Life in Milan and Life on Campus

PhD students may explore various housing solutions, both on and off campus. A selection of available options is described below. 

• UNIVERSITY RESIDENCES

Bocconi University offers students the possibility to stay in one of the 7 university residence halls. 

Different housing application options are normally available:
(1) application opening for REDUCED RATE housing - late March
(2) application opening for FULL RATE housing - May
Students may only submit one application, for either full rate (1) or reduced rate (2) housing. You cannot apply for both of them.

(3) RESIDUAL ASSIGNMENT application - starting from June
ongoing with regular sessions throughout the whole academic year, based on room availabilities

All information about the application process is available on the Housing section of the Bocconi website. 
 

• OTHER ACCOMMODATION OPPORTUNITIES IN MILAN

Visit Other accommodation opportunities in Milan to find Residences and Housing not managed and/or guaranteed by Bocconi University and an non-exhaustive list of useful websites for house hunting Milan.

All international students are required to have appropriate health insurance.
They have the right to access the Italian National Health Service (SSN), although there are different health insurance options available.

In Italy, healthcare is provided by the public National Health Service (SSN – Servizio Sanitario Nazionale)

In case of emergency, you can dial 112 to call an ambulance or go directly to the Pronto Soccorso (Emergency Room) of the nearest hospital.

Registering with the SSN is strongly recommended, as it entitles you to the same treatment as Italian citizens. This includes:

• choosing a general practitioner (GP), who can visit you free of charge and refer you to specialists (dentists, orthopedists, etc.);
• free admission to public or accredited private hospitals;
• access to the out-of-hours medical service (guardia medica) free of charge;
• reduced fees for medical tests (e.g., blood work, X-rays);
• exemption from medical fees for chronic illnesses.
   

EU STUDENTS
if you are a EU students in Italy for less than 6 months, you can access medically necessary treatment with a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and ID. For stays over 6 months, you may use an S1 form from your home country or voluntarily enroll in the National Healthcare System (NHS) for €700 per year to receive full healthcare benefits like Italian citizens

To learn more about EU students and the Italian National Health Service, including required documents and procedures, visit the YesMilano webpage

NON-EU STUDENTS
Non-EU students can access the Italian National Healthcare System only by voluntarily enrolling and paying a €700 annual fee, which grants them a general practitioner and the same benefits as Italian citizens; registration must be renewed each year along with the residence permit.

Visit YesMilano for further information on Access the National Healthcare Service (NHS)
 

If you decide not to enrol to the national healthcare system, you might consider to purchase a private health insurance. 

 

ON-CAMPUS MEDICAL CENTER

Bocconi University has set up an on-campus
medical center, a clinic on the mezzanine floor of the Piazza
Sraffa 11 building.

For information, please consult the website.

HEALTH SERVICE

You can find information about Emergency Rooms, Emergency Medical Service and Night Pharmacies on the website.

You can get an Italian mobile phone number just by going to one of the mobile phone company stores which you can find almost anywhere throughout the city ( Vodafone, TIM, Wind, 3, Poste Mobile etc.) and asking for a sim card. It is possible to ask for a rechargeable sim card or, if all the requirements are met, for a card with a monthly payment plan.

For more details visit Phone number | YesMilano

The public transportation system in Milan includes:
-underground (metro) lines;
- Suburban railway lines, mostly underground (Passante Ferroviario), connecting Milan with its province, other cities in Lombardy, and regions beyond;
- Approximately 140 surface lines operated by trams and buses.  

Public transportation in Milan is managed by Azienda Trasporti Milanesi - ATM.
For more information on timetables, routes, and stops, visit the official ATM website. 
 

The underground service starts around 5:30 AM and runs until approximately 12:30 AM every day. At night, replacement bus services and night buses operate 7 days a week. Trams and buses typically begin service about an hour earlier and finish about an hour later. Lines 90 and 91 operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week .

Some tram lines—such as Tram 1, which passes through much of the city center and near the Central Station still use historic trams from the 1920s. Ten of these vintage vehicles were even shipped to the U.S. and now run on San Francisco’s F-line: https://www.streetcar.org/streetcars/1811/
A trip on one of those trams is an attraction in and of itself!

To check ticket prices and fare zones within Milan and surrounding municipalities, refer to the Integrated the Integrated Fare System of the Mobility Basin - STIBM

A public bike-sharing service, called BikeMi

From LINATE Airport   
Taxi: Approximately 20 minutes; cost around €15.
Public transport: take the bus 73 (direction San Babila), get off at Cinque Giornate, take tram 9 (direction Porta Genova) and get off at Porta Ludovica. The ticket costs €2.20 and is valid for 90 minutes from the first validation. Tickets can be purchased at tobacco shops, newsstands, or via the ATM app.

From MALPENSA Airport   
Taxi: Approximately 50 minutes; fixed rate of €90.
Malpensa Express (train) + tram:  : Take the Malpensa Express to Milano Cadorna station (€13), then subway line M2 (green line, direction Abbiategrasso or Assago Milanofiori Forum), get off at Porta Genova, and take tram 9 (direction Centrale FS) to Porta Ludovica.
Malpensa Shuttle (bus) + subway: The Malpensa Shuttle takes about 50 minutes to reach Stazione Centrale (Central Railway Station), with departures every 20 minutes; ticket costs €10. From Stazione Centrale, take subway line M3 (yellow line, direction San Donato), get off at Porta Romana, then take tram 9 (direction Porta Genova) and get off at Porta Ludovica.

From ORIO AL SERIO International Airport (BERGAMO)
More information on the Orio al Serio website.

From STAZIONE CENTRALE FS (Central Railway Station)
Taxi: Approximately 20 minutes; cost around €17.
Public transport: Take subway line M3 (yellow line, direction San Donato), get off at Porta Romana, then take tram 9 (direction Porta Genova) and get off at Porta Ludovica.
From CADORNA and GARIBALDI RAILWAY STATIONS
Take subway line M2 (green line, direction Abbiategrasso or Assago Milanofiori Forum), get off at Porta Genova, then take tram 9 (direction Centrale FS) and get off at Porta Ludovica.

By CAR
From the Tangenziale Ovest (Western Ring Road), take the exit A7 Milano-Genova/Viale Liguria towards the city center. Turn right at Piazza Belfanti, continue on Viale Liguria and Viale Tibaldi, turn left on Via Castelbarco, and right on Via Sarfatti.

Additional Information

Taxi
Taxis are available 24/7 at designated ranks outside airport terminals and major train stations. They are permitted to use reserved lanes, often making them a faster option. You can request a taxi at the Bocconi reception or call directly: +39 02 4040 or +39 02 8585.

Public Transportation Tickets

• Single Ticket: €2.20; valid for 90 minutes from the first validation on all ATM services within Milan's Mi1–Mi3 zones.
• Daily Pass: €7.60; unlimited travel for 24 hours from the first validation.
• 3-Day Pass: €15.50; unlimited travel for 3 consecutive days.
• 10-Ride Carnet: €19.50; each ticket valid for 90 minutes; tickets cannot be shared among multiple users.

Tickets can be purchased at metro stations, authorized retailers, or via the ATM app. Contactless payment is also available on buses and metro turnstiles 

Visit the ATM website for detailed information 

PhD student offices are located in the Via Roentgen Building (Grafton Building), while classes usually take place in other campus buildings. See the list of Bocconi classrooms.

PhD students offices, like any office in the Grafton building, can be accessed during opening hours, available here.

Study and reading spaces of the Library may be accessible till midnight and during weekends; please consult the Bocconi Library website for detailed and updated information.

A study room is generally open from 8:00am. to 2:00 am., from Monday to Sunday, in Via Gobbi 1, basement,  entrance door at the left side of the S. Ferdinando church; opening times and closing days are posted at the entrance of the building and can be consulted online here.

The Bocconi Language Center develops and coordinates foreign languages study in Bocconi.

To support students’ learning progress, in addition to language courses, it offers Supplementary Activities to the Bocconi community.

GRAFTON BUILDING

GUD Milano Bocconi 
Via Roentgen, 1 (Ground floor)
Open Monday to Friday
Located in the Grafton building, it’s open for breakfast, lunch and happy hour.

VIA SARFATTI 25

Bar Paninoteca Fast Food 
Via Sarfatti, 25 (main building, floor -1)
Open from Monday to Friday for breakfast and lunch, it is one of the busiest places at Bocconi; it offers pizza, panini (sandwiches), pasta, snacks and more.
 

PENSIONATO BUILDING

Self-service 
Via Bocconi, 12 (Pensionato building, floor -1)
Monday - Saturday, 11:45-14:30 and 19:00 - 20:30
Open from Monday to Saturday, 11:45-14:30 and 19:00 - 20:30 for lunch and dinner. Closed on Sundays, holidays (also during the week) and during the closure period, according to the academic calendar

The cost of a complete meal (first course, second course with side dish, bread and fruit OR drink) is around 8,50 €. 

Meals are also available at a preferential rate for students who meet the economic requirements outlined in the “ISU Bocconi Application Requirements and Regulations” call. A provisional version of this call is published on the ISU Bocconi page each year in June or July. Applications for the preferential-rate canteen service must be submitted according to the specific deadlines available on the Preferential rate canteen service a.y. 2025–26 page.

This benefit must be applied for every year, as it is subject to economic conditions that require periodic verification. Please note that the timeline of this process may vary; for the most accurate and up-to-date information, refer to the relevant office.

There are also several snack-bars, cafes and restaurants located around the University.