Shanghai gives you world-class universities, an enormous international community and a level of convenience that makes settling in painless. The metro is vast, the dining runs from street dumplings to Michelin stars, and the whole Yangtze delta is a short train ride away. The catch is cost: this is the most expensive city on the mainland.

• It is the softest landing in China for a first-timer, with plenty of English and huge exchange cohorts.
• Suzhou and Hangzhou are both under an hour away by high-speed rail.

Shanghai's social scene is the best in the country, from the bar complex at Found 158 to the speakeasies of the former French Concession. The big universities all run busy societies to plug into.

• Nightlife runs from the sunken bar complex at Found 158 to the speakeasies of the former French Concession.
• The big universities cluster in Yangpu (Fudan, Tongji) and Minhang (Jiao Tong), each with busy societies.
• Ask the Shanghai group on Studcasa where exchange students meet up midweek.

Shanghai is the priciest city on the mainland, though eating local and using the metro keeps it manageable. Budget roughly 7,000 to 11,000 yuan a month (about 900 to 1,400 euros).

• A basket of xiaolongbao is 15-30 yuan, but a Western brunch easily tops 120 yuan.
• A room in a shared flat runs roughly 3,500-6,000 yuan a month, more in the centre.
• Get the Metro Metropolitan app and Alipay running before you arrive; the city is effectively cashless.

Dorms near Fudan or Jiao Tong are the cheapest route, while the French Concession is the dream if you can afford it. Deposits are steep, so plan ahead.

• University dorms near Fudan or Jiao Tong are the cheapest route by far.
• For private rooms, Ziroom and Lianjia dominate; expect deposits of one to three months' rent.
• Ask the Shanghai group on Studcasa for flatmate leads before you sign anything.

Shanghai runs the world's largest metro, so you can reach almost anywhere quickly and cheaply. The Maglev even gets you to the airport at aircraft speed.

• Scan into the metro with the Metro Metropolitan app or a transport card.
• The Maglev whisks you to Pudong airport at 300 km/h in eight minutes.
• Reckon on 200-300 yuan a month for transport, with fares from 3 yuan.

Shanghai holds several of China's very best universities, with the largest and best-supported exchange programmes in the country. Options range from Mandarin-taught to fully English degrees.

• Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University are China's elite, both with big exchange programmes.
• Tongji is known for architecture and engineering, while NYU Shanghai teaches entirely in English.

For a full semester you need an X1 student visa; anything under 180 days uses the X2. Your host university sends an admission letter plus a JW201 or JW202 form, and you take both to a Chinese embassy or visa centre back home. Requirements and fees swing a lot by nationality, so check your own local embassy rather than trusting a mate from another country.

The bit people forget: an X1 visa only gets you in the door. Within 30 days of landing you must convert it into a residence permit at the local Public Security Bureau (Entry-Exit office), which means a health check and passport photos. Miss the deadline and the fines are real.

• X1 visa, stays over 180 days, needs JW202 + admission letter
• Residence permit, apply within 30 days at the local PSB
• Medical exam, required for the permit, budget €50–80
• Rules vary by nationality, always check your own embassy

Shanghai eats brilliantly, from corner-shop dumplings to seasonal hairy crab, and the streetscape is a joy to wander. Everyday life mixes the historic and the hyper-modern.

• Order soup dumplings at Jia Jia Tang Bao and pan-fried shengjianbao from a corner shop.
• In autumn, hairy crab is the seasonal obsession worth trying at least once.
• Wander the plane-tree lanes of the former French Concession and the riverside Bund at dusk.

From the charming French Concession to the practical university district of Yangpu and the futuristic Pudong skyline, each area has its own character. The metro ties them together.

• The former French Concession (Xuhui and Jing'an) is the most charming place to live, if you can afford it.
• Yangpu, home to Fudan and Tongji, is the practical student district.
• Pudong's Lujiazui holds the skyline; Huangpu holds the Bund and the old town.

Shanghai is the perfect base for the classic Yangtze delta trips, most reachable in an hour or less. Water towns and island temples fill the weekends.

• Suzhou's gardens are 30 minutes away and Hangzhou's West Lake about an hour by fast train.
• Zhujiajiao water town is a half-day escape on the city's edge.
• For something bigger, the island temples of Putuoshan make a memorable weekend.

Shanghai is the easiest Chinese city to live in, but budgeting and connectivity still trip people up. Plan for the cost and sort your tech before you fly.

• Budget realistically, as Shanghai will cost noticeably more than anywhere else in China.
• Set up a VPN before you land for blocked apps and sites.
• Carry your passport, as hotels and some services need to scan it.