Please note that your application will be processed only once you have submitted your application fee and documents. See here for details.
Admission requirements
RILA is more academically rigorous than most study abroad programs. It requires, above all, a genuine motivation to engage with ideas, rather than simply to see the sights of Rome. Living abroad also requires a level of personal maturity. Accordingly, applications will be accepted only from students who:
- Will be at least 18 years old at the time of application
- Will have completed at least one year of college before the course begins
- Are in good academic and disciplinary standing (or have graduated)
Application Procedure
Step 1: APPLICATION
Submit your online application by the deadline along with:
- Unofficial transcripts or grade report of all post-secondary school work to date.
- Brief personal statement (½–1 page) describing yourself and explaining your interest in studying abroad.
- A $60 application fee, payable through the Payment section on this page
Email your personal statement and transcripts to info@rilarts.org. You may send an electronic document downloaded from your home institution’s website, or a scanned/photographed copy of printed transcripts. Please ensure that your name, GPA, and the name and/or logo of your institution are clearly visible.
Please note: Your application will not be considered complete until we have received all required documents and the application fee.
Step 2: ENROLLMENT
After the deadline, you will be notified of acceptance. Once accepted:
- Submit the Registration Form within 3 days
- Complete payment within 1 week
Please note that by submitting the Registration Form, you are formally enrolling in the program. If you withdraw after enrollment, our cancellation policy will apply.
Important: If your application is accepted but your registration is late and we cannot reach you, your application may be dismissed, and your spot—including any previously awarded scholarship—may be reassigned to another student.
After completing your travel arrangements, submit your Travel form, by April 15.
For additional information about your time in Rome, please refer to the Student Life page and the FAQ page.
Deadlines
Please read carefully to determine which deadline applies to you.
Early Admission (No Financial Aid):
- Rolling applications begin December 1 until spots are filled or the deadline passes.
- Indicate “early admission” in your email with application documents.
- Acceptance notification sent within a few days.
- Note: Early admission students are not eligible for financial aid later.
Financial Aid Applications:
- Submit any time before February 2
- Late submissions may be dismissed.
- Decisions communicated shortly after the general application deadline.
General Application Deadline:
- Submit all documents and fee by February 6
- Decisions communicated within 2-3 days after the deadline
Problems meeting deadlines? Contact info@rilarts.org as soon as possible; late applications may still be considered.
Fees
| Tuition: | € 4,650 | |||
| Housing: | € 1,470 | * | ||
| Activity fee | € 325 | ** | ||
| Health care insurance: | € 65 | ** | ||
| Optional Italian language class: | € 385 |
RILA’s fees are normally paid in U.S. dollars (USD). However, as a U.S. entity operating in Italy, fees are published in euros (€) to remain consistent throughout the year despite fluctuations in the euro/dollar exchange rate. At the time of payment, you will receive an invoice in USD, calculated based on the exchange rate on that day.
Note: The euro-dollar exchange rate can vary daily; a euro is typically worth between $1 and $1.20. For a more accurate estimate, please check the exchange rate closer to your payment date.
* The housing price listed covers rent and other expenses (i.e.; cleaning, electricity, insurance, maintenance, city tourist tax). The amount indicated refers to the six-week duration of the program, in apartments shared with three to five other RILA students.
**Mandatory.
The expenses listed below can be used as guides for financial planning, but please understand that students’ expenses may vary greatly depending on individual habits, travel plans, and exchange rates.
Other expenses not included in fees paid to RILA:
- Round Trip Airfare $600 – $1,400
- Housing deposit $100 (refunded at check-out in absence of damages)
- Meals $600 – 1500
- Public transportation $75 for six weeks
- Optional two night trip to Siena $150
- Credits fee $600 (only for students from colleges that don’t have an affiliation agreement with RILA)
Payments
Since RILA is a U.S. entity that operates in Italy, all fees and costs are expressed in euros (€) in order to keep them fixed throughout the year. The euro–dollar exchange rate fluctuates daily, and one euro is usually worth between $1.00 and $1.20. At the time of payment, you will receive an invoice in U.S. dollars, calculated according to the exchange rate on that date. Once you receive your invoice, you must complete your payment within one week.
You may pay either by bank transfer or by credit card/PayPal, following the instructions below. (Please note that PayPal and credit card payments incur a 3.49% booking fee.)
If you use online banking, you can typically make an electronic direct deposit or pay through Zelle. Both methods are fast and free. Zelle may require you to split your payment into multiple transactions due to per-transaction limits. If this applies to your Zelle account, please email us at payments@rilarts.org to let us know. You may also send a wire transfer, although it tends to be slower and more expensive payment method.
Below you can find the information you will need for each payment method:
- Zelle: payments@rilarts.org
- Direct deposit, electronic payments routing number: 121042882
- Wire transfer, domestic routing number: 121000248
- Account number: 1571558715
Please check our Cancellation Policy.
An installment plan is available for interested students. This plan divides the total owed into three parts:
- The first and largest payment, covering rent and one-third of tuition, is due on February 10.
- The second and third payments, each covering 50% of the remaining tuition and any additional expenses, are due on March 4 and April 1.
To request an installment plan, please send an email, together with your registration, to info@rilarts.org
Financial Aid
Every year, RILA awards a number of scholarships to students in need. Scholarships cover between 10% and 100% of tuition. See below for details on what kind of scholarship you may qualify. All other costs and expenses (e.g., remaining tuition, travel, rent, etc.) must be covered by the student.
Given the limited number of scholarships, we ask students who can afford to pay full tuition to leave scholarship opportunities for those who need them most. For the same reason, our policy is not to grant funds to students who have already received financial aid for RILA from their home institution or another organization.
To apply for a scholarship, of any kind, students must first complete the regular application procedure described above. In addition, applicants must submit a one-page essay (maximum 400 words) on the theme of the course of their choice. Financial aid essays must be anonymous (please do not include your name on the essay). The essays should be sent as an attachment to info@rilarts.org in an email that includes the student’s name, the course they are applying for, and a request for scholarship consideration.
Applications for financial aid must be submitted in full by the financial aid deadline. Please note that scholarship requests will not be evaluated until the application is complete with all required documents and fees.
For Students from St. John’s College
Since its founding in 2008, RILA has developed in unofficial partnership with St. John’s College. The academic director and co-founder of RILA, Gabe Pihas, is in fact a former tutor (and before then a student) of the Annapolis campus. St. John’s College Santa Fe and RILA are currently expanding this partnership. SJC students are eligible for a variety of scholarships:
- Global Pathways Fellowships: Students enrolled at St. John’s Santa Fe may be able to apply their Global Pathways Fellowships (GPW) toward RILA summer programs. In the past, these fellowships have covered most or all tuition costs. Please note that in order to apply for a GPW toward RILA, you must complete both your GPW application and your RILA application, including the financial aid essay, by the GPW deadline. Check with your campus administration for details. Unfortunately, St. John’s Annapolis does not currently grant Pathways Fellowships for study abroad programs.
- Ahmanson Scholarships: Each year, the Ahmanson Foundation awards five scholarships covering the full tuition of a RILA summer program to five St. John’s students. These scholarships are restricted to St. John’s students and cannot be awarded to students from other colleges. They are granted to students in financial need who also demonstrate academic excellence through their essay and transcripts.
- RILA Scholarships: Each year, RILA awards a number of RILA scholarships to students who were not granted financial aid from any other institution. These scholarships usually cover between 10% and 40% of tuition. To apply, simply follow the procedure described above. Applications for financial aid will automatically be considered for both RILA and Ahmanson scholarships.
For Students from UT Austin
RILA has maintained a long-standing partnership with UT Austin, which includes a formal agreement for the recognition of RILA credits. UT students will receive credits for either of RILA’s summer programs: Beauty and the Sacred or Empire and the Soul.
Each year, a number of UT students have been able to cover part of their RILA program costs through generous scholarships offered by UT. We strongly encourage you to contact the UT Study Abroad Office as well as your department contact person to explore available funding opportunities.
We have a special partnership with the Jefferson Center at UT, but students from other departments are also eligible for UT scholarships to attend RILA.
All UT students enrolling in one of our courses must contact their study abroad office.
For Students from all other colleges/universities
All students can apply for a RILA scholarship. RILA scholarships usually cover between 10% and 40% of tuition. To apply, simply follow the procedure described above. RILA scholarships are reserved for students who are not granted funds toward RILA tuition from any other institution.
