CIEE Suspending Rome Open Campus Program for Spring Blocks 2 and 3

The U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control have raised the travel advisory for Italy to “Level 3 - Reconsider travel to Italy due to a recent outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus).” Thankfully we have no reports of any CIEE participants or staff contracting COVID-19 in any country, including Italy. It is important to note that this is a travel advisory to avoid non-essential travel, not an explicit evacuation order for U.S. citizens. However, student safety is CIEE’s top priority so we will be suspending the Open Campus Block program in Rome for the remainder of Block 2 and will not run Block 3 in Rome. Students should plan to leave the program by Friday, March 6.

We know this suspension is disappointing for students who have been enjoying their time in Rome, but we have been able to arrange options for students that will enable them to complete their courses and earn the academic credits they expected to for the semester.

Options for CIEE Open Campus Students who had planned to spend Block 2 and Block 3 in Rome

Students currently on program in Rome for Block 2 and scheduled to stay for Block 3 may choose to:

• Leave Rome and return home to complete their current Block 2 and Block 3 courses via online learning. Credits will transfer to the student’s home school, and students are advised to verify with their university that this option is permitted.
• Leave Rome and return home to complete their current Block 2 courses via online learning but then cancel their participation in Block 3. Credits earned in Block 2 will transfer to the student’s home school, and students are advised to verify with their university that this option is permitted.
• Leave Rome and travel to another CIEE location to complete Block 2 Rome courses via online learning then stay on and enroll in Block 3 at the new location. (This option is subject to availability.)
• Request to withdraw from the program and receive a grade of Withdraw (W) for courses in progress and not participate in Block 3.

Please let the Rome staff know your choice by the end of the day on Monday, March 2.

Whatever you choose, it is important that you confirm that your choice is approved by your home university.

Options for CIEE Open Campus Students planning to go to Rome for Block 3

Students who were scheduled to arrive in Rome for Block 3 after spending Block 2 at another Global Institute may:

• Request to stay in their current Global Institute location and take Block 3 courses taught in the same location that they studied in Block 2. (Subject to availability.) 
• Return home to conduct their Rome-based Block 3 courses entirely online. Credits will transfer to the student’s home school, and students are advised to verify with their university that this option is permitted.
• Cancel participation in Block 3.

Students who were scheduled to arrive in Rome for Block 3 who did not spend Block 2 at another Global Institute may:

• Request to spend Block 3 at a different Global Institute. (Subject to availability.)
• Stay home and conduct their Rome-based Block 3 courses entirely online. Credits will transfer to the student’s home school, and students are advised to verify with their university that this option is permitted.
• Cancel participation in Block 3.

Please let your Study Abroad Advisor know your choice by emailing or calling Sarah Rodriguez (srodriguez@ciee.org or 207-553-5037) by the end of the day on Monday, March 2. Whatever you choose, it is important that you confirm that your choice is approved by your home university.

Options for CIEE Open Campus Students in Rome

Students currently on program in Rome and whose CIEE experience ends with Block 2 may choose to:

• Leave Rome and return home to complete their current Block 2 courses via online learning. Credits will transfer to the student’s home school, and students are advised to verify with their university that this option is permitted.
• Request to withdraw from the program and receive a grade of Withdraw (W) for courses in progress.

Students currently on program in Rome and scheduled to move on to a different Global Institute for Block 3 may choose to:

• Leave Rome and return home to complete their current Block 2 courses via online learning, then cancel their Block 3 participation. Credits earned in Block 2 will transfer to the student’s home school, and students are advised to verify with their university that this option is permitted.
• Leave Rome and go to their scheduled Block 3 location to complete their Block 2 courses via online learning, then join Block 3 as planned. Housing will be arranged by CIEE once students indicate this is their plan. Students are advised to verify with their university that the online completion of Block 2 courses is permitted.
• Request to withdraw from Block 2 and receive a grade of Withdraw (W) for courses in progress, and cancel their Block 3 participation

Please let the Rome staff know your choice by the end of the day on Monday, March 2. Whatever alternative you choose, it is important that you confirm that your choice is approved by your home university.

Program fees and flight changes

To cover the cost of changing or cancelling flights, please first check with your airline. Due to the current travel advisories, many airlines are allowing flights to be changed for no cost. If your airline is charging for flight changes, CIEE can cover up to $500 in change fees.

If a student cancels their participation in Block 3, the full fee for Block 3 will be refunded. If a student withdraws from Block 2, any recoverable expenses will be refunded.

What to do next

Please reach out to your Global Institute Director and your home school advisor with any questions about the options. Be sure to enter your travel plans in your Travel Tracker via My CIEE.