All about the University
What would a Brief Overview of the University be like?
Federico II is actually based in the hospital; which is good for helping you get accustomed to things before you start your placement. Federico II operates quite differently from, say the UK or Europe, where one might go directly into the hospital by their second year. Rather Federico II is strongly theory based for a lot of the first few years. If you really enjoy getting deep into the mental and theoretical based aspects of medicine, you’ll really like it. One would start going into the hospital for placements in their fourth year, seeing more patients and becoming more practically involved. For the first three years, you have to really be dedicated and really enjoy studying the actual theory of medicine before you can put it into practice.
What type of Student do you think Federico II would suit?
It’s very city based, very metropolitan. However, the nice thing about Napoli as well is the proximity to the seaside. The ocean is easily accessible, quite near the city centre. Otherwise, the city itself is very busy and very chaotic, which adds to the intensity of the summer heat.
What are the Schedules like at Federico II?
The timetable itself: classes every single day, from 1pm to 5pm. For fourth year, there are placements in the morning as well. Placements are normally from 8am to 12pm, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Term starts in October with the first semester lasting until December, then you have your exams from January to March. The second semester is from mid-March to May with exams in June and July; with time for retakes in September/October, if you need it.
How do the Exams Work?
Most exams are both written and oral. The written comes first, requiring a passing mark of 18. If pass the written, you move to the oral exam. That’s how majority of the exams work, with some parts of the course having some intricacies that deviate. However most follow the process of multiple choice written exams, with oral exam afterwards.
What is the Clinical Experience like?
Placements start in the second year. At first, one won’t be working within the hospital. In second year, one might do one or two days of the week working practically. For the third year you get bit more involved, joining some of the Italian students in shadowing people around the hospital, as well as observing surgery. If you are really interested in one of the subjects that you’re learning, you can email them and they’ll allow you to come in to watch surgeries, or set up further shadowing opportunities. From the fourth and fifth years you start your thesis; further increasing your practical involvement in your placement. The foreign students are usually grouped together.
Are there any requirement for Italian qualifications?
No. Integration is an assumed responsibility of students.
Does Federico II provide Italian classes?
There are some abstract attempts to enable learning the language, as with most Italian universities. The rough skeletal structure of a language support network can be utilised; though it is best to ensure you are taking accountability for your own learning. The Neapolitan council provides free classes you can go to if you want to learn Italian; however accessibility to these courses can be limiting.
Where, exactly, is the University located?
The main University campus is in the centre of town, right next to Central Station. However, the actual Federico II hospital is located a bit further out, you can still get there by Metro service, but it’s a bit further out of the centre. So there’s the main campus and then there’s the hospital one which is called Policlinico. Classes are at Policlinico, so they’re all based in the hospital.
How do the Tuition fees work?
The university is prospectively very affordable, especially in comparison to other choices. EU fees total around 500. All costs for Non-EU students are calculated by the ISEE certificate, though this number rarely goes above 1000. Tuition fees add around another 200, 400 to include the tax. So it doesn’t come up to very much.
How do Scholarships work?
It has the same scholarship system as many other Italian universities. One has to reach a certain amount of credits for every single year, upon which you apply for the scholarship. They then give you the scholarship of 5000 euros for the whole year. Anyone can apply for it, and all you have to do is have your credits up to the standards. As for any opportunities specifically aimed at Federico II students, the English course doesn’t have much specialised support for scholarships.
How would you describe your Class Dynamics?
The classes are very small, especially in comparison to other universities. Around 50{bb8d53cabbfbfa48737bbedab9cb9b55bf5183c8f56cc8e5fd88b7a4065b00a7} are Italians, but from all over Italy, with the other 50{bb8d53cabbfbfa48737bbedab9cb9b55bf5183c8f56cc8e5fd88b7a4065b00a7} being foreign to Italy. It’s marginally more mixed than the average class, especially considering the small class sizes, with a varying range of ages and levels of study also found among the sample pool.
How are the Professors at Federico II?
In general they are really invested in class. Furthermore, most of them are quite helpful. Since classes are quite small, it’s easy to ask questions.
How are the teaching facilities?
While not having labs, per se, Federico II does have extensive hospital time, with adequately equipped facilities. Generally the teaching facilities are all in one building, which is a nice thing, all the English courses are in one building together. This makes it easy to get around. Campus areas have multiple study areas, with more than adequate facilities to do work. There is a cafeteria in Policlinico itself. Sadly, there is no gym on the campus, you just have to use a private gym.
Is there anything one should know before joining Federico II?
Yes. Exams. Oral exams are very important, and come regularly throughout the years. The importance of these is not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, given the chaotic nature of the place; it’s definitely something to consider when making your choice. Renting a house is always an issue with these things. The university bodies that organise the scholarships also do the dormitories, they take the money directly out of your scholarship for the dormitory, so you don’t have to worry about rent for the whole year, and it’s very affordable.