| PAGE INDEX ANCHOR LINKS | ||||
| Apartment Deposits & Location | Laundry |  Palazzo Pitti, viewed from the Giardini di Boboli.Four museums are in the palace, which was built in 1457* |
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| Books | Law Class Additions and Drops | |||
| Course Changes | Legal and Non-Legal Activities | |||
| Credit Cards | Linens-Pots-Pans-Kitchen Privileges | |||
| Discounts | Money and ATM's | |||
| Dress Code | Payments-Consortium/ Visiting Student Agreements |
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| Exams | References | |||
| Family Living | Refunds | |||
| Further Questions | Returned Checks | |||
| Health Insurance and Medications | Telephone in Apartment | |||
| Housing Information | Transportation | |||
| More Housing Information | Utilities | |||
| Language Classes | ||||
APARTMENT ARRIVAL INFORMATION:
Housing: What about my housing?
Securing housing before you leave the U.S. is strongly advised. Housing in a foreign country is NOT like living in the U.S.. Be prepared for the unfamiliar. Should there be a problem once in Florence, contact the Florence Director or the Florence Administrative Assistant for help. For more housing information, click here: Florence Housing Information. Some housing information will be sent to you, but you are strongly advised to secure your own housing before you leave for Florence (at least by the end of March).
What is the cost of housing in Florence?
For more budget information, click here: Florence Budget It sometimes can be more than the budget states if you wait until you arrive, so be prepared. But if you secure early, you can probably find something within the budget range. The price for an apartment sometimes includes all utilities for the period booked,see Florence Housing Information for more information on this. You will also need to double check this with the agency or landlord you deal with. Sometimes it can be as much as the rent or already included in the rent price.
Will I have to pay a deposit for my apartment or room?
Normally yes. Frequently there is no deposit if you rent a room in someone's apartment or live in a Hotel or Hostel, but double check with your agency or the landlord you are dealing with. You may be asked to wire funds to Florence, this is normal, so make sure you keep copies of this transfer. USD does not provide housing in Florence.
Where will the apartment or room be located?
You will need to find out from the agency or landlord how far you will be from your classes.
You should start looking for housing early, February or March, in order to find the best deals. You should NOT wait until the last minute or when you arrive in Florence. It is getting more and more difficult to find housing for students that arrive in Florence that do not have housing already arranged. Remember, Florence is 9 hours ahead of California.
You may be asked to wire funds to Florence, this is normal, so make sure you keep copies of this transfer.
Because Florence is expecting an overflow of both tourists and foreign students this summer and housing will be very scarce in May and June, it is strongly advised that you secure your housing before you leave for Florence.
The Florence Institute may be able to assist students in finding housing upon arrival. If you wish to wait until you arrive, it is strongly suggested that students have a hotel room reserved for the first day or two upon arrival in Florence. More information will be provided in the spring.
More Housing:
For more housing information try Florence Housing Information. Some housing information will be sent to you, but you are strongly advised to secure your own housing before you leave for Florence (at least by end of March).
Do I have to bring linens?
No, everything is usually provided if you are living in an apartment or in someone's home. If you are addicted to large bath towels or washcloths (as opposed to wash mitts), you may wish to bring your own.
Do I have to bring pots, pans, silverware?
No, everything is usually provided or can be bought in Florence.
Family Living: If I rent a room in an apartment, will I have kitchen privileges?
This will depend on the landlord/lady, so discuss this with them.
If I live with a family, are meals included?
Sometimes breakfast is included in the price. Sometimes, arrangements can be made for a second meal. Specify what you want with the landlord/lady when you apply. Special meals, such as vegetarian, no salt used, etc. will cost the student more and will be added to the rent.
If I choose to live with a family, how much will it cost me?
There are many factors involved, such as location, meals, whether you share a bedroom. Prices can run from $300 to $1000+ per person.
Can I have friends stay in my apartment/room with me?
This will depend on your agreement with the landlord/lady. Some do not care; others will not allow friends to stay over. Decide what you want to do at the outset, as it may influence where you live.
If I withdraw, will I receive a housing refund?
You will have to discuss this with your landlord/landlady. USD-San Diego does not provide housing and is not collecting any money for housing.
Telephones:
Most of the apartments do not have telephones. This is due to how the Italian telephone system works, which cannot register certain long distance calls until the phone bill is generated. This means that the landlord/lady, in the past, have been lumped with unregistered phone bills and therefore, have had to pay a student's bills. If there is a telephone in your apartment, you may only be able to receive phone calls. So if you wanted to make an outgoing call, you would have to find a public phone. If you have both an outgoing line and a receiving line in your apartment, the landlord/lady may charge you a deposit to take care of the phone bill when you leave, so be prepared! What that deposit is, will be determined by the landlord/lady.
There are many public telephones located all over Florence, in bars, and in the streets. Florence now has "phone home" credit cards that can be purchased and used in phone booths. If you are in urgent need to have a phone, we suggest you either bring you own cell phone (double check w/your cell phone company to see if you can use yours in Florence), or rent one once in Florence. The USD Florence office can help you with this once you have arrived in Florence.
Will I have to pay utilities?
Yes, more than likely. In Florence they can run anywhere from $30-$200 depending on your use. There is also a Utility deposit. These deposits are set by the landlord/lady. Obviously, if you live in a Hotel or Hostel, you will NOT have to pay utilities or provide deposits.
Will I have access to a washing machine and/or dryer?
Again, this will depend upon which apartment you, the student, finally decide on. If there is NO washing machine or dryer where you live, you will need to find one once you're in Florence.
Books: When will I receive my books or class materials for my classes?
For U.S. students: Generally books are mailed around May 1st to the temporary address you listed on your application. Should you change address, you will need to notify us of your new address ASAP. If you leave the U.S. before you receive your books, you, the student, would pay USD to Fed Ex them to you in Europe. Fed Ex can cost anywhere from $50-$200 depending on your classes. Casebooks are heavy! If you attend school in San Diego, you would pick-up your books and/or photocopied materials at our office, Law School (Warren Hall) room 310. If you fail to pick up your class materials, we will Fed Ex them to your site and bill you.
For students coming from outside the United States: If you are attending 1 or 2 programs, your books and/or photocopied materials may either be sent to you or to your chosen site. If sent to the site, you will need to pick them up from either the Director, or the Administrative Assistant at that site.
FOR ALL STUDENTS:
You will receive the first set of information sheets with your acceptance letter about 1 week after we have received your initial deposit amount(s) and the last set of information sheets on your chosen program(s) will be sent out in April. Sometimes it can take 2-3 weeks for air mail to arrive in various countries around the world, so please be patient.
Course Changes: What if I want to change classes once I have initially signed up?
No problem and no charge if you do this before April 1st. If you change ON or AFTER April 1st, then there is a fee of $50 for each law course you change/switch, and you may change/switch only if we have the class materials/books for your new classes.
Thomas Cooley and Indiana Univ-Bloomington students must obtain permission to change classes from either Prof Bill Weiner-Thomas Cooley or Dean Len Fromm-Indiana. Then Prof Weiner or Dean Fromm will alert USD-San Diego to the approved change.
Law Class Additions: Can I add a class once I am in Florence?
Yes, but you will be charged for the new materials and the add fee. If it is only photocopied materials, and the materials have to be photocopied at your site(s), you will have to pay these charges as well. If books are not on site, you will have to pay for USD-San Diego to Fed Ex the new book(s) to you. You would pay for all extra costs via USD's on-line E-Pay system by either an e-check or via credit card only. (Visa credit cards are not accepted) No payments are to be made on-site to anyone.
Thomas Cooley and Indiana Univ-Bloomington students must obtain permission to add classes from either Prof Bill Weiner-Thomas Cooley or Dean Len Fromm-Indiana. Then Prof Weiner or Dean Fromm will alert USD-San Diego to the approved change. If you increase your class load, you will be charged accordingly.
Law Classes: Can I drop a class once I am in Florence?
Yes, however, there will be no refund of any monies paid. Be aware that if you took out loans, you may have to repay monies back to your lender. Contact the Financial Aid Office at your home school for further information.
Thomas Cooley and Indiana Univ-Bloomington students must obtain permission to drop classes from either Prof Bill Weiner-Thomas Cooley or Dean Len Fromm-Indiana. Then Prof Weiner or Dean Fromm will alert USD-San Diego to the approved change.
Language Classes: Can I add or drop in Florence?
Yes, if you add a language class while in Florence, you will need to pay a course fee of $85 per person for Survival or Intermediate Italian via USD's e-pay system only. USD DOES NOT accept Visa credit cards, only MasterCard, American Express or Discover card. Please go to Making a Payment for more information and the link. No monies are to be paid on site.
If you signed up and paid USD-San Diego for the language class fee and then drop it while in Florence, there is no refund.
Exams: What time do the exams start and finish?
Your exams start at 9 am on June 20 and June 21 and take about 2-4 hours. Do not plan to leave on a flight before 3 pm on Saturday, June 21 if you have an exam that morning. EXAMS ARE NEVER GIVEN IN ADVANCE.
Payments: If my school and USD sign a Consortium/Visiting Student Agreement, do I still have to make the scheduled payments?
Yes, payments must be kept up. Once you have paid the USD Study Abroad Program a total of $800, which is due at USD by April 21th your final payment of the balance due must be received at USD no later than May 12th for law classes and/or language class. If any of the scheduled payments are missed then you will not be able to take advantage of the early payment discount.
See Early Payment Discounts and Payment Due Dates
If you are going to 2 sites, Florence and then on to either Dublin, London, Oxford, or Paris then an initial deposit amount of $400 is due with your application or $450 is due with your application, if you wish USD to provide you with housing in Dublin or Oxford only. Then follow the payment schedule. Payment in full for both sites for tuition and any language courses must be received at USD no later than May 12th. (we do not provide housing in Barcelona, Florence or Moscow Russia). Remember housing through USD is optional. You may secure housing on your own. However, USD will not be able to help you secure housing on your own.
If any of the scheduled payments are missed then you will not be able to take advantage of the early pay discount. Discounts do not apply to Partner Schools students, Scholarship students or Tuition Remission students.
Credit Cards accepted
USD accepts Mastercard, Discover, and American Express credit cards to pay your costs for tuition and language classes in Florence. Visa credit cards are not accepted by USD for any payments. Please click on this link Credit Card payment information.
Also, you must initially pay through our office and not through USD's Student Accounts, E-Pay or Cashier's office.
What about returned personal checks?
Should a U.S. dollar personal check bounce and it is returned back to USD, there is a chance of you being withdrawn from the program for non-payment. USD puts returned checks back through two (2) times before the Study Abroad office is notified of a bad check. USD will not resubmit this check after 2 tries. Re-payment must then be made immediately and arrive at our office within 2 business days by either a U.S. Money Order, U.S. Cashier's Check, or a Wire Transfer only. If your check is returned back to us for any reason, there will be a $40 bank/administrative fee will be charged to your account..
Discounts: Will I be able to receive a discount if I pay early?
Yes, go to Early Payment Discounts and Payment Due Dates for more information.
Will I receive 2 discounts if I am taking 2 programs?
No, only one discount applies.
Refunds: If I withdraw from the program, what type of refund will I receive
Please go to Florence Refund Policy for more information.
What if I am Academically Disqualified and I decide not to attend the Florence program, will I receive a full refund of both Tuition and any housing amount I have already paid?
Please go to Florence Refund Policy for more information.
Exchanging Money: What is the best way to deal with money for the summer program in Florence?
There are three principle ways of getting the cash you need: traveler's checks, Automated Teller Machine cards (ATM's), and credit cards.
First, estimate how much cash you will need for the program. Then add $500 in case of an emergency. This is the amount of cash you will need at your disposal.
Traveler's checks in U.S. dollars are always accepted, even when traveler's checks in the local currency are not. While the standard charge for Traveler's Checks checks is 1% of face value, it is often possible to obtain them free. AAA does this for its members, and many banks provide them free for significant account-holders. When cashing them in Europe, a better rate is often provided than when changing cash.
ATM cards are a good way to receive cash. In addition to your card, you need a PIN number that is valid in Europe. Check with your bank to be sure that you have one. You are limited to the same withdrawal as at home, and it can sometimes involve major math to figure out how much you will be allowed. The major problems with the ATM solution are fees and cash. There may be two fees involved, one from your bank, and another from the bank that owns the ATM machine. The fees can easily total more than $10 so it makes no sense to withdraw less than the maximum allowed, as fees are imposed on each transaction. In addition, you can only withdraw money if you have it in your account. Both the Plus and Cirrus systems are well-represented in Florence; check with your bank if you have only the Star system about Florence.
One should probably charge as much as possible on a credit card. Visa and MasterCharge are universally accepted; American Express and Diners less so; Discover not at all. The exchange rate is pretty good, there are no transaction fees, and the bill need not be paid for at least a month. Using your credit card to take a cash advance will also work if you have the correct PIN number, but interest begins accruing immediately, and there is usually a fee for the loan. So this is the more expensive alternative.
American Express traveler's checks can be cashed anywhere. However, be aware that some AmEx offices will cash them for you and then charge you a commission to do so. The American Express office is located at: Via Dante Alighieri, 20-22. From the Duomo, walk down to Via dei Calzaiuoli; then turn LEFT onto Via dei Tavolini. They're on the little piazza at the end. They're open M-F 9am-5:30pm and on Sat from 9am-12:30pm.
Normally, the best rates for changing money are NOT found at the airport, because banks at the airport have a monopoly. However, it is usually better to change at the airport than to buy foreign money before leaving the U.S. Once settled, students exchange information about good places to change money. It is usually disadvantageous to change money at night or on weekends because the number of places open then limits the competition. Two factors determined how advantageous the exchange might be: the rate and the commission. Many places offer exchange with no commission, but usually give less favorable rates.
Past students have said the Bank of Napoli was the best place, but usually any bank will do. They don't usually charge a commission and have better rates of exchange.
Health Insurance: What about my health insurance?
U.S. STUDENTS ONLY: All U.S. students should provide to our office evidence of medical insurance valid in England by sending us a photocopy of your insurance card showing the dates you are covered. We recommend the International Student ID Card, which costs about $25.00. It provides some medical and travel insurance and student discounts. International Student ID cards can be obtained from STA Travel or call 1-858-544-9632 or 1-800-226-8624 or at the USD UC Box Office. You should bring a passport size photo when purchasing this card. The USD Campus Card Services office in the Bookstore (Loma Hall) now offers passport pictures - $10 for 2 pictures. If you choose this option, please mail/bring a readable copy of the International Student ID Card to our office. Mail us a copy of your proof of insurance, (USD Law School, Attn: Ms Darlene Smith, 5998 Alcala Pk LS 310, San Diego, CA 92110-2492) or scan it as an attachment to an e-mail (no faxes) to Ms Darlene Smith darlenes@sandiego.edu. We strongly suggest that you keep any health insurance you have current. Otherwise you can purchase your health insurance coverage commercially, through your parents insurance, through AAA (if you, your spouse or your parents are a member). You should double check that it covers you during your summer trip. For more general travel info contact: STA Travel or call 1-858-544-9632, or 1-800-226-8624.
Also, if you are keeping your current insurance for the entire summer, double check with the company to ensure that your current insurance covers you while you are in Europe. Ask if they will reimburse your out-of-pocket expense for doctor, prescriptions, etc. when you return to the U.S., if you provide them with receipts. A doctor's visit alone can cost $50 plus whatever medications in case you run into problems. Our USD-Florence office will have the names of English speaking doctors.
Medications/Glasses: What about my medications/glasses?
We strongly suggest that you bring at least an extra months supply of whatever medications you take, along with an extra pair of glasses/contacts or a prescription for your glasses/contacts. You also should bring a letter and a prescription from your doctor. Also, remember, Florence is high in pollen content. So bring over the counter allergy medicine, even if you do not normally have any allergies. Students in the past who generally do not have this type of problem, encountered it in Florence.
Local transport: Tell me about transportation within Florence.
Local bus transportation within Florence is easy and efficient.
Buses: ATAF
Buses generally run from 6am - 1am; schedules vary by line. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated by the punch-machine on board, or you will have to pay a fine of about $65.00. Tickets cost about $1.75 for 1 hour or $2.25 for 3 hours; a 24 hour pass runs about $5.00; a 3 day pass costs about $9.00. Obtain a bus map at the ATAF office outside the station. Bus tickets can be purchased at either a newspaper stand or Tabac/Tabacchi (cigarette sellers).
Bike and Moped Rental: MotoRent:
Via S Zanobi, 9 (tel 49.02.13) Bikes start at about $2.00 per hour or about $13.00 per day; Mopeds start at about $6.00 per hour and about $25.00 per day or about $125 per week. No license is required but you must be 18 or over - bring ID.
What about program organized legal activities?
In 2007 the Florence students visited the Aula Bunker Law Courts; a guest speaker discussed the Italian legal system from the perspective of a U.S. attorney practicing in Florence; a guided tour of the Accademia in the evening; there was also a legal theme tour of the Plazzo Vecchio.
What about program organized tourist activities?
In 2007 the following was organized: A walking tour of Florence, including the Palazzo Vecchio, churches of Santa Croce, Duomo, and Santa Maria Novella; students also took a guided tour of the Uffizi museum. There was also a bus trip to Siena, tour of the city, lunch, and a visit to the vineyards in Chianti. The final dinner was held at Aurora Restaurant in a four star hotel overlooking Florence from the rim of Fiesole. Costs were determined by how many students signed up. There was also a Florentine cooking class offered that many students signed up for.
Dress Code:
There is none for classes, but in Italy, neither shorts nor bare shoulders are appropriate in churches or synagogues. Some will not even let you in if you are not dressed appropriately. So go prepared!
References: Names and addresses of former students.
If you would like some names and phone numbers of previous Florence students, send an e-mail to: cking@sandiego.edu and she will e-mail you back the info.
For more information click here Florence Tips - General
Send an e-mail to us should you have more questions that were not answered in these FAQ's or in the Florence Tips - General section and we will e-mail you back.
If you find an error, please let Ms Cindy King know the exact address where the error was found, (www.sandiego.edu/lawabroad/........) cut and paste into your e-mail, so that it can be corrected. Thank you! cking@sandiego.edu or Ms Darlene Smith darlenes@sandiego.edu
*Copyright © Durant Imboden, Europe for Visitors. Used by permission.
Questions: