Who is eligible to participate in the program?
Students who have completed the first year of full-time law study, or its equivalent in part-time study (27 hours), and are in good standing at their current law school are eligible to attend any of Tulane's summer abroad programs. Students must supply a proof of enrollment and a letter from their current school verifying that they are in good standing and are eligible to return. Graduate students in other disciplines may apply and attend on a case-by-case basis. Law school graduates and practicing attorneys may attend the programs as auditors. [ return to top ]
Can evening/part time students apply?
Evening students may apply if they will have completed their first year of law by the start of the program. [ return to top ]Can foreign students apply?
International students are encouraged to apply for the Siena Program. [ return to top ]
What is the maximum number of credits that I can receive?
A maximum of 4 credit hours can be earned from the Siena program. [ return to top ]
Why can’t I earn more than 4 ABA credits?
ABA regulations only allow students to receive credit hours according to the following formula: one semester hour for each 700 minutes of class time or equivalent. Also, ABA regulations prohibit students from receiving more than 1.5 semester credit hours for each week of the program, and students cannot be enrolled in more than 220 class minutes per day. [ return to top ]
Where do I mail my deposit form?
You can submit your deposit online, by credit card, through our online application. For payment by check, deposit forms should be mailed to:
Tulane Law School
Office of Academic Affairs
6329 Freret Street, Suite 206
New Orleans, LA 70118-9923 [ return to top ]
Are applications accepted until the program is full or is it selective?
Applications are accepted until the program is full. Admission is on a first come basis, as long as students meet the eligibility requirements. 37 Students will be accepted to the Siena Program. Please apply early to ensure your place in the program. [ return to top ]
What are the steps to apply?
1. Fill out an online application.
2. Pay your deposit.
3. Send in a letter of good standing from your home school if you are not a Tulane student. [ return to top ]
Are there any scholarships available?
Unfortunately, no scholarships are available for our summer programs. [ return to top ]
How do I get financial aid?
There are no scholarships or tuition waivers available through Tulane Law School for summer programs abroad. You may apply for financial aid in the form of loans as long as you enroll for courses on at least a half-time basis according to your school (according to Tulane Law School’s Academic Services Office, this is 3 hours during the summer for Tulane students). If you do not subsequently complete hours for which you initially register, however, you may be liable for the immediate repayment of loan funds to the lender.
TULANE STUDENTS:
- Complete a Summer Addendum form (available in the financial aid office in April).
- Complete the appropriate loan application (not a federal loan, but rather a credit-based commercial loan, in most cases).
NON-TULANE STUDENTS:
- Contact the financial aid office at your home school to find out about their summer financial aid procedures and timeline.
- Your financial aid office will most likely want to send our office a “consortium agreement.” A consortium agreement is a document completed by both Tulane and your home school, and includes the budget information for your program, so that your home school can determine what you can borrow.
- Consortium agreements should be sent to the following address:
Office of Financial Aid
Weinmann Hall, Ste. 203
6329 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
Fax Number: 504-865-6710
Contact Person: Kristin Perez 504-865-5931 or kperez1@tulane.edu
- Please let them know that requests for "consortium" completion and budget information will be filled as soon as March by Tulane Law School’s Financial Aid Office after you have submitted an application for at least 3 hours and a commitment deposit for programs which have space available.
- If your home school will not process aid for a Tulane summer program, the financial aid office at Tulane Law School can process (but no sooner than March) an application for a credit-based commercial loan (not a federal loan), which may or may not be approved by a lender after a representative of your school certifies certain enrollment information about you.
- You must still first contact your home school’s financial aid office to find out whether or not they will process your financial aid for the summer;
- If they refuse to process aid, contact the Tulane Law School Financial Aid Office for special materials.
ALL STUDENTS MUST:
- Be aware of the disbursement timing and requirements to keep summer aid. In some cases, schools or lenders may not disburse loan proceeds until the start of the program you are attending.
- Be aware that if you don’t complete the courses for which you initially register, you may be required to immediately return loans to the lender in full. If you receive financial aid based on coursework you do not complete, you may be liable for the immediate repayment of loan funds to the lender.
- Because of the early start dates for some of our summer programs abroad, the relatively late dates on which the processing can begin, in addition to the processing time itself, it is likely that your loan proceeds will be unavailable in time for your departure.
- It is important, therefore, that you have some other source of funds to "tide you over" until the loan proceeds become available to you.
- It is also very important that you make arrangements for someone to pay your bills at home while you are abroad so that your credit history is not blemished as a result of your absence.
Even if you are receiving financial aid, finance charges will be incurred if payment is not received by the payment deadline. Although deposit billing is initially handled by the Academic Services Office at Tulane Law School, the Accounts Receivable Office of Tulane University finalizes billing, and will assess finance charges for those registrants who have unpaid balances after payment deadlines have passed. [ return to top ]
Where do I send my consortium agreement?
Non-Tulane students must submit their consortium agreement to the following address:
Office of Financial Aid
Weinmann Hall, Ste. 203
6329 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
Fax Number: 504-865-6710 [ return to top ]
I’ve heard I need 5 credits to receive financial aid, is this true?
In order to borrow Federal Loans, you must be enrolled at least half-time. If you are enrolled less than half time, your only option for summer loan funding is a private credit-based loan.
Students who have not borrowed the annual $20,500 maximum limit for Federal Stafford Loans during 2009-2010 may inquire about borrowing Federal Stafford Loan funds for summer sessions. Students who have exhausted these Stafford loan limits during 2009-2010 may be interested in pursuing the Federal Gradate PLUS Loan for the summer, which is a leniently-credit-based Federal loan with a set interest rate of 8.5%. [ return to top ]
How will I know if I get in to the program? How long is the wait from when I apply to when I hear if I am accepted?
You will be admitted to the program, if space is still available, once your deposit has been received. You will receive a confirmation email from Chana Lewis, confirming your enrollment and your course selection, once you are admitted. [ return to top ]Where do I send my letter of good standing?
Your letter of good standing should be mailed to the following address:
Tulane Law School
Office of Academic Affairs
6329 Freret Street, Suite 206
New Orleans, LA 70118-9923 [ return to top ]
How do I switch courses from the ones I originally selected on my application?
You will have the opportunity to change your course selection when you arrive at the program. However, due to financial aid verification requirements, if you change the number of credit hours you plan to take before the program begins, please email your changes to Chana Lewis or Michele Certoma. [ return to top ]
When should I arrive/leave?
You should arrive in Siena on Saturday, June 5th at which point you will be able to check into your housing. You can not check into housing prior to June 5th, so if you plan to arrive earlier, you should arrange other accomodations until that date. You can also check in to your housing on Sunday, June 6, although you must arrive prior to orientation, which will be held that evening at 7 pm. Final exams will conclude the program on Friday, June 25. Final exams will occupy that entire day. Students should not plan to depart earlier than that evening, as exams cannot be rescheduled. You must check out of housing by Saturday, June 26th, before 11 am. [ return to top ]
What airport should I fly into?
How to get to Siena from ...
Rome: Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
The main airport, Leonardo da Vinci (also known as Fiumicino), is located 26km (15 miles) southwest of the city center. A train runs between the airport and the central railroad station, Stazione Termini. It operates every 30 minutes between the hours of 5:52 am and 10:52 pm. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs 9,50 euros. There is also a train that runs every 15 minutes between 5:06 am and 10:36 pm from the airport to the local stations of Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina and costs 5,00 euros. There is a night bus from the airport to the train station in Tiburtina.
From the "Tiburtina" railway station in Rome you can take a direct bus, called "SENA Autolinee", to Siena. There are 7 trips a day from Monday to Saturday and 5 trips on Sundays. Travel time is about 3hrs. The ticket office “Piccarozzi agency” is in Via G. Mazzoni 12/14, close to the "Tiburtina Station". The cost of a 1-way ticket is: €20. For bus information Rome-Siena: 800-930960. By train, you can go from the airport station changing at Rome Central (Termini), and Chiusi (takes about 3 hours), although trains are less frequent. For more information on trains, see Trenitalia.
Florence: Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci (FLR)
The easiest bus from Florence is either the SITA bus (or for the schedule:SITA Bus - Firenze-Siena (PDF file), schedule key: H means holiday or Sunday, *note that trains run more infrequently) or the TRAIN bus that can be picked at the same station. The SITA bus station is located kitty-corner to the «Santa Maria Novella» railway station and an airport shuttle will bring you directly there from outside the Florence Airport. A TRAIN bus departs from there every hour until 7 pm (the corse rapide, express services, bus is 75 min, the slower one (diretta or accelerate) are slower than their names would suggest, and take about 90 min and dropping you at Siena's Piazza San Domenico or Piazza Gramsci, within the walls of the city and close to the city center. (Tip: Avoid traveling on Sunday, when buses don't run as often and are likely to be crowded.)
Bologna: Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi di Bologna (BLQ)
From Bologna, there is a direct SENA Autolinee bus that takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The bus only departs twice daily, and you can either take a shuttle to P.zza XX Settembre 6 (Autostazione) or one departs from the airport itself. By train, it takes about 3 hours (you must change trains in Florence).
Pisa: Galileo Galilei (PSA)
Of all European regional airports Pisa’s Galileo Galilei is the one that is closest to a railway terminal (less than 40 metres of covered walkway). At the Airport, you can buy your railway ticket at the information office in the arrivals hall. The railway terminal is located just outside the departures hall. Direct railway lines connect every day Pisa Airport to Pisa Central Station and to Florence. From Pisa you can go from the airport station, changing trains in Empoli or Florence (takes about 2 hours). To take the TRAIN bus, you can also buy your ticket at the information office in the arrivals hall and the bus stop is located just outside the Airport Arrivals area. The main bus stops on way are: Pisa Airport - Poggibonsi - Siena (P. Gramsci).
* Note: Remember to buy your ticket beforehand and validate it when you step in or in the boarding area.
Public transportation Information:
SENA Autolinee
Click "English Version" for bus timetables and fares between Siena and other Italian cities, including Milan and Rome.
TRAIN
Despite the name, TRAIN is Siena's urban and suburban bus service. Its English-language Web pages include links to other bus companies in Tuscany.
Trenitalia
The English-language pages of the Italian State Railways have a journey planner that you can use to find connections between Siena and other Italian cities. [ return to top ]
Where can I find more information about the program?
More information about the Siena Program can be found on the other tabs like this one at the top of the website. Once you’ve read through all the information, if you still have questions, please contact Chana Lewis, or by phone at 504-865-5990,or Professor Gordley for more information. [ return to top ]
Do I need a visa?
You will not require a visa for any of the programs, due to the short time period you will be abroad. [ return to top ]
Where are grocery stores or Internet Cafès in Siena?
While in the law school, you can use your laptops, the computer lab, or the library, to access the internet. There are also many internet cafès in Siena, where you can also fax, mail, print or make photocopies, while in Siena. One chain is called Internet Train and has two locations in Siena, one on Via di Città, 121 or Via Pantaneto, 54. There are also many smaller ones scattered around the city. You can find a list of Grocery Stores and Supermarkets here. Click here to view Siena Supermarkets in a larger map. [ return to top ]
How can I meet other program students prior to the program?
With your welcome information, once you are admitted to the program, you will receive details of a facebook group, in which you can meet other program students. Also, on your application, you can select to share your contact information with other participants. [ return to top ]
Are there any required courses?
The Siena Program has a required introductory course entitled "The International Legal Framework for the Protection of Art and Cultural Property" that will provide an introduction to the complex and often confusing web of principles and systems that constitute international law. The course will also address the major conventions regarding the protection of art and cultural property. Other than the introductory course, there are no prerequisites. [ return to top ]
What do I do if I need to cancel?
To cancel or withdraw from the program, you must send a written request to Michele Certoma, as this is the only way to be officially unenrolled from the program. [ return to top ]
Is there an internship component to the program?
There is no internship component to the Siena program.
Who can I contact for more information or resources regarding internships?
The Program Directors may serve as a resource to you for questions as to whether any internships are available. [ return to top ]
What is the deadline to apply?
The deadline to apply to study abroad is May 31. [ return to top ]
Are there any other deadlines I should be aware of?
- Letters of Good Standing must be in by the start of the program.
- Tuition is due by May 31. [ return to top ]
What do I do if I cannot pay my tuition by the tuition deadline?
Please contact Accounts Receivable, (504) 865-5368, for any information regarding tuition deadlines, or late payments, as late fees are assessed directly by their office, and not by Tulane Law School. The balance of all tuition and housing charges are due by May 31, 2010. Any outstanding payments for tuition or housing charges which are not paid by the date listed above will be subject to a finance charge assessed at 18% per annum. Failure to pay by this date, however, will not result in your being dropped from the program. *No credit for participation in the program(s) will be granted if any participant fails to pay all tuition and housing expenses in full. [ return to top ]
How do I get housing for Siena?
Housing in Siena will be available through the University of Siena and through one private Inn. There will be double and single rooms available. This year, housing will be contained in the two residences of the Santa Chiara Graduate College, which are relatively close to the law faculty (about 1km or 15 minute walk), and in Palazzo del Testa, an inn close to the law faculty (about 0.9 km or 12 minute walk). The cost per person at the College is projected to be $800 for a double room, and $900 for a single room. At Palazzo del Testa, housing is projected to be $800 for a double room. Housing will be available from June 5 – June 26. At the College, a breakfast option can also be added for $150. The exact amount will be determined after January, 2010, on the basis of prevailing economic conditions and the dollar-euro exchange rates. A limited number of single rooms are available. Dormitory accommodations will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, upon receipt of a completed Housing Reservation (inlcuded on application), and the full amount payable, which must be received no later than May 1, 2010. Students may make their own accommodations if they wish, but Siena is crowded in the summer, so it may be difficult and expensive to find other housing.
How do I review my grades for the program?
Grades will not be posted prior to thirty days from the completion of the program. Once grades are received and posted at the end of the program, you will be able to access your grades via TOUR at http://www.registrar.tulane.edu. You can log in to TOUR using your student ID # and PIN # (originally sent in an email from Chana Lewis in April or May, called “Tulane Summer Abroad Tuition Payment Information”). Select the Grades link to view your grades for the Summer 2010 term. [ return to top ]
How do I pay my tuition for the program?
Tuition is due by May 31. You may access and pay your tuition bill at: http://pandora.tcs.Tulane.edu/acctrec/NetPay.asp. Do not send tuition payments to the Law School. Questions regarding your tuition bill should be directed to Accounts Receivable (504-865-5368 or 800-798-7633) or via e-mail (acctrec@tulane.edu).
How do I find my pin number?
You should receive your pin number from Chana Lewis in an email called “Tulane Summer Abroad Tuition Payment Information” in the end of April or the end of May. If you have misplaced, or did not receive, your PIN number you will need to request a new PIN by sending an email to the “mypin” email address. [ return to top ]
Will my school receive an official transcript of my grades? Who should I contact for a transcript of my grades?
Transcripts are not automatically sent to your home school. You must request a transcript through the Tulane University Registrar’s Office.
You may request your transcript via Tulane’s website: http://www.tulane.edu/~registra/transcript_requests. Your first few transcript requests are free and there is a modest charge for additional requests beyond that.
NOTE: For all requests (PIN or TRANSCRIPT), verification steps must be taken before your information can be issued. In order to verify your identity, please respond to the email from the Registrar’s Office with the following information:
1) your full name
2) your date of birth
3) your permanent address (on file with Tulane)
4) your emergency contact person (on file with Tulane)
5) your major course of study at Tulane: LAW
6) the name of a class you took or professor you had your most recent semester at Tulane (list semester)
Once they obtain this information from you, they will process your request.
NOTE: If you have any problems submitting your requests, you may contact the Registrar’s office directly at (504) 865-5231 or email registra@tulane.edu. They should be able to help you. [ return to top ]
What types of activities will be provided by the program?
In addition to regularly scheduled classes, there are social and educational activities organized by Tulane. In the past years, these have included museum tours, visits to the police task force, visits to looted sites, and wine tours . A calendar of all activities will be given to you when you arrive in Siena. [ return to top ]
Will I need to bring any business attire with me?
You should bring business casual attire for visits to the museums and other such occasions. [ return to top ]