Housing

Student Apartments

At the Umbra Institute, you will have some housing options. Most students will stay in student apartments or flats, which afford a high degree of independence and allow you to experience university life as Italian students would. General Studies students will live with other Umbra students while Direct Enrollment students will be housed with other international or Italian students in either single or double rooms. Home stays are available upon request. All apartments include wifi access, linens, and shared kitchen facilities where you can prepare your own meals.

Apartments typically house 2-8 students. If you are in the General Studies Program, your roommates will typically be other North American students studying at the Umbra Institute. If you are enrolled in the Intensive Language & Culture Program (full immersion) you will be housed with other intensive learners of Italian. You will most often be allocated double rooms, but some apartments may have single and triple rooms.

All housing will have a kitchen, bathroom and sometimes a lounge area. Basic kitchen utensils provided include dishes, cutlery, pots and pans. Some landlords provide extra amenities for our students, such as televisions, phones, dishwashers and clothes washers, but these items should not be expected.

• Blankets, pillows, sheets and towels are typically supplied, but we recommend that you purchase a set of your own sheets (standard flat double size), pillowcases, towels and washcloths upon arrival.
• There is no meal plan option for this program; apartments are self-catered. The staff of the Institute will be happy to help you locate the nearest markets and grocery stores.
• Apartments are heated during winter, but you should understand that Italian homes are not kept as warm as homes in the U.S. and you might not have control over the temperature or when the heat is turned on/off in your building. Also, be prepared for the fact that apartments in Italy do not have air conditioning.
• Apartments, rooms, and storage spaces are considerably smaller and more simply furnished in Italy as compared to the U.S., so please keep this in mind when you’re packing.
• You will be responsible for keeping your room clean and laundering your own sheets and towels. (There are usually laundromats within walking distance if you do not have a washer in your apartment). Dryers are not common in Italian homes, so expect to line-dry your clothes as the Italians do.

Please be sure to also review the general Italy housing information.