Italy

"Advice on Pisa University:

1. Finding accommodation - the host University does not usually provide accommodation, there you have to find somewhere independently. Some useful websites include; www.saimicadove.it, www.easystanza.it, www.subito.it, www.bakeca.it. As well as finding flats on these websites you will also find notices stuck up around the city advertising available rooms. It is fine to ring the numbers on these notices, it's done in quite an informal way unlike in England.  Rent is usually paid in cash, expect to pay around 300-350 euros for a single room. It can be difficult finding a flat for only six months as most landlords like to rent it out for the whole year. However, there are landlords who don't mind, but make sure when/if you sign a contract that you are only signing for the amount of time you are there for. Obviously don't sign a year contract if you are only there for one semester! Rather than houses like in England, there are flats/apartments, which are much smaller, just one floor and not usually a lounge. Location is key when looking for accommodation. Being far from the centre can present you with a few problems.  For example, if you go out in the evening, walking back late at night is not a good idea. This then means you take a taxi which is very expensive.  Also, relying on public transport can be problematic, for example if you are waiting for a bus to go to a lecture it is often late. Being in walking distance of most things is better socially and cheaper, therefore my advice is to sacrifice other things over location.

2. Bus pass in Pisa - for a student it is 12.50 euros monthly. But you can buy bus tickets for a single trip from the bus station, or in the tabacs or on the bus, it's slightly more expensive and there are no machines on the buses in Pisa so you buy it from the driver.

3. Modules - The Pisa module website can be found at: www.omero.humnet.unipi.it .  From when the semester starts, you have four weeks to go to any lecture and then decide which modules you want to do. Once decided, make any changes to the Learning Agreement, take it to the Erasmus Coordinator and then they will fax it to Exeter. Most exams are oral.

4. There is a free Italian course for foreign students called CLI. You can also get 4 credits for this if you choose to, the website it www.cli.unipi.it.

5. Canteen - Mensa is the canteen for students in Pisa. Once given a piece of paper from the Erasmus coordinator, you have to take it to the Math Faculty to get the Mensa card.

6. Remember to take several passport photos for when you register.

7. The Erasmus Society is very good here. It is called ESN Pisa and the website is: www.esnpisa.it their office is on Via Fermi, 8. There is also a Facebook group.

8. There is no campus here, the University buildings are spread around the city.

General information:

1. ALWAYS validate train tickets before getting on the train. Find a little yellow machine (lots of them on the station) that you must slot your ticket into, which then stamps the date and time on your ticket.

2. Be aware - trains are often late, as are buses.

3. Booking trains in advance does not make them any cheaper, unlike in England, so it's fine to buy tickets on the day.

4. You don't need a TV licence in Italy.

5. You may need to get a Fiscal Code (codice fiscale). This is the tax code, and you can get this from the nearest tax office, making sure you take your passport. You may need it when signing a contract for a flat or opening a bank account.

6. If you choose not to open an Italian bank account, Nationwide is a good account to have, as it does not charge you to withdraw money when you are within Europe.

Stephanie Harris studied Italian, she spent her first semester working for Armani in Modena and her second semester studying at the University of Pisa