Visiting Students

Due to the popularity of the Rome Center program, students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. The application availability and deadlines are as follows:

*Note: Non-Loyola students may have different deadlines based on their home institution's application timeline.

** Deadlines for non-Loyola Chicago students vary by home institution, but Rome Center applications with our system should be completed by this date.

In order to apply, students must:

• Complete the online Program Application. Please create an application account with your email associated with your home institution. Click "Create Application," and from the drop down menu select "Rome Center." You will choose the term you wish to apply for within the application itself.
• Upload a copy of their passport. Students should upload a scan of the basic information/photo page and signature page of their passport. These are facing pages in U.S. passports, and may be the same page in passports issued by other countries.
  • Note: To be valid, a passport must be signed by the bearer. The passport must also be valid through at least six months after the end date of the term of application. Students who need to renew their passport or apply for a new passport may upload a copy of the passport renewal documentation or application receipt in order to obtain an admission decision. Once accepted, those students must upload a copy of their renewed (or new) passport once it has been received.

• Obtain your study abroad advisor's approval. In completing the online application, students will provide the name and email address of their study abroad advisor or director from their study abroad office. A form will be sent to the student's advisor requesting a recommendation, which the advisor will submit directly with the student's online application. Submitted applications are not considered complete until the advisor's recommendation form has been received.
• If applicable, submit a personal statement. Any student whose GPA falls below the minimum 2.75 GPA requirement must email an appeal directly to rome@luc.edu or upload it to their application Status Page (visible upon submission of the application), indicating that they are submitting this personal statement as a supplement to their online application.

Following the submission of the online application:

• Official Transcript: Students should send transcripts from their home institution, and any other colleges or universities they attended previously, to the following address:
  Loyola University Chicago
  John Felice Rome Center
  1032 West Sheridan Road
  Sullivan Center 206
  Chicago, IL 60660

*Note: Applicants sending electronic transcripts should address them to rome@luc.edu

The following requirements must be met before an application will be considered eligible for review. All applicants must:

• Must be currently enrolled at a four-year college institution
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale*
• Be in good academic and disciplinary standing at their home institution**
• Be in possession of a valid passport, or a receipt verifying application for a passport (copy uploaded at time of application)***

*Applicants with a GPA that falls below the minimum requirement must submit, along with their application, a personal statement explaining:

1) Why their GPA is below the minimum requirement;
2) Their reasons for wanting to study abroad;
3) How they feel they will benefit academically and personally from the Rome Center program.

Preference is given to those students who show an upward trend in their GPA or whose GPA was negatively affected by one or two particularly difficult courses. Students who apply with a GPA below the 2.75 minimum are considered on a case-by-case basis and admission is not guaranteed.

**Once admitted, students must remain in good standing (academic and disciplinary) in order to participate in the program.

***While a receipt verifying application for, or renewal of, a passport may be used to issue a decision about admission to the program, a copy of the actual valid passport must later be uploaded to an accepted student's online application in order for the student to be eligible to register for classes.

Within two weeks of receiving a notification of acceptance via email, a student must submit a non-refundable deposit of $500.00* online by credit card; this deposit will confirm the student's "Intent to Enroll" and secure the student's spot in the Rome Center.

Once you have been admitted, you will need to complete a registration for the GoGlobal portal utilized by our study abroad office. Instructions on how to do this are present on your acceptance letter as well as your application portal. This is registration is necessary so you can access your study abroad portal and begin complete pre-departure checklist items.

Instructions for submitting this deposit will be included in the acceptance email and on each admitted student's Status Page. Should a student fail to submit their deposit within the allotted two-week time frame, they may forfeit their spot in the program.

*This deposit will be deducted from the student's total program cost, and will be reflected in LOCUS.

All U.S. nationals who will reside in Italy for less than 90 days do not need to have a study visa. All U.S. nationals who will reside in Italy for more than 90 days are required to obtain a study visa from an Italian consulate in the U.S. A study visa is not necessary for U.S. students who attend a summer session for less than 90 days. Non-U.S., non-E.U. citizens should check with the Italian consulate to determine if a visa will be required for stays of any length. Failure to secure a study visa prior to your departure for Italy will mean dismissal from the program.

Our Study Abroad office will provide resources for applying for an Italian student visa, including a pre-departure session and visa workshop. Although we will provide resources, documents, and guidance on the student visa process, it is the responsibility of the student to acquire their own visa. The visa process is handled by the Italian Consulate network, over which we have no oversight or authority. All questions or concerns during your visa application process should be directed to Alana Carroll (acarroll8@luc.edu) in the Study Abroad Office.

Questions regarding the visa process should be addressed to rome@luc.edu.

Note: Visas for other countries that require them may be obtained either in Rome or in the United States, although it may be easier to obtain such visas before departure from the U.S.

Under Italian law, students who are staying between 90 and 150 days must complete a "declaration of presence" for the local police station within eight days of arrival, including a copy of the page of their passport with the visa stamp. The John Felice Rome Center staff will assist students in the application process upon their arrival at the Rome Center.

Students who are staying for more than 150 days, must obtain permission to live in Rome (the permesso di soggiorno) within eight days of arrival. The John Felice Rome Center staff will assist students in the application process upon their arrival at the Rome Center. Upon arrival at the JFRC, be sure to have this documentation with you in order to apply for your permesso di soggiorno:

• Three (3) legible copies of the data (photo) page of your passport. Be sure to include the page above with your signature.
• Three (3) copies of the page of your passport with the visa stamp.
• Three (3) copies of the entry stamp in your passport issued by Passport Control upon entry into Europe (these you will make at the JFRC after your arrival).
• Three (3) copies of the official letter of enrollment (lettera d'iscrizione); this is written in Italian, imprinted with the seal, and notarized by the Italian Consulate. Two copies of the official letter are initially provided to each student to submit with the visa application (Students who apply for their visa through the Italian Consulate of Boston will receive this letter in both English and Italian and should bring copies of both). The Italian Consulate will notarize one and return it with the student's passport and visa stamp. Make photocopies of this notarized letter. Failure to bring this notarized letter may result in dismissal from the program.
• Four (4) passport-sized photos.
• Three (3)copies of your LUC CISI study abroad insurance proof of enrollment.