IFS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The program fee covers hotel stay in Gorizia and some meals. Airfare, tuition, books, passport, weekend lodging and travel expenses, are not included in the program fee.

Yes. Ten meals per week: breakfast and dinner are served at the hotel on weekdays.

Approximately $500. Please refer to the expenses page.

No

Including program fee, a typical budget for an in-state student is $7330. Please refer to Expenses Page

The initial $500 deposit is due at the time of application, but subsequent payments may be reduced if a student signs a promissory note agreeing to pay the final balance with financial aid by the May deadline.

Because the Italian Film Studies (IFS) program compresses a 16-week term into 6 weeks, attendance is mandatory at all class meetings.

Each student is required to take exactly 6 hours. Students are given three classes in the program to choose from.

Tuition should be paid by the Institute`s regularly scheduled deadline for summer semester. Tuition is not included in the program fee.

Because there is no airport in Gorizia, students will fly to a neighboring city and then take a bus or train to Gorizia.

Trieste is the closest city with an airport, and students may fly to Trieste and then take a one-hour bus ride to Gorizia (because not all airlines serve Trieste, however, flights are often more expensive). Most students will fly to Venice`s Marco Polo airport and then take a 2.5-hour train ride to Gorizia, but students may choose instead to fly to Vienna or Milan and take the roughly 6-hour train ride from those cities. The coordinator will email information about faculty flights shortly after the Feb. 15 application deadline.

The Italian Film Studies (IFS) program is too small to benefit from the savings provided by a group flight, and many students choose to use frequent flyer benefits to save on airfare. Some students also choose to linger in Europe after the program ends, further complicating the group flight options.

It depends. Rail passes can be cost effective if you plan to use the train frequently or plan to travel long distances. I encourage all students to plan a dream trip of most desirable weekend destinations, and then tally how much train fare will cost to reach those locations, using http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html (remember that prices on this site are in Euros and are for one-way trips only). Then compare the total expense to the cost of a rail pass on the STA web site, http://www.railkey.com/tickets/eurail-italy.asp?AFF=STN. Often, you will find that the rail pass will save money, but if you plan only a few trips, primarily in northern Italy, you might be better off buying tickets individually as you need them. Read the information about the rail pass carefully and consider discussing your plans with a STA agent. Some destinations will require a surcharge in addition to your pass.

Classes end June 19. Students will depart on June 20.

Yes. The first weekend in Gorizia will be a four-day weekend and the remaining three will be three-day weekends. Classes will be held Monday through Thursday.

It`s never to early to start planning. I recommend that students begin by browsing through travel books available at Barnes & Noble or other local bookstores. Choose some dream destinations for the three weekend trips available during the IFS program, and then investigate train times and costs on Trenitalia.com website.

Hostels are a great way to save money, but the cost, quality, and location of hostels can vary. Investigate and book early, using the following web sites

- http://www.hosteleurope.com/
- http://www.eurotrip.com/hostels/
- http://www.guideforeurope.com/europe_hostel_reviews.html

Students will be notified of their acceptance status within three weeks of applying.

No. However, if you`d like to learn, Tech offers an Options class on the Italian language. More details can be found at

In the summer months, temperatures average around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. However, students should also pack for cooler temperatures and occasional rain.

Laptops are convenient for writing papers and for those of you who are internet junkies, but not necessary. There are 3 computers at the school and at least 1 available at the hotel. The hotel offers free wireless internet access. Should you choose to bring your own computer, you will need a plug adapter and possibly a power converter, depending on the make. IFS is not responsible for damage to your laptop resulting from failure to use proper adapter and/or converter.

The voltages and frequencies are different in Italy and the sockets themselves are designed differently. At the very least, you will need to purchase a plug adapter to use your American electrical devices. Depending on how many volts the device is meant to run on, you may need a step-down power converter. Failure to use an adapter and/or converter will most likely result in smoke or fire. For an overview of adapters and converters please visit About.com`s "Electricity in Italy" page:

For questions and comments, contact Dr.Shannon Dobranski via e-mail at "shannon.dobranski[ at ] lcc.gatech.edu" or via phone at (404) 385-0625

Please visit Office of International Education website for application procedure.