Halifax has one of the highest concentrations of students per head in Canada, with Dalhousie, Saint Mary's, King's, NSCAD and Mount Saint Vincent all within reach. It's a proper coastal city, compact, walkable and wrapped around one of the world's great natural harbours, yet small enough to feel navigable within a week. The maritime culture, live music and easy access to dramatic coastline make it a favourite for exchange students who want the ocean on their doorstep.

• Dalhousie and Saint Mary's anchor a student population that shapes the whole city's social life.
• The waterfront boardwalk, among the longest in the world, is the city's outdoor living room.

With so many campuses packed together, Halifax's nightlife punches well above its size. Argyle Street and the Grafton Street area are lined with pubs and patios, and the city has a deep live-music tradition, especially Celtic and East Coast fiddle sessions. Student favourites cluster around the universities, and there's a strong culture of house shows and open mics in the North End.

• The Split Crow and the Old Triangle are classic downtown pubs with live music most nights.
• The North End around Gottingen and Agricola Streets is the hub for independent bars, cafes and gigs.
• Ask the Halifax group on Studcasa which societies host the best exchange-student socials.

Halifax has grown pricier as it's become popular, but it still sits mid-range for Canada. Budget roughly C$1,400 to C$2,100 a month all-in, with rent the main variable: the South End near Dalhousie commands a premium, while Dartmouth across the harbour is cheaper. Getting around is affordable once you have a student transit pass.

• Rooms in the South End near Dal run higher; Dartmouth and the North End are gentler on the budget.
• The Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market is cheaper for fresh produce than the supermarkets.

The South End puts you between Dalhousie, SMU and King's, which is why it's the most sought-after and priciest student area. The North End is cheaper, hipper and a short bus ride out, while Dartmouth across the harbour offers the best value and a scenic ferry commute. Book early, because Halifax's rental market is genuinely tight in September.

• Start your search by June for September; the market moves fast and vacancy is low.
• Consider Dartmouth for cheaper rent plus a harbour-ferry commute that beats any bus.
• Dalhousie's off-campus housing listings and the Halifax group on Studcasa are good starting points.

Halifax Transit runs buses plus two harbour ferries to Dartmouth, and most universities bundle a U-Pass into student fees for unlimited travel. The peninsula is compact enough to walk much of the time, and the Alderney and Woodside ferries are both a commute and a mini harbour cruise. Cycling is doable but hilly.

• Your university U-Pass covers Halifax Transit buses and both harbour ferries; activate it at registration.
• The Alderney ferry to Dartmouth is the most scenic commute in the city and part of the transit system.

Dalhousie is the region's leading research university, strong in law, medicine, marine biology and the sciences, while Saint Mary's is known for business and King's for journalism and the humanities. Class sizes range from big first-year lectures to intimate seminars, especially at King's. Exchange students are well supported through each university's international office.

• Dalhousie's Killam Library is the main study hub and stays open late during exams.
• Coordinate course selection with your host university's international office before you arrive.

The rules depend on your nationality and the length of your programme, so use this as orientation and confirm with the official Canadian immigration site. The key quirk is that a study permit is not required for programmes of six months or less, which covers many single-semester exchanges. Longer than six months and you'll generally need a study permit, applied for online before you travel.

Separately, most visitors need either an eTA for air travel or a visitor visa depending on nationality, so check both.

• Programme of six months or less, usually no study permit required
• Longer than six months, apply for a study permit online before arrival
• You'll still need an eTA or a visitor visa depending on your nationality
• Apply early; processing times swing seasonally and requirements vary by country

Seafood is the headline, with lobster rolls, scallops, chowder and fish and chips everywhere, and the donair is Halifax's unofficial official food. The Seaport Farmers' Market, the oldest continuously operating market in North America, is a Saturday ritual. Culture leans maritime and musical, with pub sessions and festivals throughout the year.

• Order a Halifax donair with its sweet condensed-milk sauce at least once; it's a local rite of passage.
• The Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market on Saturdays mixes food, crafts and harbour views.

The South End is leafy, central and student-heavy, sitting between the main campuses and the waterfront. The North End is the creative quarter, full of independent cafes, breweries and record shops. Downtown mixes nightlife and history, while Dartmouth, a ferry ride away, offers cheaper rent and its own lively, lake-dotted community.

• South End to be near campus; North End for cafes, breweries and a hipper scene.
• Dartmouth's Alderney Landing and Sullivan's Pond area reward the ferry crossing.

Nova Scotia's coastline is the reason to say yes to weekend trips. Peggy's Cove and its iconic lighthouse are under an hour away, the UNESCO-listed town of Lunenburg about ninety minutes, and the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton a bucket-list drive three to four hours north. The Annapolis Valley wine country makes an easy day out too.

• Peggy's Cove is under an hour by car; go at sunset to skip the midday coach crowds.
• Lunenburg, about ninety minutes away, is a UNESCO World Heritage town of painted waterfront houses.
• The Cabot Trail on Cape Breton is the region's great road trip, best in autumn.

Sort housing embarrassingly early, because Halifax's rental crunch catches out students who wait until August. Pack for wind and damp rather than just cold; the Atlantic weather is milder than the prairies but wetter and blowier. And get out of the city at weekends, because Nova Scotia's coastline is the real draw.

• Book accommodation by early summer; September vacancy rates are among Canada's lowest.
• A waterproof shell beats a heavy coat here, as the wind and rain matter more than deep freeze.