Details

• Italy
• MASIMC-17
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Look into old course catalogues of the university where you want to go on exchange and check for possible fitting classes that you can get credits for. Reach out to students (in best case from the same master) that have been at that university to get some insights that help you choose the right universities to apply for. Think about which locations you are interested and can see yourself living there. But also keep in mind academic compatibility.

2. Accommodation

Searching for accommodation in Rome is hard! But don't lose hope, you will find a solution. But be careful when looking. There are so many scams around even on platforms that are credible. So really check whether the flat exists, is actually available and looks the way it is promoted. Some people go for spotahome. But you can also find apartments in other ways. I would recommend, to start looking early enough. Start by joining WhatsApp groups of other students and ask around friends, who might know someone in Rome. Safest way is to take over a room of someone living in a shared flat. I was very lucky that after a long search, I was able to get an apartment through private distant connections. Generally, it is probably less expensive to look for a shared flat rather than an apartment all by your own. There are also student residences but there are super hard to get. I dont really know how they are. But from what I have heard you can definitely get an apartment for the same price. Location wise I would definitely give 1 recommendation. Look for something close to uni!!! Roman public transportation is terrible and cannot be trusted. Courses can be spread through the week and most of my friends had classes everyday. If you are then depending on a bus that is only arriving whenever they feel like it, the commute to uni can be horrible. Thus, try to find something in walking distance around 20 min walk I would suggest. The Via Romania campus is situated in Parioli. The area is a bit more expensive but sometimes you can also find good student apartments in that area. A close area, with many students is also Trieste & Salaria. These 3 areas are really nice to live in and you can mostly walk to university. They are also all very safe. Try to avoid living close to Termini.

3. Academic life at host university

I have only been to the campus in Via Romania so I can only talk about that campus. Overall, it is a very beautiful campus with a big garden that hosts many study/ seating areas outside. However, inside there is nearly no space for studying. There is also no library. Most classrooms are on the smaller side. Entry to the campus is only possible through showing a QR code of your LUISS App account at the security. This app stores many information of the university. It also tracks attendance. You have to sign attendance within the first 20 min of the class while being in the exact classroom as it tracks your location. This often was a cause of IT problems and was reason for some chaos. Some professors track attendance on their own. Overall attendance is mandatory to 70-80%. But it really depends on the teacher how strict it is. There is a mensa where you can get a lunch menu. However, I have never been there to eat. The eating area was under construction for most of the time I was there. Outside in the garden area you can also find a very good cafe where you can get cheap coffee. You can also get coffee on the hallways from an automat. Overall, I had the impression that the teaching style is very interactive. They put their focus on soft skills and it is all very much practice oriented. Of course, this depends on which course you are taking.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public Transportation: The probably only reliable thing is the metro. However, I nearly never used it as I lived 20 min walking distance from the closest metro. To get to uni I could walk 10 min, which was very beneficial as the buses just come whenever they want or don't come at all. Also public transportation strikes nearly once every week. So if you can find a living situation where you walk to university that is probably best. If you do take the bus make sure to use the App Moovit. There you can see the most accurate times when a bus is supposed to come. If the time is black, it is just the suggested time and you dont know if the bus will come. If the time is yellow or green the bus will actually come. I did not buy a monthly ticket as most of the times I just walked every where. You get used to walking a lot in Rome and after 1 week a 30 min walking distance will be "just a short walk". If you do take the bus there is an easy tap and go machine in all transportation. I can also recommend to look for 1 line of public transport that gets you closer to where you want to go and then walk from there. Having to change lines could become tricky. For me when I went to the city centre I either walked or I took a bus that always took me to the same spot and then walked from there to my final destination. On my way back home I did the same: trying to find a bus stop where as many possible lines that take my home leave and walk there. When you want to go to Ostia to enjoy time at the beach there is the metro mare that takes you directly there which is very nice. Safety: Safety in Rome really depends on the area. Generally, in the public transportation and touristy crowded areas be aware of pickpockets. As long as you are aware of it, it will be no problem at all. During the night try to avoid Termini. It is a very unsafe area and not nice. But all the areas close to uni are very safe and nice. Social / leisure activities etc.: There are soooo many,. Rome has endless things to do. From countless good spots for aperitivos, dinner, lunch etc. to museums. If you want to be sporty I recommend going for a run in Villa Borghese you can really extend your run quite far. Also there are many sporty activities by ERA where you can do yoga / pilates in the park or join a running club, soccer team etc. by just paying a small fee at the beginning of the semester. Rome also has so many sunset spots.

6. Testimonial

My time in Rome was amazing and I would recommend it to everyone. I did not think that I would feel so much at home in such a chaotic and touristy city. The city has so much more to offer than the Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps. So much hidden gems away from tourists. The city offers stunning sunsets nearly every day. You can get amazing food at nearly every corner and can go for aperitivo every day of the week. Even though the chaotic city and way of living may feel disturbing at first, when coming from a city like Vienna, but over time you get to see the "beauty" in it. Now being back in Vienna I always wonder where the honking of the car has gone. I miss delicious espressi for 80 cents and cornetti for 1 euro and can recommend to everyone to apply for an exchange to Rome.