Bangalore.

Nicknamed the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore, officially Bengaluru, is the country's most cosmopolitan and youthful big city, with a huge student and startup population and English spoken everywhere. Its Deccan-plateau altitude gives it mild weather all year, and top institutions like IISc and IIM Bangalore anchor a serious academic scene. It is arguably the gentlest introduction to India for a newcomer.

• A pleasant, spring-like climate year-round thanks to its 900-metre altitude
• Home to IISc, IIM Bangalore and NLSIU, some of India's most prestigious institutions
• The most English-friendly and cosmopolitan of India's big cities

Bangalore invented India's craft-beer scene, and brewpubs like Toit in Indiranagar and Arbor Brewing are student institutions. Church Street, Koramangala and Indiranagar buzz with cafes, live music and cheap eats, and the tech-fuelled youth culture means gigs, quiz nights and meetups every week. Just note that bars tend to wind down by around 1am under city rules.

• Try the microbreweries, with Toit, Arbor and Brewsky local favourites
• Hang out on Church Street and in Koramangala for cafes and live music
• Bars close relatively early, so nights out start earlier than you would expect

Bangalore is pricier than most Indian cities but still very affordable, so roughly 400 to 750 euros (about 36,000 to 68,000 rupees) a month covers a shared flat or PG, food and transport. Street food and darshini eateries are cheap, while the craft-beer and cafe scene is where budgets quietly disappear. Rent in central areas like Indiranagar is the main cost.

• A masala dosa at a darshini costs 40 to 70 rupees, well under a euro
• A PG (paying-guest) room with meals runs roughly 8,000 to 15,000 rupees a month
• Craft beer at 250 to 350 rupees a pint is the sneaky budget-killer

Most students choose a PG (paying-guest accommodation, often with meals and cleaning included) or a shared flat. Koramangala, Indiranagar and HSR Layout are popular and social but pricier, and staying near your campus saves time in Bangalore's notorious traffic. NoBroker and Facebook groups help you dodge hefty broker fees.

• Use the NoBroker and NestAway apps to find flats without broker commission
• PGs in Koramangala and HSR Layout are popular, social and part-catered
• Ask the Studcasa Bangalore group about traffic before choosing how far to live from campus

Namma Metro (the Purple and Green lines) is clean, cheap and growing, but it does not reach everywhere yet, so you will mix it with autos and app rides. Use Ola, Uber, Rapido bike taxis or the Namma Yatri auto app, and insist on the meter or an agreed fare. Traffic is legendary, so plan journeys with plenty of buffer.

• Top up a Namma Metro smart card for the Purple and Green lines
• Book autos on Namma Yatri or take Rapido bike taxis to beat the traffic
• BMTC's air-conditioned Vajra Volvo buses are comfortable for longer cross-city trips

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is India's top research institution, IIM Bangalore a leading business school, and NLSIU the country's premier law school. Add Christ University, PES and IIIT-B and you have a dense, high-quality academic ecosystem. Many run exchange tie-ups and teach in English, India's main language of higher education.

• IISc and IIM Bangalore anchor the research and business-school scene
• Christ University is a popular, well-organised host for exchange students

Whatever your nationality, unless you hold an Indian passport or OCI card, you need an Indian Student Visa arranged before you fly. A tourist visa or e-Tourist visa will not cover a semester of enrolment. You apply through an Indian embassy or consulate, or the official Indian Visa Online portal, with your admission letter, proof of funds, accommodation details and passport photos. Exact cost, processing time and whether you can do it fully online all depend on your nationality, so start six to eight weeks out.

The bit students forget: if your visa is valid for more than 180 days, you must register with the local FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) within 14 days of arriving. Your university's international office walks you through it, but do it on time, miss the window and you are looking at fines.

• Get a Student Visa, not a tourist e-Visa, for a full semester
• Documents: admission letter, proof of funds, accommodation, photos
• Register with the FRRO within 14 days if your visa exceeds 180 days
• Start the application 6–8 weeks before you fly

South Indian food is the daily joy: crisp masala dosa, fluffy idli and strong filter coffee at legends like Vidyarthi Bhavan, MTR and CTR. Beyond that, Bangalore is a melting pot, with Andhra biryani, north-Indian thalis and global cafes all thriving. Eat with your right hand, and try the local benne (butter) dosa.

• Queue for the butter masala dosa at Vidyarthi Bhavan in Basavanagudi
• Order filter coffee and idli-vada at any classic darshini
• Explore the VV Puram food street in the evenings for cheap local snacks

Indiranagar and Koramangala are the trendy cafe-and-bar heartlands where many students want to live. Jayanagar and Malleshwaram are older, greener and more traditional with great markets, while Whitefield and Electronic City are far-flung tech hubs, convenient only if your campus is there. Central MG Road and Brigade Road cover shopping and nightlife.

• Indiranagar or Koramangala: trendiest, most social, best for nightlife and cafes
• Jayanagar or Malleshwaram: leafy, traditional and better value
• Avoid living in Whitefield or Electronic City unless your campus is out there

Bangalore is a great base for South India. Mysore and its palace are three hours away, the coffee hills of Coorg about five, and Nandi Hills a popular two-hour sunrise trip. For bigger weekends, the ruins of Hampi are an overnight train, and the beaches of Gokarna a night bus away.

• Mysore Palace: about 3 hours by train or road
• Coorg (Kodagu) coffee country: roughly 5 hours for a hill weekend
• Overnight to Hampi's ruins or the beaches of Gokarna

Always agree an auto fare or insist on the meter, and prefer app-based rides to avoid haggling. Traffic makes distance the enemy, so live near your campus if you can. Carry a reusable water bottle but stick to filtered or bottled water, and download the Namma Yatri and Swiggy apps on day one for transport and food.

• Insist on the meter in autos, or book through Namma Yatri to avoid overcharging
• Drink only filtered or sealed bottled water while your stomach adjusts
• Ask the Studcasa Bangalore group which neighbourhoods suit your campus and budget