Global Education Ventures | Urbino study abroad
"Benvenuti" Students
The decision you have taken to embark on an international study abroad program is an enormous step forward in your life, opening doors to a cultural, social and academic experience that will remain as one of the most important, rewarding and unforgettable experiences.
You will probably travel often in your lifetime, but nothing will equal your study abroad trip; you will be surrounded by fellow classmates and explore history, architecture and art with academic professionals who will lead you through this adventure in the most profound and committed manner.
I remember many years ago when I made the same decision you did. I was a landscape architecture student living in California, and although I had traveled extensively I had never experienced anything like it working in a classroom abroad, surrounded by a completely different landscape, people and customs.
Studying and traveling with the professors, learning history, art and architecture through their knowledge and experience has proven to be invaluable. Today after all these years as I come back to the cities that I had visited with my fellow students I “see” our built and natural landscapes through different lenses. I am open to cultural differences and have a deeper understanding of how these systems work, giving me an unmistakable advantage in my personal and professional life.
Beyond the great academic advantage, the most emotive moments were spent discovering the culture, the way people lived, how they related to their surrounding, learning the language and having fun just “being away”, as well as making friends that would last a life time and prove to be critical connections for the future.
As your departure date nears, you are probably starting to prepare for your time abroad. We want to make this international transition as easy and enjoyable as possible; this is why we have created several resources that will be sent to you via email by your faculty prior to departure.
Once you are in Urbino you will receive additional information on living in Urbino, academic policies and procedures, and other pertinent program information such as telephone numbers, activities and other services available to you. We will continue to prepare for your arrival and look forward to meeting you in person when you join us in Urbino.
Information
GETTING TO URBINO FROM BOLOGNA
Charter Bus
Students arriving at Bologna airport will have a charter bus available that will take you directly to Urbino. You need to arrive the date and time that was suggested by your faculty so that you travel as a group. The charter bus will not wait passed a certain time, thus, if you miss this bus you will have to get to Urbino on your own.
Missed Charter Bus We suggest you have an American cell phone with you and contact us in order to let us know how you are planning to arrive and when.
Our cell phones:
Mirko Marinelli: 00 39 335-6868-641
Eugenia Esposito: 00 39 334-7052-964
If your flight arrives delayed or very late in the evening we suggest you have a back-up plan and spend the night in Bologna and travel to Urbino the next day. You should have a list of economic hotels in Bologna near the train station. The last train from Bologna to Pesaro is at 10:00pm, thus, if you cannot make this train you need to stay in Bologna for one night.
Note: It has occurred several times that studentís flights arrive the next day, or are delayed. Please do your research ahead for hotels to stay in Bologna, you never know and you might have to spend the night, so it is best you are prepared. You can do a Google search for economical hotels near the train station in Bologna.
Bologna Airport
Aerobus shuttle or Taxi to Bologna Centrale (train station) train from Bologna to Pesaro
Bus or Taxi from Pesaro to Urbino
Shuttle Bologna Airport is located 2 hours from Urbino, it is a large, busy airport. Once you get check out you walk out to the main entrance and you take a bus/shuttle: AEROBUS, this bus runs every 10min. and takes you to the Stazione Centrale (the main train station of Bologna) the cost of the bus: 8 Euros.
TAXI: You can also take a taxi from Bologna Airport to Bologna Centrale, the cost is 16 Euros.
Bologna Train Station: From this train station you take a train that goes directly from Bologna to Pesaro, check departure time!!
www.trenitalia.com or go directly to the ticket office, purchase and validate your ticket - This train runs every 20min and goes from 4:40am to 10:00pm, cost of the ticket depends on the type of train, usually price starts at 10 Euros and goes up to 20 Euros.
You get off in Pesaro, make sure you are paying attention to the stops since Pesaro is NOT the last stop.
PESARO TO URBINO:
TAXI
Given the amount of hours you have been traveling, the fact that you have heavy luggage and that it is your first time traveling in Italy, we highly suggest you take a taxi directly from Pesaro to your campus in Urbino. The cost for the taxi is 55-60 Euros. Make sure you ask the driver how much the cost is before you take the cab.
PUBLIC BUS
As soon as you walk out of the train you walk towards the parking lot and there you will find the bus station. Look for Adriabus.
Adriabus lines you would take are the following:
Linea 46 Speedy
Linea 46 Rapida
Bus line hours: Bus hours change every semester, you need to take the next bus. However, the LAST bus from Pesaro to Urbino is at 8:00pm
URBINO
The buses will drop you off at one entrance of Urbino: Santa Lucia (parking lot) you will see crowds of students going and coming from all over Italy.
If we know when you are arriving then we most likely will be able to pick you up from the bus stop and take you to your campus. We need to know that you are on the bus, therefore it is important for you to communicate with us. If we cannot pick you up you will need to take a taxi.
Taxi: (may cost max. 6-8 euro) and have the cab drop you off at the dorm Building (Casa della Studentessa), where your dorms are located. You can share the cost of the taxi with other fellow students. This will probably be the first and only time you take a Taxi, but it may be worth it.
Most likely one of us will be will be at the reception, if not, the reception is open 24 hours and they know that you are arriving so you give them your passports and they will give you your keys.
In order to avoid complicated train connections and having to travel with your luggage around Italy WE HIGHLY suggest that students fly into Rome and take the direct bus that goes to Urbino from Roma Tiburtina:
Roma Fiumicino Airport
Shuttle from Fiumicino to Triburtina (train/bus station)
Direct bus from Triburtina to Urbino
From Fiumicino (Roma - main airport)
Upon your arrival students need to take an internal train FM1 (not the Leonardo Express which drops you off at Roma Termini) that will drop you off at Roma Tiburtina (45 min ride). From Tiburtina train station you walk outside the train station’s main entrance and you will find the bus station, from this bus station you take a direct bus line: Ami & Bucci (www.adriabus.eu) that goes from Roma to Urbino platform number: 15, travel time: 4 hrs. cost 40 Euros, this bus drops you off at Urbino’s main bus stop.
TICKET: it is best to have exact change for the bus, cost 40 Euros. please bring Euros to avoid problems.
Bus
Roma to Urbino:
Monday – Saturday:
Departs Roma 2:45 pm arriving at Urbino at 18:55 pm
Departs Roma 5:45pm arriving at Urbino 9:55pm
And\or
Sundays Only:
Departs Roma 5:45pm arriving at Urbino at 9:55pm (only on Sundays)
Missed Bus:
In order to make the 5:45pm bus you must arrive at Fiumicino, no later then 2:30pm.
In order to make the 4:00pm bus you must arrive at Fiumicino in the morning, no later then 1:00pm. If you missed or cannot make the bus your best option is to stay in Rome, at a hotel or Hostel (please have this information with you: names and phone numbers of places to stay in Rome). Take the earliest bus to Urbino the next morning.
Option 2: You can take the next train to the city of Pesaro, look up the schedule:(www.trenitalia.com), once you are in Pesaro outside the train station you can take a Taxi, cost to Urbino: 65 Euros. This option is expensive and not recommended, it will cost you less to stay in Rome and travel the next day, it is also not recommended for students with little to no travel experience.
GETTING TO YOUR CAMPUS
DORMS
Upon your arrival you will check into your dorms.
Your dorms are very basic: double-bed room with shared bath, closet, desk and a phone where you family and friends can call you. The landline number will be given to you when you do the check-in, you can only use this phone for incoming calls or to call other dorms.
Sheets, blankets and towels are provided. Cleaning is performed once per week of all public spaces.
GEV will provide students with extra blanckets
There is WiFi in your dorms but it does not alays work and it is not very fast.
PHONE AND INTERNET
Italian Cell Phones
We suggest that you bring your American cell phones in order to be connected when you arrive in Rome, at least you can use tex messaging to connect with us, your fellow classmates and faculty.
Not all American cell phones work in Italy and the cost of American phones in Italy is very high.
You can rent or buy a cell phone with an Italian number which you can use the entire time you are in your program. You can charge as much money into this phone as needed in any Tabacchi store throughout Italy. You basically pay what you consume.
Family and friends from the US can call you at this phone YOU DO NOT PAY FOR INCOMING calls, only outgoing calls.
If you what to rent a cell phone it is best if you advise your faculty and GEV managers prior to your arrival. You can also let us know when you are in Italy.
Internet Connection
Students have WiFi connection in their studios 24 hours, and also in their dorms. Studio WiFi is faster and more reliable.
Every student will have 24 hour access to their studio.
MONEY & MAIL
It is very important that you arrive in Italy with Euros, at least 200 Euros in pocket cash. You never know what you may need or what can happen when you travel, nobody will accept American dollars, unless you go to an currency exchange office inside the airport, but you may find them closed, or a long line, therefore, in order to avoid added stress to your travel, it is best you have some pocket money as soon as you arrive.
ATM and Credit Cards
You must advise your bank about your stay in Italy and your travels throughout Europe, if your bank is not informed they will most likely put a hold on your accounts, it has happend to several students in the past. Bank of America ATM’s do not have fee charges if you use BNL ATM’s in Italy for cash withdrawls. If you need to recieve cash from home the best option is to have family members deposit cash into your cheking account.
MAIL:
If your family or friends are planning to send packages or any kind of mail, it is important that the address is written EXACTLY as shown:
Collegio Internazionale
Student Name and room number ( UTSA group )
Piazza San Filippo, 2
Urbino (PU) 61029
Italia
IMPORTANT:
Please keep in mind that packages can take up to three weeks to arrive. Also, if your family and friednds declare a value for your package then you will have to pay taxes base on the value you declare of your items. If you have anybody send you medications you need to declare them and have a prescription with you to claim medications. Italian customs WILL block your package if they discover medications and food, you will have to fill many forms and probably you will not be able to receive the package if it gets stoped at customs.
Sending regular packages from Italy to the US (www.posteitaliane.it) is expensive and can take from 1 to 3 months to arrive.
You may use other private Express mail company:
www.dhl.it
www.fedex.com
MEDICAL CARE
All study abroad students need to have purchased medical travel insurance. You must be aware that if you need medical care in Italy you must pay out of pocket for your medical care, your medical insurance will reinburse you onnce you are back in the US, you will have to provide a copy of your medical reciepts and/or prescriptions.
Medical Visits
Private medical visits in Italy can cost between 80 and 200 Euros depanding on the medical specialits that you need to see, this cost does not include the cost of lab test, that can run from 30 to 400 Euros.
Urbino Hospital
Urbino has a very well serviced hospital which is located close proximity to the campus. In the event that you need to use the hospital for any emergencies.
Campus Medical Care
Students have access to a doctor who is on-campus two days per week, this doctor is generally free of charge and can see students for minor health issues (cold, Flu).
IMPORANT-Prescription Medication:
PLEASE NOTE: if you are taking any prescription medications PLEASE bring these from the US, and bring the amount you will need for the entire length of your stay. Many US drugs are illegal in Italy and doctors will NOT prescribe them to you, having these shipped from the US is complicated and long problem since they will have tp go through customs, and may not be released.
Travel
Packing: Every semester students arrive with large and extra large luggae, sometimes more then two suitcases bags and backpacks. Keep in mind most flights from the US only allow one suitcase for check-in, any other luggage will be charge extra, from 150 to 200 dollars.
The best way to travel, especially to Europe where space is a premium and most of your tarvel will be through the use of public transportation, is LIGHT, bring only the essentials. Once you liveing in Italy and traveling with other students you will realize how little you need, you will not want to be hauling around your belongings, up and down staircases, in and out of trains, it will come down to the basics and, as other students do every semester, you will end up shipping things back to the US prior to your departure, spending hefty fees at the local post office.
IMPORTANT: If you plan to travel throughout Europe we seggest that you bring a travel backpack, low costs flights allow only one pice of luggage (size of a large backpack), also students end up purchasing these in Italy and paying more then if they would have purchased them in the US.
Academic and other day trips: Most, if not all of you academic field trips are covered from your program fees, hotel and transportation and sometimes most of your museum entrance fees. Meals are not coverd, only breakfast. Students will have many options for economic meals given that academic trips are located in large well-services cities and towns with a variety of restaurants, cafes and fast food chains.
Weekly day trips (Italy): Once per week GEV offers a same day trip within Italy, these trips are varied and include cultural sites, agricultural experiences, hikeing and other related activities. These trips are not mandatory and cost between 10 and 30 Euros per trip per student.
Italy Travel: On weekends or during your short breaks you will most likely be traveling Italy , from Urbino you will take a bus to the city of Pesaro ( 45min.) and from Pesaro’s bus
