Supporting International Students

Home to over 200,000 students and 15,000 international students, Milan is a great eclectic hot spot to study abroad in. Between Milan’s cultural heritage, Italian language immersion, cuisine, and fashion haven, studying abroad here can really develop both your cross-cultural understanding and language skills. Not only that, studying abroad opens a wealth of opportunities. Students who have lived abroad are more likely to graduate with a higher grade, have a more eye-catching resume and find work sooner after graduating. Additionally, living abroad is a time of self-discovery and personal growth as well as academic development. However, whilst living overseas is a fantastic means of stepping-up your independence, boosting confidence and expanding your network, the prospect of settling in can be a little daunting at first.

Before moving abroad, your mind may be bubbling with questions: Who will I be friends with? What if I miss home? What if I get lost on my first day of class? All of this is just a healthy fear of the unknown. Besides, there’s only so much you can gauge about a city through online research of TikToks, Google Maps and YouTube vlogs. At Collegiate, we want you to be able to make the most of your university years both academically and socially. So, we strive to do our best with providing a reliable support network for our international students in Milan during their time away from home.

Building a Support Network

Finding like-minded individuals

When leaving home for the first time, it’s important to think about what kind of accommodation you would like, that is, studio or shared apartment living. At Collegiate, we provide the option of both studio and shared apartments so you can take charge of your own independent space. Even if you choose to live independently in one of our studios, there are plenty of open lounges and communal spaces where our students like to socialise, hangout and study. Communal living is a great way of finding like-minded individuals and building support networks from the get-go.

Coping with language barriers

Milan is a multi-lingual city, and you can easily do more than get by with English alone. That said, it is always nice to learn a little of the country’s language you are visiting. Knowing how to order a cappuccino and chocolate croissant, “un cappuccino e un cornetto al cioccolato per favore”, is an easy way of feeling more settled and at home. Nowadays, with universities often offering free language classes and applications such as DuoLingo and Quizlet, language learning has never been made easier. However, there is nothing like studying a language from within your target country. Being culturally immersed can really ignite a linguistic passion and, with Milan being an international city, you may not just get the chance to pick up Italian and Lombard dialect, but also Spanish, French, Portuguese, and more.

Being Open to New Experiences

Moving abroad can feel like one big New Year’s Resolution, and so is a perfect opportunity to try out new things. Beginning a new hobby is a fun way to not only make friends, but also to find something out about yourself. Whether it’s a short cookery course, fashion class, wine-tasting, joining a dance school or beginning to ice skate, Milan offers an assortment of new hobbies to take on. In addition, with on-campus activities, held at Collegiate, such as pool, swimming and basketball, there are a range of experiences waiting to be had.

Exercising

Establishing an exercise routine can be a useful grounding tool during hectic exam times or struggles with settling in. At our Collegiate Milan accommodation, we provide full access to a fully equipped gym and various on-campus sports courts. Similarly, Milan is home to some fantastic running paths. To name a few, Giardini Indro Montanelli, Parco Sempione and Martesana are amongst the most scenic and recommended routes.

Rest and Relaxation

Between embracing the vibrant Milan nightlife, adapting to a new culture and teaching style, it’s easy to fall into a tight schedule. Plenty of rest and rejuvenation then becomes essential to mitigating student stress. To support our students during times like these, our Milan accommodation comes with some incredible features such as a spa and wellness suite, cinema theatre, bar lounge, dinner party lounge, swimming pool and courtyard.

During the busy exam season, we also know that cleaning can often scoop to the bottom of the priority list. To help prevent messy rooms and messy minds, we also support our students by offering a weekly or monthly cleaning service packages.

Focused Study Areas

Finding a quiet place to study is essential for maximizing focus, productivity, reducing stress and minimizing distractions. That’s why we provide well-designed communal study spaces to make your student life in Milan a little easier. Likewise, with our city central location, students also have access to numerous libraries and Feltrinelli study cafés right at their doorstep.

Getting to Know Milan

At Collegiate, we know that getting to know a new city can be a little intimidating at first. Looking blankly at Google Maps can often make you feel as though you have no clue where to begin. As helpful starting points, we have put together numerous guides to navigating Milan’s metro, nightlife and other key neighbourhoods. To further support our foreign students in Italy, we also provide a resident’s handbook with all the Collegiate campus information you need to know.

Creating a Global Community

It’s without a doubt that socialising is a huge part of student life. Maintaining a healthy balance between seeing friends and academics is key to boosting mental well-being and productivity. To keep our Milan student social networks going at Collegiate, we like to host plenty of events throughout the year. From cinema nights, games evenings, themed parties and organised trips, we want to encourage students to build an international student community that is both diverse and inclusive.