Interns
Congratulations on being accepted into the SITE Program! This page is dedicated to making your life easier both before and during the internship. Please refer to the specific categories to get the information you need. If you still have questions that we did not answer here, do not hesitate to contact us at site@gentileschilit
The Università degli Studi di Milano has published a vademecum for foreign students dealing with the issues below. We think you might find it helpful: http://www.unimi.it/studenti/foreign_students/77453.htm#c77455
Entry Visa and Permesso di Soggiorno
Unless you are an EU/EEA passport holder, you will need to complete a series of procedures in order to enter and stay in Italy for the duration of your internship. As you are probably aware, Italian laws and regulations can be extremely bureaucratic and involve several steps, which may generate confusion even to the savviest. As if that wasn't complicated enough, it is not uncommon for different agents in public offices to interpret the laws in different ways, which can be very frustrating. Please carefully read this guide, which has all the necessary information for you to obtain your entry visa and your residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).
Health Insurance
In order to obtain your entry visa and permesso di soggiorno you will have to show proof of health insurance. On this page, we will give you direction on what your options are and how to go about obtaining each of them.
Generally speaking, there are two types of insurance coverage you may obtain upon arrival in Italy: INA Assitalia, which is private and covers emergency room visits only, or the Tessera Sanitaria, which is Italy's public health service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) and which will give access to doctor visits as well. Please read the information on this page to decide which option works best for you.
Teaching Resources
Teaching Assistants are expected to actively work 12 hours per week in the classroom, and do an additional 13 supplemental hours for personal study, planning lessons, holding events, etc. Depending on which school you are placed, your job will consists of either one or a combination of the following:
English classes: you will be working with the teachers of English and assist them with conversation, culture, and some grammar.
CLIL: The Content and Language Integrated Learning methodology focuses on the teaching of various subjects (e.g.: Math, Economics, Geography, History, Social Sciences, etc) in English. In other words, you will be assisting the teacher in doing a few of the modules they would have otherwise done in Italian.
On this page you will find some examples of class materials prepared by former TAs, which will give you a better idea of both kinds of classes.
Housing
This section has been prepared by a team of SITE coordinators and ex-interns. It is the result of personal experiences and it is based on a variety of situations, though it does not refer to any in particular. It is simply an outline of what an intern can reasonably expect; it is a collection of tips and general information on what to expect about housing options in Italy. Your best resource for any housing-related matters will be the advisor that SITE will appoint to you.