Prepare to be on-ground in Florence
Immigration
When you arrive in Italy, you will pass through Immigration. You’ll need to show your passport and visa.
Travel to Florence
To get to Florence, you should fly into Florence’s small, but efficient, airport (FLR) or the next closest one in Pisa (PSA), about 40 miles away. Taxis from the Florence airport to the city center have a fixed rate of €20.00; €22.00 on holidays and €23.30 after 10:00 pm. A luggage fee of €1.00 per bag is added to the fixed rate for up to a total of 5 bags.
http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/it/i-passeggeri/trasporti/taxi.html.
There is also a bus service, Volainbus, from the airport to the Santa Maria Novella train station. The bus runs every half-hour on the hour and the cost of a ticket is €6.00 one-way and €10.00 round-trip: http://www.ataf.net/
For students arriving at Pisa-Galilei airport, a train leaves from inside the airport and takes you all the way to Santa Maria Novella, the principal railway station in Florence (1.5 hours); the trip costs approximately €9.70. From the train station, take a taxi to your final destination.
For more information please check the website of the airport you will be flying into:
Florence (FLR): http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/it/
Pisa (PSA): http://www.pisa-airport.com/
Orientation
The first weeks of the program are dedicated to several required orientation meetings, during which practical help will be given to help you adjust to your new environment. You will also have a series of personal interviews with the director, devoted primarily to academic matters.
Permit of Stay (Permesso Di Soggiorno)
You will begin the process for requesting a permesso di soggiorno prior to arrival in Italy, and complete it after arrival in Italy. More information will be provided via email and at the on-site orientation. The following items are required to complete the request for a permit of stay:
Letter issued by the Italian consulate when you received your visa, duly stamped (see section: Student Visas) [VERY IMPORTANT]
- Your passport and student visa
- Four (4) passport-sized photos
- Proof of HTH Worldwide health insurance and/or Italian Health Insurance (optional), available from the School in Italy after your arrival. For more information see section: Medical and Accident Insurance
- €190.00 to cover the cost of the permesso di soggiorno.
The documentation listed above must be brought to the orientation meeting in Florence.
