FAQ & Policies

Workshops & Masterclasses policies

IF I ENROLL TO MORE THAN ONE WORKSHOP, DO I GET A SPECIAL DISCOUNT?
IDEA is strongly focused on sharing skills and promoting study. Exceptionally for the current year, IDEA offers a special discount for its students as follows:
10% discount on the total expense for students who simultaneously enrolls to two workshops;
15% discount on the total expense for students who simultaneously enrolls to three workshops.
ARE THERE OTHER DISCOUNTS?
YES! Currently we have “Bring a friend…” promotion, which offers a significant discount on enrollment fee for both students who decide to join our courses together. In order to get the above-mentioned promotion, students must write us an email telling that they are friend of another student who want to enroll to a workshop and that they want to join the same workshop together. As an alternative to that, two students can enroll at the same moment writing in the email that they are friends and want to join the same workshop together. Once we receive the confirmation from both students, they can get the discount.
Here are some examples of discounts with “Bring a friend … promotion”:
A workshop with enrollment fee of 399 euros VAT included, costs 349 euros VAT included applying the “Bring a friend …” promotion.
ARE PROMOTIONS AND DISCOUNTS CUMULATIVE?
Of course! If two students enroll simultaneously to two workshops, they both get the “Bring a friend…” promotion and the 10% discount on the total expense for the two workshops!
WHAT IF I COULD NOT JOIN THE WORKSHOP ANYMORE? CAN I GET A REFUND?
Absolutely! In case students cancel their participation to our workshops, they can ask for a refund of the enrollment fee under the following conditions:
70% refund on the enrollment fee if they cancel 25 days before the workshop starts;
30% refund on the enrollment fee if they cancel between 24 and 15 days before the workshop starts.
If students cancel their participation during the last 14 days before the workshop starts, they will not get a refund. WHAT IF I CHANGE WORKSHOP TO ATTEND?
In special circumstances, IDEA Academy staff at its own discretion can offer the possibility to attend another of its workshops to students who decide to change course.



Courses policies

REFUNDS, WITHDRAWAL & CANCELLATION
After enrolling in IDEA Academy and paying the non-refundable enrollment fee, students have 7 days before the beginning of the course to withdraw from the academy. They are then eligible for a full refund of all fees and any tuition paid, not-including the non-refundable enrollment fee.
Students enrolling in a course need to stay with the class, regardless of how their work schedules change, or their job situations change. When they enroll, they should be sure that they can fully commit, and complete the course. Students should be sure to have the time and resources to fully participate for the entire length of the course. If unsure about their ability to participate, students have until just before the course begins to withdraw.
At any point during the course: Once enrolled, students have until that module begins to opt out (courses are composed by three modules, each one 12 weeks long).
During the first week of the first module, students can withdraw but because IDEA Academy has already employed their instructors for the course, students are obligated to pay the first installment of the agreed-upon tuition for the course, even if they cannot participate.
During the first week of the second module students can withdraw and, as for the afore-mentioned reasons, they are obligated to pay the second installment of the agreed-upon tuition for the course, even if they cannot participate.
During the first week of the third module students can withdraw and, as for the afore-mentioned reasons, they are obligated to pay the final installment of the agreed-upon tuition for the course, even if they cannot participate.
Registration or other fees will not be refunded. Withdrawal can be initiated by emailing: info@idea-academy.it with a clear request for withdrawal (messages through other channels such as, Facebook, Twitter or other social media or messaging service WILL NOT be taken into consideration). Any cancellation or withdrawal refund payments will be issued within 30 days.
PAYMENTS
Students must pay before the module begins, in order to enroll. Enrolled students must keep their payments current to maintain status at the academy and retain access to the school facilities and assets.
Students should email the Payments Department, at biz@idea-academy.it to bring their account current and resume student status. If students need to arrange a different due date, the Payments Department can work with them as long as it is within the seven day grace period.
Existing students who fail to pay for the current term must contact the academy at biz@idea-academy.it to avoid having being suspended from the course.



Accomodation

HOW CAN I FIND A PLACE TO STAY IN ROME? There are a number of resources available to prospective students who need housing in Rome, below are some of the most popular ones:

Students looking for accomodation will also be added to a closed IDEA Academy group on facebook to get in tough with their fellow colleagues. IDEA Academy does not directly offer assistance in relation to your accomodation search or for issues related to housing contracts, bills, etc... HOW DO I KNOW WHICH DISTRICT TO CHOOSE? You can read about Rome's districts in this guide:

https://www.romewise.com/rome-neighborhoods.html



Visa

VISA APPLICATION FOR NON-EU STUDENTS IDEA Academy provides assistance for NON-EU students. The cost for handling the paper work is 500 euros (non refundable), to be paid at the moment of enrollment. Upon enrollment IDEA Academy will give NON-EU students all the details related to the visa. The academy will not be held responsible for any problem incurred during the visa issuing process not does it manage any part of it.



Career Prospects

WILL I BE ABLE TO FIND A JOB AFTER THE COURSE?
IDEA Academy is an internationally renowned hub with close ties to industry professionals and studios. Through our network of studios in the videogame and animation industry and our attendance to fairs all over the world, we make sure our students can showcase their work at every given opportunity. IDEA doesn't leave anyone behind, even after the course is finished. We provide support and assistance for your job seeking to all our current and former students. We do our best and we expect students to do their best too.



Scholarship

Starting from the Academic Year 2018/2019, by enrolling in IDEA students have a chance of winning a scholarship for any annual course taught in IDEA. The scholarship covers the tuition of one year of course (annual subscription fee and tuition fee) but does not cover the expenses related to living in Rome (accommodation, food, etc.). Enrolled students who want to apply for the scholarship need to write at info@idea-academy.it, sending their portfolio/collection of works. IDEA reserves the right to schedule a Skype interview with candidates whose portfolio/collection of works pass the first selection.

The deadline for enrolled students who want to apply for the scholarship is June 30th. Scholarship requests sent after June 30th will not be considered.
Results will be announced before the start of IDEA Academy's course directly to the successful candidates via email.
Please note that IDEA reserves the right not to grant any scholarship if no suitable candidate is found. This means that, before considering enrollment in the academy, applicants have to be absolutely sure to have the financial means to pay for the entire tuition in case the scholarship is not assigned to them. Interested students should refrain from applying to the scholarship if they are not sure to be able to pay the full tuition. Reimbursement of the enrollment fees for NON-UE applicants who do not obtain the scholarship is only given if they are denied their visa (in which case it will be necessary to show proof of the visa denial issued by the local Italian embassy/consulate). Applicants who successfully obtain the scholarship, will be reimbursed of any teaching fee already paid (with the exception of the 500 euro visa fee for NON-UE students) once the course is finished and the attendance rate is of no less than 80% of classes throughout the entire academic year (absence is allowed only for justified causes which need to be clarified in advance; not attending lessons without informing IDEA counts as a non justified absence).



Living in Rome

WHAT IS THE COST OF LIVING IN ROME? Although Rome is not a cheap city, it is still much cheaper than many other European cities and offers a variety of affordable solutions for students.
Food is fairly cheap and the city is filled with coffee shops and take-away street food vendors where it is possible to have a meal for just a few euros.
Public transportation in the city costs 1,50€ for a 90-minutes ticket, but monthly and yearly passes further reduce the price. Trains are also far cheaper than in other European cities. In regards to housing, the average cost of a room is between 350 and 500€ a month depending on the location and state of the apartment. The average cost of living in Rome is apporximately 800-900€ a month. For more info please feel free to consult the following websites ( please note that the rental costs reported in the links below refers to an entire apartment that can be shared among 3 or more students):

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Rome
https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/rome