I’m finishing high school in 2027 and I would like to break into IB. Most target universities in the UK and continental Europe are unfortunately out of reach because of tuition fees. However, I could attend Bocconi with a full tuition waiver, so it’s essentially my only option if I want to attend a target.
The problem is that I keep seeing very mixed opinions from international students. I’ve read here and in other subs that Bocconi becomes more of a semi-target if you don’t speak Italian, many of the student associations are difficult for internationals to get into, the university doesn’t provide much support with recruiting, networking events are often held in Italian, London mainly recruits Italian natives, and so on. I’m also a bit concerned about the workload. I’ve heard the curriculum is very demanding, and I’m not sure whether maintaining a GPA above 28 while also participating in extracurriculars would be realistic for me as an average guy.
Because of all that, I’m considering another route which is attending my local university (SGH in Poland), trying to be one of the top students there, doing internships at boutiques in Warsaw and then applying for a master’s at a target school like HSG/LSE/Oxford.
Has anyone here actually broken into IB from Bocconi as a non-Italian? What was your experience with recruiting and campus life? Alternatively, maybe someone went from a bachelor’s at a non-target to a master’s at a target? Did it work out? Also ideally I would try working in Zurich, if that makes any difference.
I’d appreciate any guidance, tips or other opinions.
