The topic of today's material was requested as a continuation of the article “Universities of Italy: what to do?”. After all, after you select a university, open a visa, arrive in Italy and successfully enroll, you must also successfully live.
At first glance, it might seem that everything is complicated, because each country has its own traditions, rules, habits that you may not know upon arrival. But do not panic ahead of time, the main thing is to prepare, which we will do in this article. So, let's look at everything in order.
Where to live
Moving to a new place, and even more so to a new country, the first thing you should worry about is housing. Unfortunately, the hostel will be offered for free only if you win a scholarship.
In all other cases, it is necessary to pay for the room, and by no means small money - from 350 to 450 euros per month.
And to all good, places in the hostel, despite the cost, are limited. But it is not difficult for a student to find a place to live. I want to draw your attention to the fact that this is the place, since due to the high cost of renting, many students rent a room together or three.
Thus, the cost per place is reduced to 200 - 300 euros per month.
As a rule, the easiest way to find a room or apartment on the Internet. The network provides many sites on this subject. I’ll tell you about the most popular in my opinion.
www.idealista.it is a well-developed site with a wide selection of offers throughout Italy, as well as very convenient navigation in the areas of each city.
www.easystanza.it - differs from other sites of this category in its original idea, as it offers to find not only a place of residence, but also an ideal neighbor.
www.bakeca.it - this site offers many criteria for choosing the right option.
www.subito.it is also a good site with a lot of offers.
Nutrition
You can get free meals or at a discount in the student cafeteria if the student receives a scholarship. The discount will depend on the annual family income. But I would like to note that the cost of meals at universities is much lower than in any city bar, lunch will cost about 5 euros.
Transport
It is beneficial for students to buy annual passes, which, as a rule, apply to all types of transport in the city without limiting the number of trips. For example, in Milan, an annual subscription costs 200 euros, and in Rome from 130 to 150 euros per year.
Educational material
University libraries usually have all the necessary literature, but do not always give it home. Therefore, some books have to buy. Students here have found a way to save money - they buy books from previous students, paying only half the cost. So, books change hands for years.
Italian courses for foreigners
Almost all universities organize an introductory Italian course for foreigners.
Such courses are either free or for a small fee in the amount of 50 to 250 euros per course.
Below is a list of the most popular universities in Italy, where you can find linguistic centers and Italian courses:
- University of Foreigners of Perugia (Università per stranieri di Perugia);
- University for Foreigners of Siena (Università per stranieri di Siena);
- University of Bologna (Università degli studi di Bologna);
- University of Florence (Università degli studi di Firenze);
- University of Genoa (Università degli studi di Genova);
- University of Milan (Università degli studi di Milano);
- University of Parma (Università degli studi di Parma);
- University of Roma Tre (Università degli studi di Roma Tre).
Student Discount System
Almost all universities enter into agreements with local theaters, museums, cinemas, shops and so on, where a student can get a discount. To find out with whom the university collaborates, just go to the website of your educational institution. For example, a student in Milan can go to the cinema for only 5 euros.
Bureaucratic issues
Well, of course, do not forget about the following documents that need to be done:
Codice fiscale - your personal code issued by the income agency (Agenzia delle entrate; the nearest office to your place of residence can be found on their website). Without this code, you will not be able to pay for some purchases (for example, via the Internet) or draw up documents (such as a rental agreement or a contract with an Internet provider).
Permesso di soggiorno - a residence permit, is issued within a week from the moment of your arrival at any post office. In the window you need to take kit - this is an envelope with modules for a residence permit, instructions for filling them out and a list of necessary documents.
Oh yes, I almost forgot: in every university there is a secretariat where you will be answered all your questions. The main thing is not to be afraid - ask. I will be glad to answer all your questions in the comments.
