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Orientation Programs

   

   Orientation in Rome

An orientation program is held at the beginning of each semester in Rome. Attendance at this program is mandatory for all students. The dates for these required sessions in 2009-2010 are:

  • Fall 2009: Thu, Aug 27 - Sun, Sep 6
  • Spring 2010: Thu, Jan 14 - Sun, Jan 24rome

Students who travel as a Loyola group through a group ticketing option on an Alitalia group flight will arrive in Rome on Thursday, August 27, 2009 for the start of Fall term, or on Thursday, January 14, 2010 to begin the Spring semester. Group-ticketed students will be taken directly by bus from Leonardo da Vinci airport to the Rome campus. Students who travel independently on this same flight or by any other carrier should be prepared to take taxis to the campus and are due in Rome on these same dates and no earlier.

The purpose of the orientation excursion in and around Rome and to regions of Italy further afield is to introduce students to the cultural and linguistic diversity of Italy, to capitalize on specific aspects of the academic program of the Rome Center,  and to familiarize the students with their surroundings. An effort is made to help students feel secure and at home in their new environment and to involve them in the cultural, economic and social life of Rome. Additionally, tours, lectures and activities are organized throughout the year to continue the learning process and involvement in Italian and European culture.

   

   Pre-departure Orientation in Chicago

A mandatory pre-departure orientation for all Loyola students participating in any Loyola-sponsored or Loyola-approved study abroad program is held on Loyola-Chicago's Lake Shore Campus during the semester prior to a student's semester or summer abroad. During the orientation, health and safety guidelines will be reviewed, and a general briefing offered about the differences students will encounter between the American and foreign cultures.

The 2009-2010 dates for these mandatory sessions:

  • Sunday. November 15, 2009 --- for all students going abroad in Spring 2010
  • Sunday, April 18, 2010 --- for students going abroad in Summer 2010, Fall 2010, or the 2010-2011 academic year

Study Abroad 102 Workshop: the Schengen Visa Application Process for Italy

In addition to the pre-departure orientation, an optional workshop on "how to" apply for the required study visa for Italy is offered for students planning to enroll at the John Felice Rome Center. During this session, the procedures and timelines for securing the requisite documentation for studying in Rome as a legal alien will be discussed,

The dates of these workshops, held 4:00 - 5:00 pm during the 2009-2010 academic year, are as follow:

  • Monday, September 21, 2009
  • Wednesday, September 30, 2009
  • Tuesday, February 23, 2010
  • Monday, March 29, 2010
  • Wednesday, April 21, 2010

          STUDY VISA

          All students generally are required to obtain a study visa for Italy.  The only exceptions to this regulation are students who hold EU citizenship.  The study visa is a holographic stamp on a page inside a student's passport.  The application process for the study visa may be begun as early as 90 days before the start date of a student's term but should not be undertaken any later than 30 days prior to the start of a semester or summer session.

          Among the supporting documents for the study visa application is a formal letter of enrollment from the John Felice Rome Center or, in Italian, a lettera d'iscrizione. Students will need two (2) copies of this official lettera d'isrizione with the Loyola University Chicago seal:

          • One copy to leave at the consolato generale d'Italia in the U.S.A.
          • One to take to Rome to submit to the commissariato locale after the consolato generale d'Italia in the USA has notarized it.

          This letter may only be issued after a student has e-mailed the Chicago office of the Rome Center a copy of his/her detailed round-trip flight itinerary.  For students applying independently for the Italian study visa, it is mandatory to obtain this letter before appearing at an Italian consulate to present your application. The Rome Center's Chicago Office requires at least a week's notification to prepare the letter; no letters will be issued sooner.  Students applying through the Rome Center in a group submission to the Italian Consulate in Chicago do not need to request this letter beforehand; it will be added later to the documents they submuit to the Rome Center's Chicago Office.

          For Loyola and other Chicago-area students participating in the group submission of visa applications to the Italian consulate in Chicago, the weeks during which a Loyola representative will be available to witness students' signatures on the visa application form on behalf of the Italian consular official are as follow:

          • Monday, October 12 - Friday, October 16, 2009 [confirmed JFRC students for SPRING 2010]
          • Monday, March 1 - Friday, March 5, 2010 [confirmed JFRC students for SUMMER 2010]
          • Monday, April 26 - Friday, April 30, 2010 [confirmed JFRC students for FALL 2010 or AY 2010-2011]

          With some exceptions, students should apply through the Rome Center's Chicago office for the study visa. Most Italian consulates prefer not to accept applications from individual students. Detailed information on the procedure is included in the information packet.

          Information Packets for the JFRC

          Information packets containing the following items will be distributed to students who have (or whose home school has) paid the non-refundable $500 deposit:

          • Welcome letter from the director, Emilio Iodice
          • Checklist of important deadlines
          • Academic calendar for the semester
          • List of classes for the semester with call numbers for registration
          • Instructions for student visa, including procedures sheets & sample visa application form
          • Group travel information and reservation form
          • Independent travel itinerary form (for students not opting for the group flight)
          • Taxi information on distinguishing legitimate from rogue taxicabs
          • Affidavits
            • Release of responsibility form
            • Agreement and acceptance form regarding illegal drugs
          • Room application and contract
          • Medical history report form
          • Yellow emergency contact cards

          Information packets will be distributed only to students who have confirmed their enrollment.

          • Packets for visiting students will usually be mailed to their local or permanent addresses, although some may be sent to visiting students' study abroad office if prior arrangements have been made.
          • Loyola University Chicago students should pick up their packets from the HUB in the Sullivan Center for Student Services, 6339 North Sheridan Road.

          Registration information will be available to all students through the Loyola website. Students should use the LOCUS online course schedule to plan and select courses with their academic advisors prior to the opening of registration each semester. Instructions on registration procedures are e-mailed to visiting students at the e-address provided on their application form.

          Please be advised that registration access to Rome sections will be blocked until receipt of the $500 deposit (when required) and a signed "intent to enroll" form.