Pre-departure preparation ensures that you have a successful, productive and safe experience abroad. Below are the tools that you need to prepare for your time abroad – everything from passports to medication precautions and insurance.
The UW Rome Center will also send you a series of pre-departure reminders to help make sure you’re ready to arrive. Use the UW Study Abroad and the UW Rome Center pre-departure checklists to get organized.
Students often report that they wish they had known more Italian before and during their study abroad experience. Even if your study abroad program doesn’t include Italian in the curriculum, there are many opportunities for you to learn some Italian before or while in Rome. And even just knowing a little will help you navigate the city and immerse yourself more in the culture.
Resources
- UW Course: ITAL 101 Elementary Italian: We highly recommend all students take this course before you come to Rome. First in a sequence of three, with the first one is specifically geared for study abroad students. Methods and objectives are primarily oral-aural. Use of audio material required.
- ItaliaIdea: Close to the UW Rome Center, this school offers lessons in a variety of formats including group and individual lessons.
- Leonardo da Vinci school: Also very close to the UWRC and offering both group and individual lessons.
- Pimsleur: An online course that combines well-established research, most-useful vocabulary and a completely intuitive process to get you speaking right from the first day.
- Babbel: Babbel offers various Italian courses according to your level and interests. Choose and let Babbel guide you through one or many of the following: Grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, advanced courses.
- Duolingo: Duolingo’s bite-sized Italian lessons are fun, easy, and 100% free. Practice online with language courses that are scientifically proven to work.
Italy is a party to the Schengen Agreement. Students must have a valid passport and may need a visa in order to enter Italy. If you do not have a passport, APPLY NOW! The normal processing time is four to six weeks, but it can be longer during peak travel season. Start by reviewing the UW Study Abroad passport and visa web page. Learn more and apply at the UW State Department website.
Passports
It is your responsibility to verify that your passport meets all validity requirements before traveling. In order to enter the Schengen area, US passport holders must have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months past the date on which you will EXIT Italy or another country in the Schengen area. Thus, your passport should be valid for 6 months + the duration of your program. Visit the US State Department website for more information.
Holders of non-US passports may have different requirements. Please consult your home country’s equivalent of the Department of State, or the “citizen’s services” section of your home country’s U.S. Consulate, for more information.
Visas
U.S. and Canadian citizens may enter Italy for academic purposes for periods of up to 90 days without a study visa. Students from other countries should consult the Italian Consulate website to verify whether or not you need to obtain a study visa.
Program participants from other countries should consult the Italian Consulate website to check if they need a visa in order to study in Italy. If a visa is required, students should contact the UW Study Abroad for assistance with the application. To request an letter verifying your enrollment in a study abroad program, complete the UW Study Abroad Enrollment Letter Request Form.
If you are from a country without a short-term visa exemption, it is your responsibility to obtain the required study visa. Students requiring visas and participating on programs lasting less than 90 days must get a Short Stay or “C” type visa. When you receive your visa, please verify that it is the correct type. If you have been issued a Long Stay or “D” type visa, please contact the UW Rome Center IMMEDIATELY. A Long Stay “D” visa entails a series of legal obligations upon arrival in Italy in order to convert the visa into a stay permit; the Rome Center staff can assist if informed well in advance of your arrival in Italy.
Travel in Italy or other Schengen countries before/after your program
U.S. and Canadian citizens may travel before and after the program as long as your TOTAL STAY (duration of your program + any travel within the Schengen area before and after your program) does not exceed 90 days. If you overstay the 90-day limit in the Schengen area, you may be subject to fines, expelled to the U.S. and/or banned from applying for a visa for a number of years.
Have questions? Contact the UW Study Abroad office.
The University of Washington encourage you to participate in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) service, which is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Italians are known around the world for their style, and Rome’s residents are no exception. When deciding what to pack for Rome, keep in mind that day-to-day European style tends to be more dressy and conservative than American style. This doesn’t necessarily mean formal business clothing, though. Think more like nice shirts and mid-length skirts or dark jeans rather than oversized t-shirts and shorts.
Ultimately, what you choose to wear is of course your choice. And, also understand that depending on your style, your American clothes will allow any Italian to immediately recognize you as an American especially if they include: t-shirts, tank tops, strapless tops, midriffs, shorts, short skirts, baseball hats and flip flops. Decide whether you would like to try to blend in or not, as that will certainly affect your packing list.
- Scarves (These are a staple of Italian style and a must-have multipurpose travel item. They can be your blanket on the plane ride, an accessory during the day, or a shawl when you go out at night. Also useful for when you need to cover up at a church.)
- Work out clothes (Here, t-shirts, tank tops and shorts are okay!)
- Sunglasses
- Sun hat, sunscreen (It’s expensive in Italy!)
- Umbrella
- Earplugs
- Gloves and hats, or bathing suits depending on the season
- Medications, supplements, etc. (See our advice about this here.)
- Plug converters and adapters (Voltage in Italy is 220, and in the US it’s 110. Most electronic devices such as cameras, cell phones, laptops and electric shavers are dual voltage by default, but hair dryers and straighter tend not to be. Check your devices to verify their voltage.)
- Photocopies of your passport and visa, if applicable
Weather
Rome has all four seasons and tends to be warmer than Seattle. July is the hottest month in Rome with an average temperature of 26°C (78°F) and the coldest is January at 8°C (46°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 11 in July. The wettest month is December with an average of 96mm of rain. Check out Rome’s annual temperatures here to see what the temperature will be like during your stay.
Luggage
And of course, you’ll need to consider the amount of luggage that you are allowed to bring on the plane, being aware that if your bag(s) are over the weight limit it might cost you an additional $50 or more per bag at the airport. Be sure to check with your airline on relevant restrictions. Also remember most of us tend to pack twice as much as we need. Keep in mind the old rule of thumb: pack your suitcase, then, take out half the clothes. Lastly, all student apartments are equipped with wash machines and clotheslines or drying racks for drying (machine dryers are very rare), so packing clothes that are washer friendly and air dry easily is recommended.
Travel bags should be lockable and personal bags should have adjustable shoulder straps to keep them close to your body. When moving around Rome, especially in crowded piazzas, buses and subways, it is best to wear bags and purses that fit close to your body to reduce the likelihood of theft.
While studying in Rome, you are required to have an international calling plan on your US phone or an Italian cell phone number so that your faculty and the UW Rome Center can stay in touch. You may choose from one of the following options:
- Purchase an international calling, messaging and data plan from your current cell phone provider. Prices vary and while this may be more convenient, it also may be a more expensive option.
- Bring your unlocked US cell phone and get an Italian SIM card while you’re in Rome. This usually costs about €25, including the first month’s phone/data plan, and monthly plans cost as little as €15. Contact your carrier or go to a repair shop to get your phone unlocked before leaving home. Once in Rome, you can swap your US SIM card with an Italian SIM card purchased from any of the three Italian providers: TIM, Vodafone, or Wind.
- Purchase an Italian cell phone, including SIM card and first month’s phone/data plan, for about €50. You can purchase a cell phone at TIM, Vodafone, or Wind. If you choose this option, we encourage you to pass your phone on to a friend or another participant in a subsequent Rome program at the end of the program!
We recommend downloading the following apps!
- WhatsApp: free voice & video calling, texting, photo & doc sharing to individuals and groups
- itTaxi: taxi service
- Rome2rio: directions by foot, car, public transport
- XE Currency: exchange rates currency converter
Be sure to review the Pre-Departure Checklist below and make sure you have completed all of the following items before you arrive in Rome!
- Visited and reviewed the Studying in Rome pages of the UWRC website.
- Verified your passport meets travel requirements for the Schengen area, and is valid for at least 6 months after the date of your exit from the Schengen.
- For non-US or Canadian citizens, obtained a Type C Schengen visa if applicable.
- Made a copy of your passport (and visa, if applicable) for you to carry, and also took a picture of it (them) to keep on your phone.
- Have your COVID-19 Green Pass (or equivalent, such as the U.S. CDC vaccination card) or certification of full recovery from COVID-19.
- Registered with the UW Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
- Purchased UW Study Abroad Insurance.
- Have a sufficient supply of any prescription medications and other health care supplies for the duration of your program.
- Reviewed our suggestions on what to pack, and have tried to keep your luggage light!
- Purchased personal property insurance to protect your valuables.
- Purchased an international calling plan or unlocked your cell phone so that you can buy an Italian SIM card in Rome.
- Informed your credit card company and bank about your travels.
- Informed the UWRC staff of your arrival information on the Google Sheet sent to you via email.
- Made arrangements for your transportation from the airport to the UWRC via bus, train or car.
See you soon in Rome!