Details

• Italy
• MAMgmt-14
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

The result of the introductory course “Introduction to Management” was crucial for the chances of my degree program when applying for the semester abroad. Therefore, it is advisable to put in particular effort in this course.

2. Accommodation

I booked my accommodation (a shared apartment with two other students) through Housing Anywhere. Unfortunately, it was very expensive and there were certainly cheaper alternatives. The earlier you start looking, the better. I booked in March for a September move-in. The housing market in Milan is unfortunately very competitive, and the willingness of Bocconi students to pay high prices is shamelessly exploited. My accommodation was about a 30-minute walk (or 15 minutes by tram) from Bocconi (in the southern part of Ticinese). The distance was great, but the neighborhood itself was not particularly nice. In the evenings, you didn’t feel very safe there, especially as a woman.

3. Academic life at host university

Compared to the Vienna University of Economics and Business, the campus of Bocconi University is not particularly beautiful and feels rather run-down. However, at WU you are also somewhat spoiled by the facilities. I mainly studied at home, because during exam periods the library becomes very crowded and quite noisy. The culinary options around Bocconi are good and reasonably priced. Most students in my courses were internationals, which made the collaboration very intercultural. The professors had expectations similar to those at WU, sometimes even slightly higher. Overall, the workload is somewhat higher than at WU. This is partly due to the greater number of assignments within a module and also because of the very compressed timeline in which submissions are due. Most assignments are scheduled within the last two weeks of the semester, in addition to a written exam in each course.

5. Every day life in the host country

The city is relatively well connected by public transport, although everything tends to be somewhat slower and less reliable. Milan is not very safe in some areas, and pickpocketing is quite common. Sports memberships are very expensive, both privately and through the university. I personally signed up for a private gym membership that cost €110 per month. A large number of Erasmus events are organized, including weekend trips. Apart from the gym, I did not really explore the other sports offerings.

6. Testimonial

I found my exchange semester to be both challenging and enriching. The workload at Bocconi University can be overwhelming, especially if you want to finish all courses before Christmas. I recommend choosing four instead of five courses (maximum 24 ECTS at Bocconi). Milan is a city with a beautiful aperitivo culture and several very nice neighborhoods. Nevertheless, poverty is a significant issue, which is reflected in higher crime rates in certain areas.