10 June 2025
Threesna Sharfina
Shafa Yasmin As Sajidah, a 2022 cohort student of the undergraduate program in Political Science from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), has successfully been selected for a student exchange program in Italy for the Fall semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. Through a bilateral partnership between Universitas Sumatera Utara and Università di Roma La Sapienza, Shafa will study for a whole semester in Rome and be the sole USU representative in the program.
Shafa will attend the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, as the Political Science program at La Sapienza focuses more on Italian-language instruction. The Political Science department at FISIP USU has fully supported her participation, provided her courses are relevant and can be credited toward her current curriculum.
“What makes this program appealing is its academic flexibility. I can take cross-department courses like arts and humanities, which are still related to my field of study,” said Shafa.
Her interest in international programs isn’t new. Since high school, Shafa has actively pursued various similar opportunities, though not always successfully. Her consistency in seeking opportunities, strengthening her foreign language skills, and maintaining academic performance were key factors that helped her succeed. The selection process for the program was based on application assessment, with a minimum GPA requirement of 3.00 and a foreign language certificate at the B2 level.
Shafa learned about the program through the USU International Affairs Office's social media account. From there, she handled the entire process independently—from learning the registration procedures to preparing documents to arranging her visa. She is currently in the final stages of preparation and is scheduled to arrive in Italy before October 1, 2025.
The overseas program at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, is a form of international mobility designed for students from various countries, including Indonesia. It operates on a co-funding basis, meaning the university or program organizers cover only part of the costs, such as tuition fees or academic facilities. At the same time, the student must bear other expenses like airfare, visa, accommodation, and living costs.
While in Rome, Shafa will live in a rental home that she arranged herself, based on recommendations from the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) in Rome. The program does not offer dormitory facilities, but the host university will cover tuition fees, and USU also provides support in round-trip airfare. Living expenses and accommodation, however, are self-funded.
Participation in this program also grants access to support facilities such as free Italian language courses, a La Sapienza student card, and access to the university’s library and other campus amenities.
“This will be my first time going abroad. Sometimes I feel anxious too, especially about facing winter for the first time. But I’m grateful, and I hope this can motivate other friends to keep being brave and trying,” Shafa concluded.
Writer: Tabitha R. Simbolon
