Rome Start
Begin your Loyola experience in Rome and finish in Chicago
Rome Start is a unique program for students attending high school outside of the United States and for select American high school students with an international interest.
Admitted students will spend the first year of their Loyola experience studying at our Rome Center campus in Italy. After that, students will complete their undergraduate degree at our campuses in Chicago. Rome Start is a great way for students to add a global perspective to their education while earning a renowned Loyola degree.
Rome Start gives select students the opportunity to spend the first year of their Loyola experience studying at our campus in Rome, Italy. After the first year in Rome, students complete their degree at our main campus in Chicago. This unique program allows students to gain a global perspective to their education while receiving a renowned Loyola degree.
The program is open to international students and U.S. citizens with strong international interests. Admission to the Rome Start program includes admission to Loyola University Chicago. The application for admission also serves as an application for Loyola’s merit scholarships, which can be used both in Rome and in Chicago.
Begin in Rome
As a Rome Start student, you’ll become an integrated member of the close-knit community at Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center (JFRC) in Rome, Italy. The JFRC hosts approximately 240 Rome Start and Study Abroad students each semester. From daily life on campus to the intramural soccer league to on-site classes around Rome, you’ll find ample opportunities to get to know your peers and make lifelong friends.
Starting out in Rome, you’ll immerse yourself in challenging and interesting coursework based in Loyola’s core curriculum. You will be able to complete much of your required core curriculum during your time in Rome, giving you greater access to courses in your major once you transition to Chicago.
Complete your degree in Chicago
Upon moving to Chicago you will join a community of just over 11,000 undergraduate students and over 5,000 graduate and professional students. You will have the chance to further explore over 80 different undergraduate major and minor options. While we are a medium-sized student population, you will still enjoy small class sizes and close relationships with your professors. In fact, our student-faculty ratio in Chicago is just 14:1.
When you begin your second year at Loyola, you will have the opportunity to participate in one of the more than 250 different university clubs and organizations. You can also participate, either as a fan or an athlete, in Loyola’s NCAA Division I athletic programs.
While in Chicago, be sure to take advantage of Loyola’s out-of-the-classroom learning opportunities through the Center for Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Scholarship. Loyola students are active in academic internships throughout Chicago, service-learning, and undergraduate research projects.
To receive more information about Loyola's Rome Start program, complete this online profile.
