Milan's University Crisis in Numbers: New Data Reveals Sharp Decline in Student Enrolment and Campus Investment

Milan's university sector is confronting a troubling demographic reality, according to new enrollment data released by the regional education authority this month. Combined figures from Università degli Studi di Milano, Politecnico di Milano, and Bocconi University reveal a 12.3% decline in domestic first-year applications compared to 2025—the largest year-on-year drop since 2016.

The Politecnico, historically one of Europe's premier engineering institutions with campuses sprawling across the Leonardo da Vinci district and beyond, saw domestic applications fall to 8,847 from 10,105 last year. International applications, however, rose 4.2%, suggesting the institution's global appeal remains intact even as Italian talent migrates elsewhere. The university's annual operating budget stands at €287 million, with infrastructure spending reduced by 8% this fiscal year.

At the Università degli Studi di Milano's main campus in the Città Studi neighbourhood—home to 42,000 students across its science and humanities faculties—preliminary figures indicate a similar contraction. Combined enrollment across all three institutions now sits at approximately 156,000 students, down from 178,000 in 2021. For Milan's economy, which generates an estimated €4.2 billion annually from university-related spending and research, the trend poses significant questions about future competitiveness.

Regional data paints a broader picture: Lombardy's university system collectively serves 385,000 students, but only 34% of secondary school graduates in Milan now pursue higher education within Italy, compared to 41% five years ago. Brain drain appears acute; Statistics Italy (ISTAT) estimates that 22,000 young Milanese pursued tertiary education abroad in 2025, up from 16,500 in 2020.

Housing costs near major campuses compound the challenge. A studio apartment in the San Siro neighbourhood near Bocconi averages €650 monthly—a 19% increase since 2021—while the broader Lambrate-Porta Romana corridor where many students cluster now averages €720 for comparable accommodation.

Campus infrastructure investment tells another story. The Politecnico's planned €150 million urban regeneration project in the Bovisa district, initially scheduled to commence in 2024, remains in preliminary planning phases. Meanwhile, Bocconi recently completed a €68 million expansion to its Via Sarfatti campus, betting on attracting international talent despite domestic headwinds.

Education ministry officials acknowledge the figures but emphasise structural factors: declining birth rates across Northern Italy and increased competition from northern European universities. Whether Milan's institutions can reverse these trends through innovation and targeted international recruitment will determine the city's intellectual and economic trajectory through the decade.

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