Sampa is enormous and won't charm you at the airport, but it's the most exciting city in Brazil once you're in. It hosts USP, the top university in Latin America, plus a dozen other strong institutions, the country's best food and nightlife, and a genuinely global mix of people. If you want culture, career networks and a city that never runs out of things to do, this is it.

• USP is ranked the best university in Latin America, with a huge campus city at Butantã.
• The deepest food and nightlife scene in Brazil, from Japanese Liberdade to Italian Bixiga.
• Excellent transport and constant flights make it the easiest base for travelling Brazil.

Nightlife concentrates in Vila Madalena and neighbouring Pinheiros: bars, galleries, the Beco do Batman murals and the weekend crush around Rua Aspicuelta. Baixo Augusta is the grittier, more alternative strip. USP and the private universities keep the calendar full, and the city's clubbing and live-music scene is the country's most serious.

• Vila Madalena around Rua Aspicuelta and Rua Fidalga for the classic bar crawl.
• Rua Augusta, or Baixo Augusta, for alternative clubs and late nights.
• Ask the São Paulo group on Studcasa which university parties, raves and gigs are worth it.

São Paulo is Brazil's most expensive city alongside Rio, so budget near or above the top of the national band, about R$3,800 to 6,000 (roughly 610 to 960 euros) a month. Rent, especially in the west-central student zones, is the biggest line; the upside is unbeatable cheap eats, from the Mercadão to countless por-quilo spots.

• A shared room in Pinheiros, Butantã or Vila Madalena runs about R$1,500 to 2,800 a month.
• A por-quilo lunch is R$35 to 55; a chope in a bar R$10 to 15.
• Get a Bilhete Único to integrate metro, CPTM trains and buses on one card.

West-central São Paulo, Butantã (next to USP), Pinheiros, Vila Madalena and Perdizes, is the classic student belt, close to campus and nightlife. The centre (Santa Cecília, República, Consolação) is cheaper and increasingly popular. Repúblicas and shared flats dominate; verify the metro or CPTM commute before you sign, because the city is huge.

• Butantã puts you walking distance from USP; Pinheiros and Vila Madalena add the nightlife.
• The revitalising Centro (Santa Cecília, República) offers space for less if you don't mind grit.
• Use the Studcasa São Paulo group to line up a room and flatmates before arriving.

São Paulo's metro is clean, fast and safe, and together with the CPTM commuter trains covers most of where you'll go, though the sheer size means long rides. Buses fill every gap, and the Bilhete Único ties it all together with fare integration. Traffic is brutal, so the metro almost always beats a car.

• Tap a Bilhete Único across metro, CPTM and buses for integrated, capped fares.
• Plan with Google Maps and the Metrô SP app; the network is big but logical.
• Avoid driving in rush hour; even Uber and 99 crawl in the afternoon traffic.

USP dominates, with its Cidade Universitária in Butantã and world-ranked departments across the board; add PUC-SP, Mackenzie, FGV, Insper and UNIFESP and you have Brazil's densest concentration of top universities. Most teaching is in Portuguese, but the international offices are experienced and some graduate programmes run in English.

• USP's international office (AUCANI) coordinates exchange placement and Portuguese classes.
• FGV, Insper and Mackenzie are strong picks for business and economics exchanges.

This depends heavily on your nationality. Most non-Mercosur students on a semester exchange need a temporary student visa (VITEM IV), applied for at a Brazilian consulate before travelling, with your university's acceptance letter, proof of funds, and often a criminal record check. Mercosur-country nationals have a simpler residence route. Some short stays can be done on a tourist entry, but for a full semester the student visa is the safe, correct path, so start early.

After arrival you must register with the Federal Police (Policia Federal) within the deadline on your visa to get your foreigner ID (RNM/CRNM). Keep certified, translated copies of everything, and expect the process to be slow and document-heavy.

• Most non-Mercosur students, VITEM IV student visa before arrival
• Mercosur nationals, simpler temporary residence route
• Register with the Policia Federal after arrival for your RNM/CRNM ID
• Bring proof of funds, acceptance letter and a criminal record check, often apostilled

São Paulo is the best place to eat in Brazil, full stop. Liberdade serves the largest Japanese community outside Japan; Bixiga (Bela Vista) does Italian cantinas and the city's beloved pizza; and the Mercadão is famous for its mortadella sandwich and pastel de bacalhau. Coxinha, feijoada and endless café culture fill the gaps.

• Queue for a mortadella sandwich and a pastel at the Mercado Municipal (Mercadão).
• Eat sushi and ramen in Liberdade, then pizza in Bixiga; SP does both better than anywhere.
• Walk Avenida Paulista on a Sunday when it's closed to cars, with MASP and street food.

Pinheiros and Vila Madalena are the buzzy west-side student and nightlife hub; Butantã sits right by USP; Jardins and Itaim Bibi are polished and pricier; Liberdade and Bixiga carry the Japanese and Italian heritage. The centre is raw but full of history, culture and cheaper rooms.

• Pinheiros and Vila Madalena: bars, cafés, markets and design; the default student choice.
• Butantã: practical and close to campus, quieter than the nightlife zones.
• Centro (Santa Cecília, República): cheapest and most central, if you're comfortable with the edge.

São Paulo is the springboard for the whole country, with the busiest airports in South America. For weekends, the coast is closest: the beaches of Guarujá, Ilhabela and Ubatuba are three to four hours; the mountain town of Campos do Jordão, all alpine kitsch and cold nights, about two and a half. Rio is a short flight or six-hour bus.

• Ilhabela or Ubatuba (about 3 to 4 hours) for the best nearby beaches and rainforest.
• Campos do Jordão (about 2.5 hours) for cool mountain air and winter festivals.
• Use Congonhas and Guarulhos airports for cheap flights across Brazil most weekends.

Don't judge São Paulo on day one; it reveals itself slowly through neighbourhoods and people. Keep valuables discreet, especially in the centre and on public transport, and use apps at night. Learn to love the metro, embrace the grey-day café culture, and say yes to invitations; paulistanos work hard but socialise generously.

• Give it three weeks before deciding; the city grows on you through its bairros.
• Keep your phone out of sight on the street and metro; use Uber or 99 late at night.
• Escape the concrete at Ibirapuera Park or on Paulista's car-free Sundays.