Rome - Full-Time Semester Internship

Why Rome?

Live and intern in Rome—the capital and largest city in Italy. Built on 2,500+ years of history, Rome is home to almost 3 million residents. In addition to the world-famous art, architecture, food, and fashion, you’ll find a bustling finance, start-up, and technology scene.

Your Internship

Commute to your internship in Rome via the Metropolitana (railway), bus, tram, or by foot for a picturesque stroll. For lunch, stop into a tavola calda to enjoy a fresh, hot meal and coffee, followed by a scoop of gelato on your walk back to work.

Our program guarantees* an unpaid, for-credit, semester-length internship placement of at least 25 hours per week in the field of your choice. Develop your professional skills, gain real world work experience, and learn to communicate across cultures with the option to take a credit-bearing Italian language course.

Before you leave to intern in Rome, we work with you to find the ideal internship placement that fulfills your career goals. We’ve placed students in a wide variety of organizations and businesses. If we don’t currently work with a business or organization in your field of interest, we will search for a placement that’s right for you.

We want you to feel at home in Rome, so we do everything we can to help you integrate into life in the city. From your placement to housing to cultural activities, our job is to make sure you have the best internship experience possible. If your work schedule allows, join IES Abroad-organized cultural events and field trips to experience the Italian culture and learn more about Italy and its people.

When you arrive in Rome, you’ll be welcomed by our staff at the IES Abroad Rome Center. The Rome Center is your place for instruction, support, and meeting other interns. You also will enroll in a required 3-credit academic internship seminar with other IES Internships students, where you’ll learn about a variety of local business settings and opportunities.

With IES Internships’ dedicated staff and international connections, you can be sure that you’ll find a semester internship in Rome that meets your goals. You’ll learn, and learn to stand out!

PLACEMENT FIELDS:
Past students have interned in placements like the examples listed below. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive We encourage students of all majors to apply.

Tourism company that specializes in unique and creative ways to see Italy
Startup accelerator that provides young startups with funding and networks
Neuroscience research and health care company developing new research and technologies
Archaeological-research organization investigating historical sites around Rome
Creative agency serving companies through both traditional communication and the production of multimedia tools such as web sites, apps, and motion graphics
Center promoting social inclusion for homeless people in a process of welcome, integration, and conviviality
Locally renowned chef-operated cooking school
Well-known Italian wedding planning business
Association founded immediately after the bombing of Iraq in 1991, which promotes solidarity initiatives for Iraqis who suffered during the war
Organization dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of Italy’s unique cultural heritage

Don’t see what you're looking for? Just talk to your IES Internships Representative—new internships in Rome are always being added!

Daily Life

$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid

We firmly believe that financial limitations should not prevent a qualified student from participating in an IES Abroad Program. This is why we commit more than $6 million to our scholarship and aid programs.

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Academics

Before you go, we work with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter, and hone your communication and interview skills as we prepare you for working in a new cultural environment. You’ll be guaranteed a placement at a local business or organization that fits your professional interests.

Academic Seminar

While working in Rome, you’ll also enroll in a required 3-credit internship seminar with other IES interns where you’ll gain context for your internship placement by examining cultural issues in the workplace. Topics covered include:

Understanding workplace culture
Improving communication
Strengthening work attitude and aptitude
Resolving conflicts
Navigating issues, challenges, and opportunities so you can succeed on the job in Rome and when you return home

Personalized Placements
Your internship coordinator will work with you to find a placement in the field of your choice, where you will work for 25 hours per week. We’ve placed past interns at companies and organizations in the following fields:

Archaeology
Arts, Art History & Humanities
Business
Environment & Community Service
Entrepreneurship
Immigration & Social Inclusion
International Development
International Relations & Politics
IT
Journalism
Marketing
Media & Journalism
Social Action
Travel & Tourism
Visual Arts

Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Internships Representative—new internships in Rome are always being added!

Italian Language Courses
You will also have the opportunity to take a 4-credit Italian language course.

Depending on student language levels, the following courses could be offered:

Courses

This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of tentative course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.

Internship Seminar
Course Name	Term	Language	Credits
IN 395 - Internship Seminar	Fall, Spring	English	3

Field Trips & Events

Even though your adventure starts in Rome, our field trips take you outside the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country and beyond. These optional field trips require an additional cost. Here are a few possible destinations.

Pompeii & The Amalfi Coast
2 Days | Fall & Spring
From a guided tour of the archaeological site of Pompeii—which many consider to be the most important archaeological site in the world! —to stunning views of the Amalfi coast, this trip provides fascinating insights into the lives of the ancient Romans and the beauty of modern-day Italy.

Tuscany
2 Days | Fall & Spring

Tour the countryside of one of Italy’s most unique regions, with its gorgeous landscapes and rich artistic legacy. One possible location on this trip is Siena, a city steeped in medieval tradition and the picturesque valleys and vineyards of the Val d’Orcia.

IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.

Daily Life

Part of making you feel at home in Rome is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services.

Orientation

Your program begins at home with our virtual orientation to help you prepare for your IES Abroad experience. Orientation continues once you arrive abroad and introduces you to the IES Abroad Rome staff, your fellow interns, and the city of Rome. Orientation will also include information sessions on professional and cultural expectations and commuting.

You will also be able to opt into a non-credit-bearing, 10-hour Survival Italian Language course so you can confidently explore Rome!

Housing

We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Rome, it will feel like home.

Apartments – Apartments are furnished, single-sex, and generally accommodate four to seven students, with two to three IES Abroad students sharing a bedroom. Internet access is available in every apartment. Meals are not included, but apartments offer fully equipped kitchens. Apartments may also have an Italian Student Companion (ISC), a local Italian student who provides opportunities to engage in cultural activities.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Spend your free time exploring Rome, one of the most photogenic cities in the world, with its beautiful piazzas; breathtaking statues, parks, cathedrals, and fountains and winding historic streets.

Get to Know Your New City

Discover the Ins and Outs of World-Famous Landmarks

The Pantheon, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican…the list of historic sites in Rome is endless. Our programs take you beyond the tourist visits and inside the cultural and historic significance of these landmarks.

Watch Roma Game

Soccer is more than a sport in Italy. Soak in the passion and pride at an A.S. Roma game in the Stadio Olimpico.

Shop at Local Farmer's Market

Spend the morning picking up produce, cured meats, freshly baked bread, and Rome’s famous "supplì" rice meatballs with mozzarella and tomato sauce. Pro tip: Make it a picnic with your local friends and head to a park or piazza to enjoy!

Take in a Panoramic View of the City

While founded on seven hills, Rome is actually surrounded by 10. Take your pick and climb to the top for the best views of the city.

Take a Cooking Class

There’s no denying the mouthwatering food of Rome. Partake in the cooking class, where you’ll learn the techniques and traditions of Roman cooking first-hand.

Program Cost

Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.

Term: Spring 2023
Term	Tuition	Housing	Insurance	Total
Spring 2023	$4,236	$4,175	$230	$8,641

Term: Fall 2022
Term	Tuition	Housing	Insurance	Total
Fall 2022	$4,024	$3,976	$230	$8,230

Scholarships & Aid

Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs

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$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid

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Our Center

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While in Rome, we want to ensure you have every opportunity to immerse yourself in new experiences. That’s why our IES Abroad Rome Center staff is committed to providing outstanding academic and student support services. We take care of the details, so you can soak up every moment of your Rome experience.

The IES Abroad Rome Center is situated in the heart of Rome along the Tiber River across from the Castel Sant’ Angelo. The Center is a newly renovated 1920s-era building within walking distance of the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and the Vatican. Our Center is your connection point for all things IES Abroad.

Take your IES Abroad courses in the Center's multi-media classrooms
Meet up with friends or hang out between class on the Center's rooftop terrace with an incredible city view
Meet with staff in their offices
Study in the reading room, complete with a library and computer lab

Other features include Wi-Fi and printing facilities.

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Our Staff

Dott. Gianni Ponti

Center Director

Dott. Ponti is an archaeologist specialized in Imperial Roman architecture. After earning a BA in Classics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dott. Ponti obtained a Laurea in archaeology from the University of Rome. He has worked on a number of archaeological excavations in the Mediterranean, including Troy, Aphrodisias and Leptis Magna. His studies and research focus on the use of marble in Roman construction, the ancient marble trade, quarrying and carving techniques. Dott. Ponti has worked on a number of excavations in Rome, including the Palatine Hill and the Imperial Fora. He has done research for the Department of Antiquities on a number of conservation projects including the Ara Pacis, the Column of Trajan and the Arch of Constantine. He is currently directing an excavation at the Villa of Maxentius on the Via Appia, as well as conducting architectural studies at Leptis Magna, Libya, with the Università di Rome Tre. Dott. Ponti has taught at the Istituto Centrale del Restauro of the Department of Antiquities and is currently Archaeology Advisor of the American Academy in Rome. He has been teaching archaeology courses at IES Abroad Rome since 2004.

IES Abroad Rome Staff

Sara Coppolella
Student Affairs Assistant

Simona Di Giustino
Academic & Internship Coordinator

Arianna Gaffi
Student Affairs & Housing Coordinator

Luisa Taffara
Center Manager & Administrator

Elisa Bellitto
Administrative Assistant

Naike Valeriano
Extracurricular Activities Coordinator & Customized Programs Coordinator

Francesca Angeli
Academic Assistant

Guilia Lazzarelli
Academic & Customized Programs Assistant

Valentina Pulpito
Front Desk Assistant

Valentina Castellani
Health & Safety Advisor

students walking to class in center hall

conservation room with three works on table

with of three student conservation projects on table

Health & Safety

With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.

In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this year—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.

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How We Support You

We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.

Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:

International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
Location-specific health and safety information presented at orientation by on-site staff
TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
And more!

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