Pratical Information

Salary and expenses

The salary of a PhD student at SISSA is 1135€. A contribution towards living expenses of the amount of 1.200€ gross per year will also be awarded. Life expenses are around: Accommodation +electricity, gas and water bills: 200-400€, it depends on whether you rent a single apartment or only a room. Moreover every year students have to pay the Tassa per il diritto allo studio (Tax for the right to study) to the Regional Authority for the University Study (ERDISU). The amount of the tax is about 100€. This tax allows you to use the university cafeterias, and to obtain discounts for sport activities through the CUS (Sport University Center).

ERDISU card and Bar coupons

PhD students has the right to obtain the ERDISU Card to eat in Adriatico or ICTP Cafeterias and Bar Coupons. It is possible to obtain a discount on both the ERDISU Card and Bar Coupons that depends on the economical situation of their family. In order to obtain this discount the student has to submit the following documents: 1) A certification of the composition of his/her family; 2) Incomes declaration and the properties declaration of him/herself and of his/her family; 3) Fill out and print the form you can get at http://www.erdisu.trieste.it/. The first two documents must be officially translated into Italian at Tribunal (Foro Ulpiano 1) by someone that knows both the language of the student and Italian.

Apartments for Students and rent refund

PhD students can apply for an University Apartment at ERDISU. In order to do that, you are asked to submit the same documents required for the ERDISU Card plus a certificate, released by SISSA, that attests your PhD student condition. The houses are few and the priority is given to student with lower family salary. Moreover the PhD students can require a partial refund for their rent. You can ask for a refund when you apply for the ERDISU card, as long as you provide the rental contract plus the SISSA certificate.

University Sport Center

A PhD students can subscribe to CUS (University Sport Center) in order to obtain discounts for different sport activities. The inscription to the CUS is about 15€ per year.

Sanitary Assistance

It’s possible to obtain sanitary assistance for foreign students. It’s sufficient to request it in the ASL (Sanitary Local Authority) office, it costs 150€ a year and it includes family doctor and hospital service. See Guide For Health Assistance To Foreign Citizens. In Trieste the ASL is in via Stock 2.

Taxes for Pension

Taxes for pension are paid in part by SISSA and in part by the PhD student. According to the Italian law at the end of the PhD you cannot get them back, even if you are a foreign PhD student. You would have the right to have an Italian pension (being 57-65 years old) only in the case you pay contributions for 5 years. If you come from a country that has a convention with Italy about contribution for pension you can use them in the future.

Italian residence(residenza) and Identity Card (Carta d’identità)

Foreign students can ask for Italian domicile, ‘residenza’, and require the Italian Identity Card(Carta d’Identità). You must submit an official translation of birth certificate from your home country to obtain these documents. Notice that Carta d’Identità is a valid identification document in Italy but not abroad. On the other hand without ‘residenza’ certificate you cannot buy a car, convert your driving license and apply for residential rates for your electricity bills. Moreover for those who are married the residenza is required in order to invite their spouse.

Discount in Cinemas

In Trieste students can get a discount in all cinemas. It is sufficient to show the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) or the SISSA student card. The ISIC can be obtained in CTS Piazza Dalmazia 3/b and it costs about 15 €; the SISSA student card can be obtained in the secretary for free, it is sufficient to bring them a photo.

External Activities

Information about different cultural activities held in Trieste can be found: in ICTP newsletters; NTWK journal, that is freely distributed monthly in many bars; il Mercatino journal, in the first number of the month; on the following web sites: Trieste.com, Teatro Miela, il Rossetti, Teatro Lirico Verdi.