (if you don't have one already, or renew yours if necessary). Be sure to send us a copy of the page that has your photo on it once you receive it as we require that for our records.
- Apply for awards and scholarships (learn more under Scholarships)
When should I get my passport?
As soon as possible! Passports can take weeks or sometimes even months to be processed, so please don't wait until the last minute to begin this process. You can apply for a passport at most major post offices. Please visit this website for more information: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Also don't forget to share a copy of your passport (the page with your photo and passport number) with our office as we require it prior to departure.
I am a UNO student interested in using Financial Aid for this study abroad program. Where can I learn more about how this works?
Please visit the UNO Financial Aid website here (http://new.uno.edu/financial-aid) for more information and for deadlines for securing your aid for the summer.
How do I choose and enroll for classes?
When you apply, you select from a list of classes listed on the form. You will also need to select an alternate class(es). It is up to the student to talk to his or her university and counselor to make sure the credits can be transferred for a specific class.
What about books for my class?
When your classes are confirmed, you will receive a list of books to order. You may purchase these books from your local bookstore or order online. You must purchase these materials and take them with you to Rome--there is no address for you to ship anything (luggage or otherwise) while you are abroad, unfortunately.
What if the class I chose does not “make”?
Because of the limited size of our program, not all classes will have enough students to make. This is why it’s so important to choose your course early in order to give that particular class the best chance of making. If your class is not available, we will place you in your alternate choice of courses. You will receive confirmation of your course list prior to departure. Please note that until you receive class confirmation, your class is not yet confirmed.
