Here are some general rules, tips, and expectations to help you become accustomed to your new home!

• The apartments used by The Florence University of the Arts housing are different from college dormitory and apartment living in the United States. As a result, your behavior and demeanor must reflect this difference. As members of a community, you will have responsibilities to the city where you live and to your neighbors. You should strive to enhance the quality of life and safety of the neighborhood you share.

 

• To help maintain good relations with your neighbors, keep in mind that you are part of a community and your actions affect your neighbors. Although your residency is temporary, recognize that most of your neighbors are living in their primary residence which they own. Please be sensitive to the lifestyle of your neighbors. Most residents enjoy the arrival of American students and you should do your part to foster that relationship. Most residents work full time and many may have families with young children, so keep excessive noise to a minimum at all times.

 

• Each apartment is equipped with basic furnishings and supplies, including single beds, bed linens, a closet/clothing storage space, basic cookware and tableware, a table and chairs and a furnished sitting area. Desks, when available, are to be shared by all occupants. Each student is expected to provide his/her own paper and cleaning products as well as replace light bulbs. Most apartment units are provided with a washing machine.  There are NO DRYERS and NO TOWELS provided in Florence!

 

• It is anticipated most apartments will be equipped with a personal computer (PC) and have unlimited, no additional cost access to the  internet. A landline phone will be provided which will provide unlimited calls to other landlines. Calls to cellular phones and calls outside of Italy incur additional cost and can be effected with the use of a calling card. Unlimited incoming calls may be received without incurring any additional cost. In the event a particular unit is not equipped with internet/phone line, a cellular phone will be provided and a partial refund made. Computer and phone are shared among unit residents.

 

• Not All Apartments Are the Same. In Florence, not all apartments are created equal. Although the apartments vary in location, style and size, all of them provide the essentials. Please try to understand this fact and accept it as part of your experience in Florence. Do not immediately compare your apartment with those of other students.

 

• As part of your initial application, your FUA form included housing forms where you were able to provide a roommate request. Should you like to make a last-minute request, please email your program coordinator and they will do their best to assist you with the request.

 

• Housing placements will be sent no earlier than 2 weeks prior to arrival!

Please note that although CISabroad makes every effort to provide your preferred form of housing, we cannot guarantee that all personal preferences are met. We have carefully selected safe and adequate housing for each student and each living arrangement is distinct and special in its own way.

Every housing placement is different with different pros and cons. Your accommodations will be different than what you may have come to expect back at home. In general, be prepared for a relatively small living space in an older building with very basic amenities. Now is the time to open your mind and get ready to experience something different; this attitude is in the spirit of your decision to study abroad. Please also remember, that when you are abroad, you will be representing your home institution and your home country; please behave appropriately.

There are no housing changes allowed during the first 2 weeks of the program. There is a natural adjustment period to life abroad and making any housing change decisions during this time is usually premature.

Cleanliness:
Please keep your room and the common areas clean; this is especially important when you are sharing a bedroom, apartment, residence, or dormitory.

Noise:
In order to avoid disturbing the neighbors or housemates, please use headphones when listening to music, or keep the volume low, and please keep your voices down. By law, quiet is imperative between 9:30 pm and 8:00 am, and again after 1:00 pm until 3:30 pm; please respect this law by keeping noise to minimum.

Utilities and use:

• Always turn off the lights when you leave the apartment and when you are not in the room.
• Apartments are not provided with air conditioning; instead, keep cool the Italian way –during the day, Italians traditionally keep their shutters and serrande closed against the heat of the sun. Please note: Fans are available!

Safety:

• You should lock the apartment door at all times. Also, when leaving the apartment, make sure the windows are closed and locked. Neither the study abroad company nor the housing company will be responsible for any stolen items.
• If the keys to the apartment are stolen, lost or misplaced, all locks to the apartment will have to be replaced at the student’s expense, including key copies for all apartment members.
• If the keys are left inside the apartment/bedroom and the locksmith has to open the door for the you, you will have to pay for this service.
• It is strictly forbidden to throw any object or substance from windows, balconies, terraces or roofs. This includes keys, cigarette butts or anything else big or small.

Guests and Alcohol Policies:

• Disrespectful behavior related to alcohol consumption will end up in dismissal from the housing and you will have to find your own housing at your own expense.
• Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the apartment.
• The consumption of drugs, as well as keeping or dealing with them, is absolutely prohibited.
• Overnight guests are NOT permitted.

Financial Liability:

• You will have to pay for any damage done to the apartment (doors, walls, floors, furniture, kitchen supplies, washing machine, etc.).
• If extra time is needed to clean the apartment, or if items are damaged or missing, you will be charged and those charges will be deducted from your housing deposit. Housing deposits will be returned 8-12 weeks after the program has ended

Helpful tips for living with other people:

• Respect  other people that live in the building.
• Remember that you are not on a college campus and not in your own home. Respect the property and get out of the “college campus” mentality.
• Talk to your roommates if they do something that bothers you. Talking it through is the easiest way to solve a small problem before it gets bigger.
• Talk to the staff if a problem arises and you cannot work it out with your roommates.

Warning process:

• If any of the above rules are broken, you will receive a first verbal warning. This warning will also be written and sent to your sending study abroad program and your home school.
• The second infraction of any of the above rules will result in you being evicted from your apartment. You will need to find a new place to live at your own expense.
• Please read through all of our behavior policies noted in the CISabroad Policy Handbook, linked in the participant portal!