Groningen.

For its size Groningen punches absurdly above its weight at night. The Grote Markt and the Poelestraat are wall-to-wall bars that stay open remarkably late, and many have no fixed closing time at all. Student associations, the RUG international clubs and ESN Groningen keep the calendar full. Arrive for KEI week in August and you will have a friend group before term even starts.

• Poelestraat and the Grote Markt are the bar heart - many venues have no fixed closing time.
• Do KEI week in August (or the Hanze intro) - it is how everyone meets people.
• Follow ESN Groningen for trips, parties and tandem language nights.

Groningen is one of the cheaper Dutch student cities - budget roughly 900 to 1,300 euros a month. Rooms run 400 to 600 euros, well below Amsterdam, and cycling everywhere keeps transport near zero. The markets on the Vismarkt and Grote Markt are cheap for produce, and cooking with flatmates is the norm.

• Rooms typically 400 to 600 euros - much gentler than the Randstad cities.
• A second-hand bike from Marktplaats is your transport sorted for the whole stay.
• Shop the Vismarkt and Grote Markt markets (Tue, Fri, Sat) for cheap produce.

Housing is still tight, so start early - the Dutch shortage reaches up here too. SSH and the university arranged accommodation are the safest routes; also try Kamernet and HousingAnywhere, and never pay before viewing. Paddepoel and the northern districts sit near the Zernike campus, while the Schildersbuurt and Oosterpoort are central and studenty. Watch for hospiteren - group flat interviews are common.

• Register for SSH or university housing as soon as you are accepted.
• Use Kamernet and HousingAnywhere; be ready for hospiteren flat interviews.
• Paddepoel for the Zernike campus; ask the Studcasa Groningen group about verified rooms.

Like the rest of the Netherlands, Groningen runs on bikes - it is flat, tiny and cyclable end to end in a quarter of an hour, so a bike is essentially compulsory. Qbuzz buses cover longer trips and the Zernike campus in the north, and the central train station links you to the rest of the country. There is no metro or tram; you simply will not need one.

• Buy a second-hand bike immediately - it is the only transport you really need.
• Qbuzz bus lines run up to the Zernike campus; pay contactless with OVpay.
• The central station puts Zwolle and Amsterdam within easy reach by NS train.

The University of Groningen (RUG) is one of Europe oldest and most respected research universities, founded in 1614, with a strong international profile and many English-taught programmes. The Hanze University of Applied Sciences covers more vocational degrees. Most science and social-science teaching happens on the Zernike campus north of the centre. Expect interactive, seminar-heavy Dutch teaching and plenty of group work.

• The RUG is among the world oldest universities and highly international.
• Science and business teaching clusters on the Zernike campus in the north.

As always, it depends on your nationality. EU/EEA/Swiss students need no visa and just register with the local municipality. Non-EU students usually need an entry visa (MVV) and/or a residence permit, but here's the good news: your Dutch host university almost always handles the application for you as the official sponsor, so follow their international office to the letter and start early.

After arrival you'll register at the gemeente (municipality) to get a BSN citizen number, which you need for a bank account and much else, and arrange health insurance. EU students use the EHIC; non-EU students need private cover, and working part-time can trigger a Dutch insurance requirement.

• EU/EEA/Swiss, no visa, register with the municipality
• Non-EU, MVV/residence permit, usually arranged by your university
• Register at the gemeente for a BSN number on arrival
• Sort health insurance: EHIC (EU) or private cover (non-EU)

Groningen own oddity is the eierbal - a deep-fried breadcrumbed egg you order with a beer - alongside the usual Dutch bitterballen and kroketten. The markets on the Vismarkt and Grote Markt are the everyday larder, and the city cafes and terraces fill the moment there is sun. It is a compact, cafe-centred culture where you quickly find your regular spot.

• Try an eierbal, the deep-fried egg snack that is a Groningen speciality.
• Graze the Vismarkt and Grote Markt markets for cheese, fish and produce.
• Claim a terrace on the Grote Markt the first sunny afternoon of spring.

The Binnenstad (centre) is small, historic and where the nightlife lives. The Schildersbuurt and Oosterpoort just outside it are classic student neighbourhoods of cheap terraced housing. Korreweg and De Hoogte to the north-east are busy and student-heavy, while Paddepoel sits handily near the Zernike campus.

• Schildersbuurt and Oosterpoort for central, affordable student streets.
• Korrewegwijk for a lively, very student-dominated feel.
• Paddepoel if you want to be close to the Zernike campus.

The wild north is your weekend escape. The Wadden Sea islands - Schiermonnikoog and Ameland - are reachable by bus and ferry for beaches and dune walks, and the star-shaped fortress village of Bourtange is a short trip inland. Zwolle and the Drenthe nature reserves are close, Amsterdam is two hours by train, and the German cities of Leer and Bremen sit just over the border.

• Take the ferry to Schiermonnikoog or Ameland in the Wadden Sea for beaches and dunes.
• Visit the perfectly preserved star-fort village of Bourtange.
• Bremen (Germany) is about two hours away by train for a change of country.

Come for KEI week in August even if term starts later - it is the social foundation of the whole year. Sort your BSN registration and a bank account early, and buy a bike and a serious lock straightaway. Prepare for northern weather: it is windy, flat and open, so a waterproof and a warm layer are worth having from the start.

• Arrive in time for KEI week - it is where nearly everyone finds their friend group.
• Register for your BSN at the gemeente early so banking and admin fall into place.