Vancouver is Canada's most spectacular city, hemmed in by the Pacific and the Coast Mountains, and home to the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, both consistently world-ranked. The lifestyle is the draw: skiing, hiking, kayaking and beaches all within reach of campus, plus a mild, if rainy, climate and a huge Asian-Canadian food scene. The catch is cost, as Vancouver rivals Toronto for Canada's priciest rents.

• UBC's Point Grey campus sits on a forested peninsula with beaches and mountain views.
• You can genuinely ski at Grouse or Cypress in the morning and be back in the city by lunch.

Student life here leans outdoorsy as much as nightlife-driven: hiking clubs, ski trips and beach days at Kits and Wreck Beach are central to the social calendar. When the sun sets, Granville Street has the mainstream clubs, while Gastown, Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive offer craft-beer bars and a more local scene. UBC and SFU both run big campus event programmes.

• Kitsilano and Wreck Beach are the summer social hubs; Wreck is Vancouver's clothing-optional beach.
• Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive have the best craft-beer and independent bar scene.
• Ask the Vancouver group on Studcasa which outdoor clubs run the cheapest Whistler and hiking trips.

Vancouver is among the most expensive cities in North America for housing, so plan carefully. Budget around C$2,000 to C$2,800 a month all-in, with rooms often the single biggest line by far. Sharing, or living out towards Burnaby and along the SkyTrain, is how most students cope. The upside is that the city's best asset, its nature, is largely free.

• A room in a shared flat commonly runs C$1,000 to C$1,500; Burnaby and the suburbs are cheaper.
• Hiking, beaches and the seawall cost nothing, which offsets the steep rents.

Vancouver's rental market is tight and expensive, so start early and expect to share. Kitsilano and Point Grey are near UBC but pricey, the West End is dense and central, and Mount Pleasant and East Vancouver are hipper and slightly cheaper. Burnaby suits SFU students and offers more value along the SkyTrain. Beware rental scams, which are common here.

• Kitsilano and Point Grey for UBC; Burnaby for SFU and better value along the SkyTrain.
• The West End and Mount Pleasant are central options; East Van is cheaper and livelier.
• Use UBC and SFU off-campus housing listings and the Vancouver group on Studcasa, and never wire a deposit before viewing.

TransLink runs the SkyTrain, buses and the SeaBus, and full-time students get a heavily discounted U-Pass BC bundled into their fees, one of the best transit deals in the country. The SkyTrain links downtown, Burnaby and the airport, while frequent buses serve UBC. The city is flat near the water and very cycle-friendly, with the seawall a joy in dry weather.

• Your U-Pass BC is included in student fees and covers all TransLink SkyTrain, bus and SeaBus travel.
• The Canada Line SkyTrain runs from downtown to the airport and Richmond in about half an hour.
• Mobi bike-share and the seawall make cycling one of the best ways to see the city.

The University of British Columbia is one of the world's top research universities, strong in the sciences, forestry, business and the arts, on a stunning coastal campus. Simon Fraser University, on Burnaby Mountain, is known for its co-op programmes and interdisciplinary teaching. First-year classes at UBC are large, so make use of tutorials. Exchange students are supported through each university's Go Global or international office.

• UBC's Irving K. Barber Learning Centre is the flagship study space; SFU's Bennett Library serves Burnaby.
• Register through UBC Go Global or SFU International; some faculties restrict exchange enrolment.

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

Vancouver has arguably the best Asian food in North America, from Richmond's dumpling houses and night markets to citywide sushi, ramen and Cantonese cooking. Granville Island Public Market is the landmark food hall, and the city is health-conscious, with brunch, coffee and plant-based options everywhere. Culture is relaxed, outdoorsy and multicultural, shaped heavily by its Pacific and Asian connections.

• Head to Richmond for the best dumplings and the summer night markets, a short SkyTrain ride south.
• Granville Island Public Market is the classic spot for fresh food and waterfront lunches.

Kitsilano is the beachy, laid-back west-side favourite near UBC, while the West End offers dense downtown living by Stanley Park. Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive on the east side are hipper and a little cheaper, Gastown and Yaletown are polished and central, and Burnaby, near SFU, gives you more space along the SkyTrain.

• Kitsilano for beaches and the UBC commute; Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive for a cheaper, hipper scene.
• Walk or cycle the Stanley Park seawall, one of the great urban routes anywhere.

Vancouver is the gateway to British Columbia's outdoors. Whistler, a world-class ski resort, is two hours up the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway, Squamish's hikes and climbs are halfway there, and Grouse and Cypress Mountains are half an hour from downtown. Victoria on Vancouver Island is a ferry-and-bus trip, and Seattle is around two and a half hours across the US border.

• Whistler is two hours away on the Sea-to-Sky Highway; student ski buses run all winter.
• Grouse Mountain and Cypress are half an hour out for a quick ski, snowshoe or hike.
• Victoria on Vancouver Island makes a great overnight via the BC Ferries crossing from Tsawwassen.

Budget hard for rent and start your housing hunt early, because Vancouver's prices catch out every newcomer. Buy a proper rain jacket rather than an umbrella; the winter is mild but genuinely wet for months. And make the mountains and sea the point of being here, because the outdoor access, not the nightlife, is what makes Vancouver special.

• Invest in quality waterproofs; Vancouver sees rain for much of October to March.
• Join a hiking or ski club in your first fortnight to split costs and see BC's outdoors cheaply.