Studying abroad

The Office of International Programs and Services at GMU strives to encourage global awareness by promoting the integration of international students, researchers, and faculty into the campus community. The office provides guidance to students and scholars studying and working at University in immigration, employment and taxation, assists with adjustment issues, and fosters cross-cultural understanding through programs highlighting global themes. In 2006 GMU won the Institute for International Education’s Andrew Heiskell Award in Best Practices for Internationalizing the Campus. This award recognized the GMU success in “broadening the base of participation in the international elements of teaching and learning on campus”. In order to support the foreign student, a mother tongue professor, responsible for this program at GMU, will provide constantly assistance to linguistic issue and she will support the foreign students, in regard to the teaching issue.

BBK-UL students population is very diverse and the institution has developed a consolidated experience in dealing with international students. Students Office provides both study services (Virtual Learning Environment, Computing and IT, College Research School, Disability and dyslexia support, Learning support and skills training, Library services) and other services (accomodation services, financial support, career support, health services).

The University of Cagliari has a long-standing tradition in hosting foreign students with the management of the Erasmus and other exchange and faculty mobility programs. In particular, the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a non-profit, apolitical association of students. Its aim is to support student exchange programs, supplying information and any kind of help that can be voluntarily given by its members. ESN is member of the Italian network, ESN Italia, and of the international one, ESN International, which is a pan-European student organisation founded in Copenhagen in 1990. Since then, the network has expanded considerably. At the moment ESN consists of more than 253 sections in 33 countries. Despite its name, the network is devoted to students participating in all exchange programs in Europe. ESN’s main objective is to ensure that every student coming for an exchange at a university where an ESN section is present is warmly welcomed, receives all the information they need and gets rapidly involved in local student life. Within the UniCA section of the ESN, it is possible to find support for a number of activities: receiving foreign students on their arrival in town; helping visiting students feel at home; assisting foreign students in finding accommodation; giving advice on academic problems; organising social and cultural entertainment for students.

The International Student Mobility Office Karalis (ISMOKA) is ready to provide you with the necessary information on your mobility period in Cagliari (immigration documentation, insurance, lodging, …). Also, please refer to general information on international mobility at UniCA.

All three institutions have excellent facilities for language training and cultural integration.

Virginia is the birthplace of America and of the American South. The culture of modern Virginia is a wider representation of the elements of the North as well as South, where both geographic traditions merge. Fairfax, Virginia where GMU is established, is located close to Washington DC, the heart of political life in the United States. In order to integrate students into university life, the GMU English Department will provide support to every student to improve their knowledge of the English language by reviewing and commenting on student documents. The GMU Modern and Classical Language Department will offer courses in Italian language, literature, technical and scientific writing to provide the linguistic, cultural, and historical understanding necessary to properly complement graduate studies such as international and global affairs, government, history, art history, religion, science, literary and film studies. The Italian language course will be an asset for the program, especially for those students willing to immerse themselves in Italian culture. US students have to complete the basic requirement language modules, suggested by the Department, to access the dual degree. These courses might be replaced by the foreign language proficiency and placement tests, available at the Department for free. Based on the test result, the equivalence of the courses is recognized. The foreign language proficiency or the completed modules allow attending the module, released during the first year at GMU.

BK-UL has a significant number of facilities designed to improve the students’ learning experience. These facilities include computer labs, libraries and social gathering hubs (Cafeterias, Student Union etc.). Students will also be offered access to all other University of London facilities (UCL, SOAS).

At UniCA, courses in Italian for visiting students will be offered by the faculty of foreign language, which will contribute to grant certification of linguistic proficiency according to European Framework of reference in linguistic skills.  The same support will be granted by UniCA’s Centro Linguistico d’Ateneo (Inter-departmental Services Centre).