Cologne is Germany's friendliest big city, with a Rhineland openness that makes it easy to fall in with locals over a Kölsch. The University of Cologne is one of the country's largest, so the student presence is enormous, and the flat, riverside layout makes for effortless cycling. Add Carnival, a packed live-music scene and a central spot for hopping across western Europe, and a semester here rarely feels dull.

• The Universität zu Köln is one of Germany's biggest, so international students are everywhere.
• The Rhineland's easy-going warmth makes locals genuinely quick to befriend newcomers.

Student nights revolve around the Belgian Quarter (Belgisches Viertel), Zülpicher Straße, nicknamed the Kwartier Latäng, and Ehrenfeld, where cheap bars and clubs sit cheek by jowl. Carnival is the social event of the year: for a week in February the whole city dresses up, drinks and dances in the streets, and as an exchange student you simply must join in. Kölsch is the social glue, poured in small glasses that waiters keep replacing until you cover your glass with a mat.

• Zülpicher Straße (Kwartier Latäng) for the densest, cheapest student bar crawl.
• Do not miss Carnival, buy a costume early and learn a few Kölsch songs.
• ESN Cologne runs trips, tandem nights and welcome parties each semester.
• Ask the Cologne Studcasa group where the exchange crowd is heading during Carnival week.

Cologne sits right in the middle of Germany's cost range, so plan on €900–1,300 a month, with rent the big variable. Kölsch is cheap by the glass at around €2, a Mensa lunch is a few euros, and your semester ticket covers a huge area for no extra cost. Rents are lower than Munich but climbing, so lock in housing early.

• WG rooms run €400–650; central studios push €700 and up.
• The University of Cologne semester ticket covers all of North Rhine-Westphalia, a big saving on regional trips.
• A Kölsch in a brewery is about €2; a Mensa meal €3–5.

As across Germany, the WG (shared flat) is the norm, hunted on WG-Gesucht, with Studierendenwerk dorms the cheaper but oversubscribed alternative. Ehrenfeld, Nippes, Südstadt and Sülz are the classic student patches, while Deutz and Kalk across the river are cheaper. Apply for dorms early and never wire a deposit before viewing a place in person.

• WG-Gesucht and Kleinanzeigen for shared flats; apply to Kölner Studierendenwerk dorms months ahead.
• Look in Ehrenfeld, Sülz, Nippes or Südstadt for the best mix of price and student life.
• Check listings with the Cologne Studcasa group before paying, as deposit scams are common.

Cologne runs on the KVB network of Stadtbahn (trams that dip underground in the centre) and buses, backed by a very cyclable, flat cityscape. Your semester ticket covers the lot across the VRS region, so you rarely pay a fare. The Rhine splits the city, with most life on the left bank and Deutz on the right, linked by frequent trains and the Hohenzollern bridge.

• Your semester ticket covers KVB trams, buses and regional trains across NRW.
• KVB-Rad bikes are dotted across the city and free for the first 30 minutes with a subscription.
• Cross to Deutz on foot over the Hohenzollern bridge for the classic cathedral view.

The University of Cologne is a sprawling public university strong in economics, law and humanities, sitting in the leafy Lindenthal district, while TH Köln handles applied sciences and the German Sport University is a specialist in its field. Teaching is self-directed and lectures can be large, so use tutorials and study groups to keep pace. The international office is well-drilled in Erasmus paperwork.

• The main university campus is in Lindenthal and Sülz, handy postcodes to target for housing.
• TH Köln and the Sporthochschule have their own campuses, so confirm yours before signing a lease.

It depends on your nationality. EU/EEA/Swiss students need no visa and just register locally. Non-EU students from many countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and more) can enter visa-free and sort a residence permit after arrival; others must get a national student visa from a German consulate before travelling. Either way you'll likely prove funds via a blocked account (Sperrkonto) of around 11,900 euros a year.

After arrival, the rituals are the Anmeldung (registering your address at the Burgeramt within two weeks), German health insurance (public schemes like TK cost students around 120 euros a month), and, for non-EU students, the Aufenthaltstitel residence permit. Book appointments early; slots are scarce.

• EU/EEA/Swiss, no visa, just register your address
• US/UK/CA/AU/JP etc, enter visa-free, get residence permit after arrival
• Blocked account (Sperrkonto), ~€11,900/year
• Anmeldung at the Burgeramt within 2 weeks of moving in

Cologne's food is honest Rhineland fare: a Halve Hahn (a rye roll with Gouda, not the chicken the name suggests), Himmel un Ääd (black pudding with mash and apple), and Reibekuchen potato cakes, all best in a traditional Brauhaus. The ritual is the Kölsch itself, small, cold and constantly topped up by aproned Köbes waiters. Beyond that the city has a strong Turkish and Mediterranean scene, especially in Ehrenfeld.

• Früh am Dom, Päffgen or Gaffel am Dom for Kölsch and Brauhaus classics.
• Try a Halve Hahn and Reibekuchen at least once, as they are cheaper than they look.
• Ehrenfeld's Venloer Straße for Turkish grills, bakeries and late-night eats.

The Belgian Quarter is the stylish bar-and-boutique heart, Ehrenfeld is the grittier creative district with the best nightlife, and the Südstadt is pretty, riverside and popular with students. Nippes and Sülz are quieter residential favourites, while Deutz and Kalk across the Rhine offer more space for less. The Altstadt is touristy but home to the breweries and the cathedral.

• Belgian Quarter for cafés and cocktail bars; Ehrenfeld for clubs and cheap eats.
• Südstadt and Sülz for calmer, student-friendly streets.
• Kalk and Deutz across the river for lower rents.

Cologne's location is a gift. Bonn is 20 minutes away, Düsseldorf half an hour (mind the friendly rivalry), and Aachen and the Rhine valley castles are easy day trips. Internationally you are spoilt: Brussels is under two hours and Amsterdam around two and a half by direct train, making cheap weekends abroad genuinely simple.

• Bonn (20 min) and Düsseldorf (30 min) are covered by your semester ticket.
• Direct ICE and Thalys trains reach Brussels in under 2 hours, Amsterdam in about 2.5.
• The Rhine valley around Koblenz for castle hikes and river cruises.

Time your arrival around Carnival if you can, as it is the single best way to meet people, but book accommodation and expect the city to shut down for the week. Register your address (Anmeldung) within two weeks and keep cash handy, since many Brauhäuser and kiosks (Büdchen here) prefer it. And learn the local greeting Kölle Alaaf before February.

• Sort your Anmeldung appointment online as soon as you land.
• Carry cash for Brauhäuser and Büdchen kiosks.
• Learn Kölle Alaaf and a couple of Carnival songs before the season starts.