Chinese Students in Milan: A Practical Daily Life Guide

Every year, more and more Chinese students in Milan choose the city for university, drawn by institutions like Bocconi, Politecnico and Statale, and by a quality of life that combines fashion, design and a genuinely rich food scene. But moving to a new city, with a different language and bureaucracy, raises very practical questions: where do I find food from home? How do I open a bank account? Who do I ask if something feels wrong in a rental contract? This guide collects the most useful answers for anyone arriving in Milan from China, from day one.

Why more Chinese students are choosing Milan

Milan has become one of the most sought-after European destinations for Chinese students in Milan-bound programmes, not only for the quality of its universities but also because the city already has a well-established network of connections, services and community. Unlike other Italian cities, Milan has a neighbourhood historically tied to the Chinese community, which makes the first weeks of settling in noticeably easier: familiar ingredients, products and flavours are easy to find, and it is common to meet fellow nationals who can offer advice based on real, lived experience.

Where to find food from home: Via Paolo Sarpi and Milan's Chinatown

The heart of Milan's Asian community is the area around Via Paolo Sarpi, close to Arco della Pace and Sempione Park. This is Milan's so-called Chinatown: a grid of streets lined with Asian grocery stores, traditional Chinese restaurants and bubble tea shops, alongside small shops selling everything from cooking ingredients to everyday essentials. For someone arriving from Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, a walk down Via Paolo Sarpi is often the first moment Milan starts to feel genuinely familiar.

It is not just a place to shop: it is a social reference point, where you'll find useful noticeboards, informal student groups and shopkeepers who speak Mandarin and can help with practical questions about daily life in the city.

Getting around: from Chinatown to the city centre and university

One advantage of the Paolo Sarpi area is how well connected it is to the rest of the city. The Monumentale-Cenisio stop on the M5 metro line (the purple line) and trams 12 and 14 get you into the historic centre or Sempione Park within minutes, making daily commutes fast even without a car. Living in this area means you can shop for Asian ingredients after class in the evening and still be minutes from the city's main hubs.

Essential paperwork: the Codice Fiscale

Before signing any rental contract, every Chinese student in Milan needs to obtain the Codice Fiscale, the identification code required by the Italian public administration for virtually any official procedure, from a lease agreement to opening a bank account. You can request it at the Italian consulate in China before you leave, or get it the same day once you're in Italy, by going to an Agenzia delle Entrate office with your passport and documents and filling in form AA4/8. Only the official certificate issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate is valid: a code calculated by a university or generated by an online tool has no legal value, and without the official certificate you cannot register a rental contract.

*Source: Agenzia delle Entrate.

A practical tip is to research the consulate's timing in your area before departure, so you are not stuck mid-way through your Milan house hunt during your first, most delicate, weeks in the city.

Communities, student associations and WeChat groups

One of the most valuable resources for a Chinese student arriving in Milan is the informal community network that lives mostly on WeChat. Almost every Milan university has Chinese student groups organised by degree course or arrival year, where information circulates about classes, events, part-time jobs and, crucially, tips on trustworthy landlords and apartments. University Chinese student associations also run regular orientation meetings for newcomers: it's worth finding them before you leave home, so you can join the right groups and arrive in Milan with a few contacts already in hand.

How to avoid rental scams

Unfortunately, house hunting remotely, before ever setting foot in Italy, is exactly when most rental scams happen: fake listings, "landlords" who claim to be abroad and can't show the property even on a video call, listings posted only on social media or unverifiable channels. For a Chinese student in Milan signing their first contract from another continent, the risk is higher. It's entirely normal for a serious landlord to ask for a deposit or booking fee to confirm a reservation: the question isn't *whether* you pay in advance, but *who* you're paying. A few simple rules help protect you:

• Before paying, make sure the apartment actually exists: ask for a video call (or visit in person) and check that the other party is identifiable and reachable.
• Be wary of listings posted only on social media or on channels you can't verify, with no traceable reference.
• If you check photos online, don't stop at the fact that they also appear elsewhere (on some portals the owner's name isn't even shown): check instead that the address and the economic terms — rent and deposit — are consistent across the listings.
• Always check that the Codice Fiscale is requested to register the contract: it's a sign of legitimacy, not an obstacle.

Choosing a manager who offers move-in ready apartments, a proper contract and support in Italian and English is often the safest choice for anyone organising a move from far away.

Opening a bank account: what you actually need

After the Codice Fiscale, the second practical step for almost every Chinese student in Milan is opening an Italian bank account, useful for paying rent, receiving a part-time job's salary, or simply avoiding constant reliance on foreign cards with high fees. Banks generally ask for the Codice Fiscale, a valid ID, the permesso di soggiorno (or proof that it has been requested) and, in many cases, a registered rental contract or proof of address in Milan. That's exactly why it pays to sort your paperwork in the right order: first the Codice Fiscale, then a proper rental contract, and only then the bank account. Many banks now offer accounts designed specifically for international students, with faster opening procedures available online.

Food, restaurants and daily life beyond Chinatown

Via Paolo Sarpi remains the main reference point, but it's not the only place a Chinese student in Milan can feel at home. Several smaller Asian supermarkets are scattered across other parts of the city, including the Città Studi area, popular with Politecnico students. A number of regional Chinese restaurants — not just Cantonese — have also opened in the city in recent years, offering Sichuan, Yunnan or Taiwanese cuisine: it's worth exploring beyond the first block of Via Paolo Sarpi to find less touristy, often more authentic spots.

University life: associations, events and integration

Beyond WeChat groups, many Milan universities organise events specifically aimed at international students, including orientation days, free or discounted Italian language courses, and cultural activities designed to bring Italian and international students together. Getting involved from the first few weeks helps build a wider social network, but it also helps you get up to speed faster on university bureaucracy, which often differs from what you're used to in China and comes with deadlines that matter — particularly for enrolment, exams and attendance certificates needed to renew your residence permit.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find Asian food and shops in Milan?

The main hub is Via Paolo Sarpi, Milan's Chinatown, with Asian supermarkets, restaurants and bubble tea shops. Smaller Asian shops can also be found around Città Studi.

How do I avoid rental scams?

The deposit itself isn't the problem — it's normal for a serious landlord to ask for one to confirm a booking — what matters is who you're paying. Before paying, make sure the apartment actually exists (even just via a video call) and that the other party is identifiable; be wary of listings posted only on social media with no verifiable references.

Do I need the Codice Fiscale, and how do I get it?

Yes, it's required to register your rental contract. You can request it at the Italian consulate before you leave, or the same day in Italy at the Agenzia delle Entrate using form AA4/8. Only the official certificate issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate is valid — not one calculated by a university or generated by an online tool.

We take the greatest care to provide useful, verified information, but errors, omissions or inaccuracies are always possible. If you spot any, we apologise: please let us know at ar4mgmt@gmail.com and we'll put it right.