Courses and Registration
Registration for courses
Registration for courses will open on Friday, July 19 and will close on Wednesday, September 11 at 5 pm Italian time.
A maximum of 22 students is admitted to each course. The admission procedure considers preference and date of registration. Most students take 4 - 5 courses. Some universities may have a minimum requirement. VIU has a compulsory attendance policy and students are expected to participate actively in class. It is not possible to audit courses.
All students are required to prepare readings, take exams and write papers - no exceptions.
Classes are generally scheduled from Monday to Thursday. Many activities, including rescheduled classes and compulsory activities, will be scheduled on Fridays, therefore, please consider your schedule and consult with your professors before making personal commitments on Fridays.
Classes missed due to local or National holidays will be rescheduled. Classes that have been postponed during the semester (e.g. due to illness of professor) will be rescheduled on any other Friday of the term.
Check the weekly schedule to see the dates of the rescheduled classes already planned. Other dates may be added and you’ll be notified by email.
Note about online courses
All VIU courses and activities will be held in person.
Note about Italian for Foreigners
The Italian for Foreigners course consists of 56 hours of tuition (usually classes are scheduled Monday to Thursday for the first six weeks and then twice a week for the following weeks Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday).
Before Orientation Week you will take a placement test online to evaluate your ability in Italian, if you have studied it before, or your aptitude for languages, if you have not. If required, during Orientation week you will meet with the language instructors for a brief verbal test. You will be placed in a group that is appropriate for your level and aptitude. You will always attend the same class in the same time slot during the week.
Drop/change policy
Students can change their choice of courses up until Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 5 pm Italian time (subject to availability of places).
Admission petition
In the event students are not accepted in one or more courses, they can write an admission petition. A small number of places in each course will be available to students who have not been granted a place in courses ("denied"), based on petitions submitted to the Vice Dean and Globalization Program Scientific Director, Prof. Luca Pes. This means that students who have been refused can apply to be admitted based on motivation.
The Admission Petition form will be available on VIU website once registration closes, therefore from September 11, 2024 at 5 pm to Friday, September 13 at noon.
Co-curricular activities
The co-curricular activities are highly recommended and are part of the academic offer. All-day and half-day visits and activities are arranged on Fridays. The co-curricular activities calendar will soon be published on our website.
Compulsory attendance will apply to the following Friday activities:
- Site visits and field trips arranged specifically for the courses. These are arranged on Fridays for logistical reasons.
- Co-curricular activities deemed particularly relevant to a course. Prior notice will be given.
Students in the program
Usually, there are more than 100 students from the VIU member Universities (including other foreign students on Erasmus exchange programs) enrolled in the program.
Orientation Week and Arrival
Orientation activities will take place on September 9-13.
The updated orientation week calendar will be published here.
First day of activities at VIU: Monday, September 9.
How to get to VIU - check the Campus section of the VIU website.
Accommodation in apartments provided by VIU and on-campus (San Servolo Residential Halls) will be available from September 8.
Beginning of Classes, Weekly Schedule, Learning Tools
Courses start on Monday, September 16.
The Weekly Schedule will be available on the VIU website before the beginning of registrations. Please check it regularly for updates.
VIU’s e-learning platform - elearning.univiu.org - (Moodle) is where professors upload materials, resources and assignments for their courses. Access is restricted to registered students.
Your credentials to access to Moodle will be distributed at the VIU Front Office on the first day of the Orientation week, or at your first arrival on campus. Please note that the new account, especially the password, will be different from the one obtained during the registration process on the VIU website.
You’ll be able to use those same credentials while at VIU to access wi-fi connections and computers in the classrooms.
Facilities on campus
VIU Front Office
VIU Front Office can be found along the main corridor (turn left after the main entrance). You should reach the office for issues related to the program, VIU cards, computer facilities, co-curricular activities, Mac Lab and wi-fi.
Opening hours of the front office: Monday to Friday, 9.15 am- 4.45 pm (closed for lunch 1.30 pm-2.30 pm).
San Servolo Servizi Metropolitani Reception
Students who will be accommodated on campus can pick up the key to their room in the residential halls at the San Servolo Servizi reception (now the main entrance hall). This is not a VIU office. The residential facilities are managed by a services company called San Servolo Servizi Metropolitani. The reception staff is responsible for all issues related to accommodation.
The reception staff is available from 8.30 am to 7 pm. There is a 24-hour guardian service. The guardians can help you if you get locked out of your room or for very urgent issues.
Library
The resources of VIU Library are limited. VIU purchases one copy of each of the required texts for the courses. These texts will be available for one-day loans. Most professors will provide course packs and make them available online through Moodle. Students will have access to the libraries of the Venetian Universities, and public libraries in Venice. We also suggest you to check your home university remote access for electronic resources, e-books, online papers etc.
For more information on VIU library and other libraries in Venice please visit this link.
For more information on VIU library and other libraries in Venice please visit this link.
Student card
The VIU Student Card is a multifunctional magnetic key that provides access to the Mac Lab, library loans and photocopying/scanning facilities.
VIU card is issued with a credit of € 3. Once the credit is over, you can recharge the card at the VIU Front Office (minimum charge €5). The cost of a one-page photocopy/print is € 0.05 black and white and € 0.12 color.
VIU copying and printing machines also work as a scanners. Scanning is free but, to access the scanning function, you must have a credit of a minimum of 10 cents on your VIU card.
The student card offers some advantages to VIU students, who for example can visit for free the Pinault Collection exhibitions on Wednesday afternoon, or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on Thursday afternoon.
Apple Mac Computer Lab
VIU has a highly advanced Apple Mac Computer Lab (16 workstations) for integrating digital technologies in the academic courses. The 3D modelling, visualization, and mapping technologies installed enable students to engage with questions of change over time and dynamic process in urban and rural environments. The programs available include 3D modelling using Google SketchUp, 3D acquisition using Photogrammetry, interactive mapping with Google Earth, Scalar, and the basics of ARCgis related to Google Earth.
Access is granted to VIU Student Card holders only.
Wi-fi and printing/copying facilities are available in the Lab.
PC Room
On the ground floor (in zone 7) there is another PC Room with 4 workstations, open to all VIU professors and students, 24 hours a day. PCs are connected to the Internet and have Microsoft Office programs installed. Wi-fi and printing/copying facilities are available next to the PC room.
N.B. Both in the MacLab and the PC Room you must not save your files on the hard drives of the computers. It is highly recommended to save them on USB memory sticks, send them to yourself by email or save them on cloud. Any files saved on the computers will be deleted at the end of the session.
Wi-fi Internet is available and free in the rooms of the residential halls, but the connection is not on the VIU network (it is San Servolo Servizi wifi).
Bar/Café
In the main building, there is a café that sells beverages, croissants, sandwiches, salads and cold dishes.
Opening Hours (Monday to Sunday): 8.00-18.00 A 10% discount is offered to VIU students showing the VIU card (except on coffee and beverages).
Restaurant
There is a restaurant on the island operated by an external service provider. The restaurant is open at lunch from 12 pm to 3 pm. The evening service may be added in some periods of the year, please check their website for updates.
Living in Venice
Monthly boat pass
Once in Venice you will receive an ACTV application form to be filled out and given back to the ticket office at the bus station (Piazzale Roma) in order to get your Venezia Unica card and a student monthly boat pass.
This pass will allow you to use the boat public service (all routes) and the bus service on Lido Island and Mestre.
For students (under 26 years old) the first month costs 45 euro (administration charge of 20 euro + 25 euro monthly pass), subsequent months cost 25 euros. To be able to apply for the reduced VIU student fare, you must provide a VIU enrolment certificate and fill out a form stamped by VIU.
Please refer to the GP office to get these documents. Exchange students will be assisted by the international offices of Ca' Foscari and IUAV instead.
Over 26s pay full rates (administrative charge of 100 euro + 37 euro monthly pass) and do not need any specific form or document besides ID.
A full-price single fare without ACTV Venezia Unica card is 9.50 euros, while the reduced rate with your ACTV Card is 1.50 euros.
For further information visit actv.avmspa.it/en/content/mobility-services
Please also see this section of the VIU website.
Money you will need during the first week
- Deposit for Residential Halls on San Servolo island: if you are staying on campus you are required to pay a 200 euro cash of deposit and 20 euro cash for the “Venice Tourist Tax” when you check-in at San Servolo Servizi Reception. The 200 euro deposit is returned to you in cash on departure.
- Deposit for apartments: if you are staying in a VIU-arranged apartment you will be asked a 350-500 euro deposit to be paid upon arrival (the exact amount will be communicated via email before departure).
- Xerox copies/Course packs: more and more professors prefer to post the readings weekly on Moodle but you may need to print or photocopy documents for the first classes or for the residency permit application. The cost of a one-page photocopy/print is € 0.05 black and white and € 0.12 color.
- Residency permit application for non-EU students: the application has a total cost of €116,46 and is compulsory for all non-EU students and professors. For more info: https://www.univiu.org/campus-services/visa-office/
Grocery shopping with home delivery
After the end of the Covid pandemic, the delivery services offered by supermarkets have been reduced but some still offer this service.
-Despar, San Marco (located in Campo della guerra 514)
At this phone number, +39 3459260013, you can call the supermarket staff for home deliveries. The range for deliveries might be limited to the neighborhood therefore when you call, ask if they can reach your home.
If they do, you can send a text with your shopping list. Payment is in cash only. You'll receive a text with the amount due. You must reply specifying the type of banknotes you will be using (e.g. pay € 37.20 with two banknotes worth 20) so that they can bring you the exact change. You'll find your change in the shopping bag.
N.B The delivery is free if you spend more than 30€, otherwise, you have to pay 2.50€
- Crai, S.Tomà (6053, Ramo Del Campanil)
At this phone number, +39 0415645935, you can call the supermarket staff for home deliveries.N.B The service is active if you spend more than 45 euros.
Home delivery from bars and restaurants
COCAIEXPRESS - Download the App on the App Store and Google Play
Deliveroo - Download the App on the App Store and Google Play
Receiving packages from family and friends
You can have post sent to you at VIU. The mail is distributed at the VIU front office.
If anyone is sending you a package from outside the European Union please note that the package must include a proforma invoice. This is basically a list of the contents and their estimated value. If you do not include it, you will be charged import tax by customs.
Please refer to the Front Office for detailed information that you can forward to any family or friends who may send you packages during your stay.
Tide Forecast in Venice
The fall-winter months are the period of the year during which high tide events in Venice are more frequent.
You can check the daily forecast at the Centro Maree website:
Centro Maree - daily forecast (graph)
https://www.comune.venezia.it/it/content/centro-previsioni-e-segnalazioni-maree
In addition, you can sign up to receive a daily email with the forecast or a text message when an exceptional level is expected (subscribe at this link).
The daily tide forecast and alert messages are available also on Telegram and Twitter.
High tide App (on Google Play search for “hi!tide Venezia”)
How to contact students who have studied at VIU in the past
VIU Facebook page and also our alumni group.
We hope you will find this information useful: please email us at student-services@univiu.org for any other queries you might have.
