Stepping off the train at Milano Centrale, you can almost smell espresso and fresh-cut fabric in the air. Finding a place to sleep, though, is less romantic. Friends swap horror stories: damp basements marketed as “loft studios,” deposits vanishing overnight, morning commutes that feel like day-trips to Turin.
Before you start scrolling listings, glance at five blunders that trap newcomers year after year. A little foresight now will spare panic later.
Mistake #1 Waiting until documents are final
Lots of students wait for the visa sticker before opening a housing tab. By July the best rooms around Politecnico, Bocconi, and Statale have already disappeared behind paid-up leases. Think of the search like hunting concert tickets: when enrolment is official, jump. Early messages give you time to ask real questions, visit digitally, and walk away from pushy owners.
Mistake #2 Forgetting every hidden euro
An advert may boast “€650 all-inclusive,” yet the fine print often hides spese condominiali, waste tax, or seasonal heating fees. Build a sheet that lists rent, average gas, electricity, and even Wi-Fi. Halfway down that sheet, drop the keyword student accommodation in Milan so you stay focused on the true comparison. In January an under-insulated attic can burn through an extra €120 in gas alone—not so cheap after all.
Mistake #3 Treating pretty photos as proof
A wide-angle lens and good daylight make miracles; unfortunately they don’t guarantee legal ownership. Scams flourish in Facebook groups and Telegram chats. Ask for a live video tour, a passport copy, and the codice fiscale of the owner. Reputable agents won’t flinch; scammers will vanish. If you can, pay only the first month up front and deliver the deposit in person when you receive keys.
Mistake #4 Misreading the transport map
On paper every neighbourhood sits “fifteen minutes from Duomo.” Test that claim on Google Maps Monday at 8 a.m. Count the walk to the tram stop, the inevitable wait, and the crush once doors slide open. Apartments near M1 and M2 lines usually cost more for a reason: they give you mornings back. Balance rent against an extra hour of sleep or study each weekday.
Mistake #5 Signing a twelve-month trap
Standard Italian leases last a year and renew automatically. Breaking early can mean forking over two months’ penalty plus forfeiting the deposit. Erasmus guests staying one semester frequently miss this clause. Ask for a contratto transitorio (three to eighteen months) or an exit option called recesso anticipato. Read the Italian twice, then run it past a local friend for good measure.
Dodge those five mistakes and Milan changes character. Instead of sprinting between viewings, you’ll have afternoons free for Navigli canals, apericena, and evenings yelling “Forza Milan!” in a corner bar. A good address is more than a roof; it’s a launch-pad for everything the city invents overnight. It also keeps your budget intact for essentials like museum passes, train rides to Lake Como, or a real Neapolitan pizza after exams.