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Rome Connection

Explore the beautiful and captivating corners of Rome through Seton Hall's transformative freshman study abroad experience!

Rome Connection is an embedded study abroad experience for first-year, undergraduate Seton Hall students. Participants enroll in a special Rome Connection course during their spring semester with the faculty who travel with the students to Rome during the first two weeks of June. Through Rome Connection, students are brought beyond the postcard picture of the Eternal City and engage in a transformative journey.

During the spring semester, you'll build connections with your classmates before embarking on an immersive journey through Rome. Together, you'll experience daily life in the Eternal City, uncovering hidden gems that most visitors never see - from medieval treasures beneath grand basilicas to vibrant street art in modern districts. Rome Connection helps you explore your passions and develop a deep appreciation for the city's rich history. You'll gain insight into Rome's ancient, medieval, baroque, and contemporary layers, as well as Seton Hall’s unique bond with the Eternal City.

Simply put, this program is crafted to be a life-changing Seton Hall experience. See the sections below to discover Rome Connection and explore the 2025 itinerary.

  • Applications: Applications are now closed for the 2025 program. Applicants may click here to see updated details about the application process.
  • Returning Applicants: Re-enter your Study Abroad Portal
  • Eligibility: Every first-year student who maintains a minimum 3.0 GPA and is not on disciplinary probation level 2 or higher is eligible to apply for Rome Connection. Students must be at least 18 years old upon arrival in Rome.
  • Questions: Connect with us by emailing [email protected]

Program Highlights

Translate your passions and make Rome your home! 
Students in Rome Connection don't only witness Rome but experience Rome! Through unique class content and the Andiamo Series, you will be fully prepared for your two weeks abroad before you depart and be ready to fall in love with Rome in your own unique way. Whether it's playing pickup basketball against locals, wandering thru centuries-old basilicas, or discovering off-the-beaten-path music clubs, Rome Connection is here to translate your passions to the local scene!

Learn culture, history and language in a fun, immersive environment! 
The entire purpose of Rome Connection is to help you expand your study abroad skills while fully comprehending the culture, faith and language of the Eternal City. With locations from local farmers markets to neighborhood block parties, Rome Connection will provide meaningful settings to meaningfully engage with Rome. Through personalized guidance and immersive excursions, you'll be surprised how fast your intercultural skills grow!

And best of all… every day, new adventures and new memories! 
Through Rome Connection you'll have exclusive experiences that are far-off the tourist map. Whether you're exploring the vast underground ruins of ancient temples or savoring the best porchetta at charming local markets, each day will offer new experiences that help you live like a true Roman. Beyond excursions within the Eternal City, your two-week experience will also includes a day trip to the picturesque hill town of Orvieto. Click here to explore the 2025 itinerary and understand all that is included in this two-week journey!

Rome Skyline at Mid-Day

Essential Info

2025 Travel Dates: June 2 to June 18

Program Itinerary: Click here to explore the 2025 program

Program Capacity: 60 students

2025 Course Options: CORE 2101: Christianity and Culture in Dialogue or SKIL 1106: Study Abroad Skills 

Program Fee: $4,100 (includes round-trip direct air travel, housing, all excursions, six group meals, unlimited Rome metro card, airport transfers and international health insurance - see details below)

Air Travel: The program fee includes round-trip, direct flights from Newark to Rome

Housing Accommodation: St. John’s Rome Campus (Via Marcantonio Colonna, 21a)

Excursions: 15 group excursions are included (see itinerary for details)

Meals: 6 special group meals are provided 

Local Transit: A monthly metro card is included, offering unlimited access to public transit within Rome

Airport Transfers: Private coach buses transport students between Fiumicino Airport and St. John’s Rome Campus upon arrival and departure

Health Insurance: International Health Insurance is included for all students

Villa in Rome

The Andiamo Series 

Participating students have the opportunity to mix and mingle with classmates across all Rome Connection classes at special weekly, evening sessions during the spring semester and learn even more about the city they'll be exploring with the Andiamo Series! The following is a sampling of some of the themes that students will experience.

Eat and Drink Like the Romans Do: Students learn about the fundamentals of Roman cuisine, the cultures surrounding it and how to best navigate some of the tourist pitfalls while experiencing the best of what the Eternal City has to offer.

Rome on a Budget: Students gain the essential skills on how to manage their money abroad and make their euros go farther while have amazing, quality free-time experiences on the cheap.

Survival Italian: The best way to be a temporary local in Rome and immerse yourself in the culture of the Eternal City is to learn some essential Italian before you depart. 

The Other Side of Rome: When Rome became the capital of a united Italy in 1871, nearly all Romans lived within the Aurelian Walls. Today that number is only six percent. Students will delve into the captivating neighborhoods where most of today’s Romans live.

Translate Your Passion: Every student has a passion for an aspect of Rome not yet fully realized. In these collaborative sessions, students will be provided a roadmap to experience their own personal Rome and translate their own passions into transformative free time experiences. 

The full compliment of weekly 2024 Andiamo Series sessions were: Knowing Your Neighborhood, Navigating Rome, Mastering Roman Transit, Free Time Adventures, Breakfast Like a Roman, Day Trip Journeys, Lunch Like a Roman, Navigating the Culture, Dinner Like a Local, Rome on a Budget, Drink Like a Roman, Packing Light and Right, Nightlife in Rome

Lake Bracciano

Application Process

Applications are now closed for Rome Connection. The deadline was October 8 at 5:00pm. Please see the following details regarding the application process:
Approval for this program is based on the quality of the student's application and personal statements. All applications received by the deadline will be equally considered for approval, regardless of when they were submitted.
Students should expect to start hearing updates about their application status the week of October 21.
Approval for this program does not mean your seat is confirmed. If you are approved for this program, you will receive directions on how to confirm your seat, including paying the non-refundable $500 deposit towards the total program fee.
Students with high financial need (those eligible for Pell Grants or Work-Study) who applied for the limited, competitive scholarships will be notified about their scholarship status at the same time they receive decision notifications.

Eligibility: Every first-year student who maintains a minimum 3.0 GPA and is not on disciplinary probation level 2 or higher is eligible for Rome Connection. Any approved and confirmed student that does not maintain these criteria will be withdrawn from the program.