Pune.

Long called the Oxford of the East, Pune has one of India's largest student populations, from Savitribai Phule Pune University to Symbiosis, Fergusson and the FTII film school. It offers much of Mumbai's opportunity with a gentler pace, better weather and lower costs, plus a thriving IT scene in Hinjewadi. For many exchange students it hits the sweet spot.

• A massive student city, home to SPPU, Symbiosis, Fergusson and FTII among many
• Milder, drier weather and lower costs than nearby Mumbai
• The Maharashtra hill forts and Lonavala are close for weekends

Student life clusters on FC Road and JM Road near Fergusson College, with cafes, cheap eats and bookshops, and in leafy, upscale Koregaon Park with its bars and the German Bakery. The huge young population means a constant churn of gigs, festivals and meetups, and the city stays more relaxed and affordable than Mumbai for a night out.

• Hang out on FC Road and JM Road for student cafes and cheap eats
• Koregaon Park (KP) has the best bars, cafes and the famous German Bakery
• The dense college crowd means events and live music most weekends

Pune is comfortably 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, noticeably cheaper than Mumbai. Local Maharashtrian eats like misal pav are filling and cheap, and rents are reasonable outside the poshest pockets of Koregaon Park. Your money stretches well here.

• A plate of misal pav costs 60 to 120 rupees (under 1.50 euros)
• Shared flats and PGs run roughly 7,000 to 16,000 rupees a month
• Koregaon Park is the priciest area, while Kothrud and Deccan are better value

PGs and shared flats dominate, and the right area depends on your college: Deccan and Shivajinagar for Fergusson and SPPU, Viman Nagar for Symbiosis, and Kothrud or Aundh for value. Koregaon Park is desirable but pricey. NoBroker and student Facebook groups are the fastest way to find rooms without a broker.

• Pick your area by campus, such as Deccan or Shivajinagar for SPPU and Fergusson
• Use NoBroker and the Flats and PG in Pune Facebook groups to skip broker fees
• Ask the Studcasa Pune group which neighbourhood suits your college and budget

The new Pune Metro (the Purple and Aqua lines) is growing but still limited, so most trips are by auto, app cab or PMPML bus. Rapido bike taxis and Ola or Uber autos are cheap and handy for beating traffic. Agree fares or use the meter, and consider a scooter if you are staying a full semester.

• Use the Purple and Aqua metro lines where they reach, plus PMPML buses
• Rapido bike taxis and Ola or Uber autos are the quickest way across town
• Renting a scooter is popular for a full semester, as traffic is calmer than Mumbai

Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) is a giant public university with a big international student office, Symbiosis International and Fergusson College are highly regarded, COEP leads engineering, and FTII is India's premier film school. Teaching is in English, and the concentration of institutions makes Pune a natural exchange hub.

• SPPU hosts a large international student community and exchange programmes
• Symbiosis and Fergusson are top picks for business, arts and social sciences

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

Pune is the home of misal pav, a spicy sprout curry with bread, best at Bedekar or Katakirr, and of Maharashtrian thalis, vada pav and Chitale's bhakarwadi snacks. Cool off with a mastani, the city's thick milkshake-meets-ice-cream at Sujata Mastani. FC Road and Koregaon Park cover the modern cafe scene.

• Try misal pav at Bedekar Tea Stall or Katakirr
• Cool down with a mango or kesar mastani at Sujata Mastani
• Pick up bhakarwadi and chivda from a Chitale Bandhu shop

Koregaon Park and Kalyani Nagar are the upscale, expat-friendly quarters with the best cafes and nightlife, while Deccan Gymkhana and FC Road are the buzzing student core near Fergusson. Kothrud and Aundh are comfortable value picks, Viman Nagar suits Symbiosis students, and Hinjewadi is the far-out IT park.

• Koregaon Park or Kalyani Nagar: upscale, with the best cafes and bars
• Deccan or FC Road: the student heartland, cheap and central
• Kothrud or Aundh: good-value residential areas with easy transport

Pune is ringed by weekend options. Lonavala and Khandala are 90 minutes away for waterfalls and hills, the strawberry-and-viewpoint town of Mahabaleshwar about three hours, and Sinhagad Fort an hour away for a morning trek. Mumbai itself is a three-hour hop, and the monsoon turns the nearby Sahyadri ghats spectacularly green.

• Lonavala and Khandala hill stations: about 1.5 hours
• Trek up Sinhagad Fort in a morning, roughly 1 hour from the city
• Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani for hills and strawberries: about 3 hours

Pune's weather is kind, but the monsoon (June to September) makes forts slippery and roads flooded, great for greenery but tricky for trekking. Renting a scooter transforms getting around if you are confident. Agree auto fares upfront, drink filtered water, and use the student crowd on FC Road to find your feet fast.

• Rent a scooter for the semester if you are comfortable riding in traffic
• Take care on fort treks during the slippery monsoon months
• Ask the Studcasa Pune group for scooter-rental and weekend-trek tips