Rome Program FAQs
Questions about Rome, Italy
What is an average program day like?
The course is a very intense, challenging, and fun experience. Classes generally begin at 9.30 and run until 13.00, during which grammar and theory are discussed. Afternoons are spent doing supervised lesson planning, and trainees teach during the afternoons and evenings, possibly until 20:30. Once a week, TEFL students are immersed Italian language lessons, so that they can gain an appreciation for being a language learner as well as a language teacher. The first class will take place Monday morning at 9:30 a.m., at which time we will provide a complete course schedule. Sessions generally run from 9.30 to 12.30 and 13.00 to 16.00 (a half-hour break for lunch between 12.30 and 13.00), with regular breaks throughout. Teaching Practice sessions normally run between 16.00 and 20.30 from Monday to Thursday.
What is the job market in Italy like at the moment? Will I have trouble securing employment?
The job market in Italy is rather good at the moment, and finding employment is only difficult if you wait until the last day of the course to begin looking. If you are diligent you will certainly locate work in no time. Looking for work in Italy in late summer will prove difficult, since everyone in the country is on holiday and there are no students to be taught.
Are most positions contracted? Is it important to have a contract?
If you are a US citizen you will need to secure contracted employment in order to be eligible to apply for a proper work visa. You are not eligible to apply for a visa before leaving the States- you must have secured contracted employment first. Most contracts run from September to the end of June. If you are a citizen of an EU country, you are permitted to work anywhere in the EU, so this is not so much of an issue for you.
Do schools provide work permits?
Your school will help you secure a work permit. In order to be eligible for such a visa you must be contracted by your school, and you will have to return to the States to obtain the visa. You are not eligible to apply to this visa without a already having a job in Italy to sponsor you, so it is fruitless to go to the Embassy at home before you leave to try to obtain one. You are, however, able to work in Italy under something called a "consulenza professionale" until you obtain your visa; most teachers work by means of this until going home for holiday, when they get their paperwork. Consulenza professionale is best described as a "grace period" of sorts until you can get home to secure the proper documentation. (EU members need only their EU documentation to work legally in Italy, as elsewhere in the EU). Please note that neither TEFL International nor its host school in Rome, INTERLINGUE SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES, provide work or study visas for TEFL course students.
What other documentation might I need to work in Italy?
Most likely you will need to obtain a PERMESSO DI SOGGIORNO within the first 8 days of your stay in Italy- this is NOT a work visa, it simply establishes, in a way, your existence in Italy. This can be done at any Carabinieri, police station, or the embassy. We also recommend that you obtain a CODICE FISCALE, which provides you a tax number, which most schools will require you to have in order to be paid. For information on where to obtain the codice fiscale, contact the Rome school. Again, your school will have to help you obtain an actual work visa, which requires that you are contracted by your school. Neither TEFL International nor Interlingue School of Languages can issue work or study permits to TEFL students.
What is the average salary like?
The average salary in Italy is about 900 Euros per month; though of course this varies depending on what type of school or company you work for, whether you work full- or part-time, and your own personal spending habits.
What will TEFL International do to help me secure employment?
We can provide you a list of schools in Rome and elsewhere in Italy. We also offer a number of "help sessions" covering accommodation, resume-CV preparation, interviewing and visa information. We guarantee job placement assistance, but please note that TEFL International doesn't 'guarantee' its graduates employment in Italy; it is ultimately up to you to "sell yourself" to a school, as they say.
How many students on average are in the program each month?
On average we have about twenty-five students enrolled in each program, most of whom are American or British. They are typically between 22 and 50 years old, but we often have students who are 60 or even near 80 years old.
Where in Rome is the school center located?
The school center is located in Prati, a residential section of the city and a ten-minute walk to the Vatican.
Summers are hot and somewhat humid with an average temperature of 85 degrees. Winters are colder and damper than you might think. The average high is 50 degrees with lows in the 30's.