Living in the Collegio di Milano

Are you thinking about studying abroad in Milan, but have no idea what housing to pick? Well, I was in the same spot. It took me a bit to decide, but I ultimately chose the Collegio di Milano. It's a smaller residence hall reserved for honors students with a dining hall, gym, music practice room, soccer field, tennis/volleyball court and shared kitchens. To get in, all you have to do is have a professor sign off on your academic status and send it in before the housing application form opens. A separate place of submission will appear for your recommendation letter on Moodle a few days before you need to make your choice. 

Collegio di Milano is located near the Navigli region of Milan, in the South Western outskirts of the city. It is the only housing option that provides a meal plan, which heavily impacted my choice. I had limited funds available to me while studying abroad and I knew I would want to spend my money on souvenirs or trips to other cities. Due to this, I figured choosing a residence that provided me with “free” food would be the best option for me. I put “free” in quotations because technically the cost is filtered into your tuition, but Collegio does NOT require an additional housing fee on top of that figure. 

As soon as I stepped foot in Collegio, I was asked to sign a few forms before I could receive my key and bring my luggage up to my room. The main entrance of the Collegio is located in building Z, while the actual dorms are in either buildings S or L. They are not far from the main lobby, but you do have to walk outside to get to them. 

At first, the brutalist all-white atmosphere of my new bedroom startled me. The frigid grey tile, matching floor-to-ceiling black out curtains, and orange wool blanket were the only splashes of color. It felt cold and isolating, nothing like the warm and inviting space I had carefully curated back home. Luckily, I had prepared for this and I brought a few posters and decor items with me. Be warned, however, that you need to complete a housing assessment form as soon as you enter the room for the first time. Any damage not accounted for will be billed directly to your home institution, which circles back to you. Do not use anything that will either punch a hole in the wall or peel the paint from the plaster. For the love of God, never ever use command strips. They will destroy the room.               

A photo of me sitting on my dorm floor. You can see my open balcony door in the background. 

Once my dorm was thoroughly decorated in a way that didn’t make me anxious, I was ushered into a plethora of activities. We started with a quick walking tour of the neighborhood. Esselunga, a large grocery chain in Italy, is a five minute walk from the dorm. A metro station directly next to it leads to the green line (M2), which you can take to Cadorna and transfer to the red line (M1) heading towards Rho Fiera until you reach the Lotto station. This will spit you out directly in front of the IES Abroad building, taking a total of 30 minutes. Besides the supermarket, there is also a pharmacy and a few cafes and restaurants scattered about. 

But is it worth living here? Let's start with the positives: 

• The meal plan

Collegio di Milano offers a 16 meals a week plan, which translates to breakfast and dinner on weekdays and an additional lunch on weekends. Everyday your choices consist of a first and second course with the option of fruit or pudding for dessert. To access the line, you have to scan your housing key and walk through the turnstile. You’ll then pick up a tray and the dining staff will ask you what you want from the procured options. It's usually two types of pasta or rice or soup, and then a choice of protein and vegetables. You can also ask for grilled chicken or eggs if you don’t want any of the offered meals. 

• International and local students

It is very easy to meet new people and form connections. The Collegio hosts IES Abroad students, Italian students, and other international students. Everyone gathers in the dining hall at different times, but you’ll get a feel for what groups go when. It's okay if you don’t want to engage with a big group at first. I started by sitting with the other American students I recognized from our icebreaker activities on day one. Then you can feel free to branch out and introduce yourself to others. Almost everyone speaks a little bit of English, and your mandatory intensive Italian course will help you pick up the basics in the first two weeks. Don’t be afraid to attempt conversation!

• Single bedrooms

I was very excited to learn that not only would I have my own bedroom, but a private bathroom as well. Having a space I can retreat to when I need is very important to me, especially when I am exploring a foreign country and constantly interacting with people on the metro, in class, and in the dining hall. 

• Weekly cleaning

Though it seems nerve wracking to think about strangers entering your room when you are not there, the cleaning staff at Collegio are friendly and diligent. Once a week, they ask you to leave your room for about an hour so they can change the sheets on your bed, clean your bathroom, and sweep the floors. My schedule actually made it so that I am in class when my room is to be cleaned. This works out perfectly because I just make sure my floor, bed, and desk are cleared off before I leave and I come home to new bedding and a refreshed space. They also restock your toilet paper for you, so that’s one less thing you need to buy. 

Now for the negatives: 

• Laundry

The laundry at Collegio is not free. It costs about 2-2.50 euros per load, plus an additional 2 euros to use the dryer. You’re looking at about 7 US dollars every time you need to wash your clothes. Additionally, you need to download an app that you can connect to your credit or debit card to draw points from. This app uses bluetooth to activate the machines and you can not use them without it. 

• The absurd amount of apps

This program in general requires you to download multiple apps. Collegio forces you to have the laundry app and whatsapp, but if you want to see the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus before you go to the dining hall you’ll need at least one more. This is on top of the IES Abroad, ATM Milano, and HID applications you need to navigate the program, access important information about the metro and bus lines, and enter the IES Abroad building. Six apps take up a lot of space, so be sure you have enough on your phone to accommodate them. 

• No towels

Collegio provides most of the essentials you need, but you will have to buy a towel. Esselunga does NOT sell them, so you will need to take the metro to find a store that does, pack one from home, or order one online.

Overall, I have loved the Collegio di Milano. Despite the flaws, it is a close-knit community with exceptional people living and working in it. Plus, there are so many shopping districts and hidden gems in the surrounding vicinity. Everything is basically a 10-30 minute train ride away. If you want a smaller campus, the Collegio is definitely for you.