I intend to start a new life in Italy, What shoukd I do?

Keep your options open.

Check with the university in Italy about foreign student requirements. If you want to study in Italy, going to university there will give you an idea of what it would take to live there. Or, perhaps your American university has a study-abroad program for a semester or a year.

The fact that you consider studying abroad a possible "waste of time" is a red flag as to your commitment to living abroad. You should leave some room to revise your plans. Also, if you are nearly out of money, how will you manage to live while you study?

It's not easy to work in Italy as a foreigner. A friend of mine is a nuclear pharmacologist and couldn't get residency/work permits.

It is not easy to work in Italy, period. Even if you are Italian. The best minds are already fleeing the country. Once you get your master degree you will discover that it will be easier to get a job in UK or Germany or France or US, and the pay will be better.

Just to echo other replies, the unemployment rate in Italy is 10-12%, for 15 to 24 year olds, around 40%. So even if you were allowed to work, and even with the completion of a degree, prospects are not good. As for studying there, with the student visa, as you mentioned, you cannot work, but you typically also have to show some proof of financial support (read as money in the bank or some monthly stipend)

That said, if you want to at least investigate the issue more, do some google searches on "Italy expat guide" a number of sites will hit filled with people who have or want to do the same.

What do your parents think about this?

From what I've read
The only job one could get readily as a foreigner that speaks English would hinge on knowing Italian fluently / or German and Italian ...

To work at a resort or a place that has many tourists that would benefit from your knowing those languages as a translator / receptionist / host etc ... whatever job they would hire you for to have on hand to translate for tourist guests / customers .

Another related job would be teaching English to Italians . But I am sure you would need to be fluent in Italian for this also .

There are youtube videos I have seen online that go over basics of Italian ; I have also come across people who teach Italian one on one via Skype ( for a credit card charge ) .

I will add you need to do whatever you plan to do in central or north Italy . Southern Italy is rife with corruption . If the school you were opting for is in southern Italy your choice should be NO . Southern Italians take their college tests in the north as many degrees earned in the south aren't considered legit when you show them to potential employers ; think ' mafia ' corruption etc ... ( I met a girl last year in Genoa ( northern Italy ) there specifically to take a college test that was from Sicily . This is a common thing they have to do .

Good luck .

Also from an account I read on a womans journey to Italian citizenship ... to immigrate is not easy . Even when you are married to an Italian citizen ; have a job there or through a company in the U.S. , know Italian fluently ... expect a few years ( and several thousand dollars ) of paper chasing ...

This is very simple. You need a grip on reality and a solid plan - not day dreams or wishful thinking. First, unless you have a needed skill, it is very hard to immigrate anywhere without skills. Second, you need to improve your proofing reading skills, grammar, and spelling so that you make a good first impression. Third, how did you plan to pay for your university either in the US or Italy? If you truly want to immigrate to Italy, then the Italian University would be a good choice for showing intent AND become fluent in Italian which, I assume, you are not at the moment. It is mostly true that a student visa would force you to return to the US after your studies but you would be a much better position to pursue a career in Italy afterwards. You could probably get your paperwork started before returning, perhaps make contacts with other Italian students and companies before returning. If Italian company was interested in employing you after graduation, they would be extremely useful in getting through the paperwork mess.

There are no easy solutions, nor a quick fix. You need a plan that continues to develop options as you proceed. With a good plan you never run out of options because you keep creating options. For example - maybe spend two years with the US university getting your basics in place, taking some Italian course as start on fluency, and then transfer to the Italian university to finish your degree. Only you can help yourself. Get to work.

First I would research HEAVILY the university that accepted you. Unless you are fluent in Italian, have some connection to Italy (family living there, for example), or have some very unique credentials/talent, I wonder about the reputation of the school that accepted you. And I don't mean to offend you. But it is more difficult for international students to be accepted here. I assume the same is true of most other countries.

What about going to the school in America and studying abroad? Or traveling over the summer? A lot of American universities have study abroad programs in Italy. That is a great way to get your feet wet and really decide if you like being abroad. The idea of living abroad is very romantic and appeals to a lot of us on this website. But in reality, it is expensive and would probably be very lonely at the start.

I know you feel like you are running out of time. But you have your whole life ahead of you to move to Italy if that is your dream. Your best chance is to get the best education you can to make yourself attractive to international companies (or to American companies with offices in Europe) and become fluent in as many languages as possible. Travel when you can. Build up your savings account. I can't promise that this definitely allow you to move to Italy one day. But at the very least, you can build skills that can help you have a good life here. And help pay for the trips that will quench your travel thirst.

Good luck to you!

Deepblue... perhaps your Neapolitan contacts can tell you about the University of Naples...

You are very young. If you dream of living in Italy, this is the time to give it a chance. Not when you are middle aged and your life is already entrenched in America. I've known many American expats in Florence (hundreds) who came to study and stayed. One of them became my girlfriend and later my wife. After 2 years living there illegally she was able to apply for permanent residency thanks to an amnesty law for illegal aliens that Italy passed in those years. Many of her American friends did the same. Others became legal through marriage. Others were sponsored by a company. Some moved back to the U.S. Others are still there and when I visit them I speak in English to them, but they find it easier to talk in Italian after so many years. So you never know where life can take you. Yes it is true that unemployment in Italy is 10-12% now. But my philosophy is that as long as I have a job, unemployment is 0%.
Studying at an Italian university will give you an advantage. You will have a degree that is legally recognized throughout the EU. You will develop a social network locally and that could result in a company (Italian or otherwise) that is willing to sponsor you. Also there is also a high chance you might meet a nice Italian girl who might marry you. Once you are married to an Italian you can rightfully work in Italy, and after a certain amount of time you can become a citizen (I think it's 2 years now if you are married to an Italian and reside in Italy, or 3 years if you are married and reside outside of Italy) that way you can have two passports (like I do). The important thing, in Italy as in America, is to graduate in the right subjects. There are very few unemployed engineers in Italy (actually there is a shortage), but plenty of unemployed graduates with degrees in literature and other liberal arts subjects.

Hi Rey_Juarez45,
I'd like to congratulate you on being accepted to the universities here in America & Italy!
Roberto has given you good advise.
I just sent you a private message with more information.

I think you are approaching your interest in living in Italy in the perfect way. Studying abroad is an ideal avenue for someone young to get an idea of what living abroad is REALLY like and whether or not it would work for you. I studied in Europe in college and it was the best thing I ever did - you'll be happy you did this whether or not you choose to stay in Europe or come back to the States.
While you are there you should pay close attention to which industries are hiring and which ones are not doing well. Whether it be engineering or something in the financial services sector you need to figure out where to put your academic energy so that you will be attractive to an employer if you decide to stay. Once an employer wants to hire you then the visa to stay will follow - cross that bridge when you come to it and don't worry right now. Just focus on getting your student visa for the university that has already accepted you and take one step at a time!

It would be a great experience anyway .... Italy is not only a country .... It's a way of living

Does any of this help, rey? What do you think?

Considering the OP ended his post with the words PLEASE HELP ME, he is curiously unresponsive to all the good advice and ideas, to say nothing of the empathy, offered by knowledgeable people here.

I just hope Rey found the help he was looking for... and hope he is okay.

Sorry for not responding sooner guys. I had a pretty hectic New Year's eve and Day. Anyway, Thank you to Robert and Priscilla for your kind words and everyone who helped me. My family isn't being supportive but that is more because no one wants me to leave the nest, not so much a concern for anything else. For anyone wondering the American University is UCLA and The Italian one is Universita di Bologna. More than anything, I was basing my choice of country on where I wanted to live after university so Italy was my first choice followed by Spain, Portugal, and France. Spanish is my first language but had I been accepted to uni in Spain it would be in Catalunya so I'd have to learn a new language anyway. Ultimately I have 8,859 USD saved for the move plus an extra 45,000 that my late grandpa left me as a college fund. My family will likely send it to me every month in small installments. I leave for Italy in August. We'll see what Happens. Ciao

Good for you, Rey! Thanks for checking in again.

If Spanish is your first language, you will pick up Italian very quickly.

What a wonderful opportunity! Best wishes to you!!

Thanks for the update. Good luck to you.

The University of Bologna, besides being the oldest in the world, is also the most prestigious in Italy. In fact it is the Italian university that is consistently ranked highest in the international rankings (published by the King's College of England). Only the most prestigious American universities are ranked highest. With the exception of UCLA, UC Berkeley, U. Of Michigan and a few others, all other American universities ranked higher than Bologna are private institutions, therefore not very affordable without a substantial scholarship.

I love the comments on this board that start with: "From what I have read (heard)..." Or the comments based on stereotypes, like the Universities being corrupt and controlled by the mafia in southern Italy.

Rey_Juarez45,

What a great accomplishment to be accepted not only to UCLA but to Universita di Bologna!

It's obvious that your hard work & determination have paid off.... and it will continue to pay off;
as long as you continue to persevere in reaching your goal, one step at a time!

Congratulations once again!