Housing

Your place of residence in Italy will become the main site of most of your cultural interaction. Where you choose to live in Italy can determine to what level you will immerse yourself in Italian culture.

The majority of your language practice and communication will not take place in the classroom, or even during your travels. Rather, most of it will happen at home in your residence. At your place of residence, you will experience the most intense and personal form of culture-sharing, as the locals you will live with become your family, friends and roommates.

Just as it took getting used to living with your dorm or apartment roommate(s) in the United States, it will take just as much effort to adjust to your living situation in Italy. Your place of residence in Italy comes with challenges, perhaps even more challenges than you had to deal with when you lived with roommates at your U.S. home campus. You will face language and culture differences which can affect everything from when a person eats a meal, to what he or she eats, personal hygiene issues, study habits, likes and dislikes, etc… However, keep in mind that your own habits and views will also seem different to the person(s) you are living with in Italy.

When thinking about housing in Italy, the most important thing to remember is patience. Try to be patient with yourself as you try to adjust to living with others in Italy. Also, try to be patient with those you live with, as they will be learning to adjust to you as well. In the chance that things just don’t work out for you, or you just are not compatible with your roommates or host family, make sure your program offers you the right to change your place of residence. Ask your program’s administrators about your rights in regards to switching places of residence, and whether or not an administrator can help you find alternate housing should you need it. Your program administrators can act as conflict mediators to help you and your roommates or host family resolve any issues troubling you. If at any time you find your housing unsafe, be clear with program administrators and explain to them why it is unsafe and that you need to change housing as soon as possible.

Most Italy institutions have housing placement services. Depending on the institution, international students may have more than one housing option available to them. Many international students choose to reside in flats, which is very common amongst Italy students. A flat is similar to an apartment or house consisting of several bedrooms. Students usually get their own bedroom and often share cooking and cleaning responsibilities with their 'flatmates'.

When living in a flat, it is common for men and women to share a flat; however, students can also request being placed in a flat with people from the same sex. Normally, this must be requested at the time of application for housing.

It is not unusual for American students to be placed with other international students although some institutions try to place at least Italy student in each flat, if possible. You may request your preferences for flatmates as long as you are aware that who you end up flatting with will largely depend on the housing situation and availability at the Italy institution, the demand for certain kinds of flatting arrangements by other international and Italy students and how early you make your housing request.

Some institutions offer accommodation in a hall of residence which can provide prepared meals similar to a dining hall. Staying in a hall of residence can be a good experience because it provides a way to meet lots of people. Be aware, however, that many halls of residence contain primarily first year students who are 18 or 19 years old.