Experience in Politecnico di Milano, Italy by Daniyal Altaf Baloch

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Why did you choose to go to Milan, Italy?

For a guy like me coming from Pakistan, Milan is a wonderful place with wonderful people. I chose Milan, simply because I got the opportunity to study Mechanical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano which holds 18th rank in the world in this field. The teaching style is versatile, the administration of the university is superb and most of all I can easily find great expertise in my field at Politecnico di Milano.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I got scholarship from my Home university (Pakistan), which is for 5 years including MS and Ph. D. The amount for living expenses I am getting is 900 euros per month which is more than enough to live with leisure in Milan.

What is the student lifestyle like in Milan?

Well, you get up early in the morning, get ready, make breakfast, go to classes (which usually start at 8:15 am), be at the university until 5:00 pm, go back to metro/train station, go back to your hostel/accommodation, maybe study a little bit, cook dinner, sleep at 12 am and once again the routine continues the next day. So fellows, Milan is obviously a busy city. However, the weekends are really entertaining. You can go to restaurants with your friends or probably attend an event arranged by university for new students.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Milan to other students?

I would highly recommend students coming from Pakistan or any other country to apply for Politecnico di Milano in Mechanical Engineering. One thing I would like to share, the theory is highly emphasized in Politecnico di Milano. Students coming for Master's program, should expect some serious theory. If you think that as soon as you come, you will be assigned a project, you are wrong.

Nevertheless, for me myself, I really respect the theory... because, in my opinion, an engineer without proper background knowledge and strong command over theory cannot really justify his/her practical achievements.

What is the food like?

Well, being from Pakistan, I used to eat spicy food at home. Heavy breakfast, heavy lunch and heavy dinner. Quite honestly, the food here does not suit my requirements. I cook myself at home. However, the drinks, juices, breads, pizza are really delicious. Although I don't like the food here, I really appreciate the way Italians prepare and serve food. Their courtesy is awesome.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Milan?

Not actually. I placed my place at Uniplaces before coming to Milan. It is a shared room which costs me 275 euros per month (all bills included). The place I found is really awesome.

How much does it cost to live in Milan?

The average rent for shared room in Milan is 300-350 euros per month. Food expenses will be around 100 euros per month (if you cook your self) and other miscellaneous per month are around 80 euros. The reason I am mentioned 80 euros is because once you come to Milan, you will apply for the student travel card which costs 22 euros per month plus if you want to join a private gym, it will cost around 40-60 euros per month.

So in a nutshell, the total cost of living (rent+food+miscellaneous) will be around 450-500 euros per month on average.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

Yes. For me, learning Italian is a great experience. Politecnico di Milano also offers a course in Italian every semester which costs 100 euros. However, I am learning on my own using an app "Duolingo" and by reading a book on learning italian, which I bought from Amazon.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Milan from your city?

Obviously by plane. It cost me around 520 euros from Pakistan to Milan.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Milan?

Navigli, Porta Garibaldi.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Milan?

That's too early for me to say. It has only been 1 month. However I do know one place for pizza at Navigli. It's called "Capatosta".

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Milan in the future?

Be aware of pickpockets when you first come to Milan. Always keep your passport, wallet in an inside pocket of your jacket. If you are wearing a backpack, put a lock on it. Since in crowded Metro trains, there is a good chance of being robbed.

Be well prepared. Search on Google maps, the entire route to your hostel/accommodation. Ask friends on facebook on how to use metros/transport in Milan.

When you get to Milan, follow traffic rules. Only walk on zebra lines when the light is green. Although, the drivers in Milan respect the traffic rules, you also need to be careful.

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