Oslo manages to feel both like a proper capital and a place where you can be in deep forest or on a fjord island within half an hour. It is home to the University of Oslo and several other institutions, so the student presence is large and international, and the city has smart new architecture, great museums and a metro that runs straight up to the ski trails. It is expensive, but the quality of life and access to nature are exceptional.

• The University of Oslo, OsloMet and BI give the city a large, international student body.
• The metro runs straight to forest ski trails and ferries reach fjord islands in minutes.

Grünerløkka is the hip student heartland of bars, cafés and vintage shops, while Grønland offers cheap eats and a grungier nightlife and the centre has the bigger clubs. Norwegians can be reserved, so the fadderuke welcome week, student societies and shared outdoor trips are how you make friends. Bars are expensive, so a vorspiel at home before heading out is universal, and summer brings island swims and park hangs.

• Grünerløkka for bars, cafés and student nightlife; Grønland for cheap eats and dive bars.
• Do fadderuke and join a student society to break the ice.
• Ask the Oslo Studcasa group where the exchange crowd gathers and pre-drinks.

Oslo is one of Europe's most expensive cities, so budget €1,300–1,600 a month, at the top of Norway's band, with rent and going out the main drains. A beer can be €11–13 and restaurant meals are eye-watering, so cook at home and use student discounts. The fjord, forest and museums (many free or cheap for students) are where Oslo gives back.

• A room in student housing or a shared flat runs 6,000–9,000 kr (about €520–780).
• A pint out is 110–150 kr (€10–13); shop at Kiwi, Rema 1000 or Grønland's markets to save.
• A Ruter monthly student pass is around 490 kr (about €42).

Apply to SiO (the Oslo student welfare organisation) for housing the instant you are accepted, it is the most affordable route and demand is high. The private market is pricey and competitive on Finn.no and Hybel.no, with Grünerløkka, Sagene, Tøyen and Grønland popular with students. Never pay a deposit before viewing, and be alert to scams aimed at incoming internationals.

• Apply to SiO student housing as early as possible, as it is the cheapest option.
• Search Finn.no and Hybel.no for rooms in Grünerløkka, Sagene, Tøyen or Grønland.
• Ask the Oslo Studcasa group to vet a private listing before you transfer money.

Ruter runs an excellent, integrated network of T-bane metro, trams, buses and fjord ferries, all on one ticket, and the compact centre is very walkable. A monthly student pass covers everything, including the metro up to the Nordmarka ski trails and ferries to the Oslofjord islands. Cycling is popular in the warmer months with the city bike scheme.

• One Ruter ticket covers T-bane, trams, buses and the fjord island ferries.
• Get a Ruter monthly student pass (around 490 kr) via the app.
• The T-bane runs up to Frognerseteren and Sognsvann for forest hikes and skiing.

The University of Oslo (UiO) is Norway's oldest and largest, its main Blindern campus north-west of the centre and strong across the sciences, humanities and law, while OsloMet focuses on applied and professional fields and BI on business. Teaching is informal and independent, with first-name terms, group work and plenty of English-taught courses. Expect to manage your own study rather than be closely directed.

• UiO's main campus is at Blindern, a few metro stops north-west of the centre.
• OsloMet is central and BI is at Nydalen; check your campus before you rent.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa; they just register with the police online and in person if staying more than three months. Non-EEA students need a student residence permit from the Norwegian immigration directorate, UDI, applied for before or shortly after arrival, which requires proof of admission, housing and enough money in a Norwegian account.

The financial requirement is steep, around 137,000 kroner for a year, reflecting the cost of living, so plan your funds early. Exactly what you need depends on your nationality, so check UDI guidance and your host university's advice as soon as you are accepted. Processing can take weeks, so do not leave it late.

• EU/EEA/Swiss, no visa; register with police if staying 90+ days
• Non-EEA, student residence permit via UDI
• Must show around NOK 137,000/year in funds
• Apply early; processing takes several weeks

Oslo's food scene has grown up fast, from the Mathallen food hall in Vulkan to the diverse, affordable eateries of Grønland. Local staples include seafood, brown cheese, the humble pølse hot dog and cinnamon buns, while eating out anywhere smart is expensive. The waterfront around Bjørvika, with the Opera House and the Deichman library, is the place to stroll and eat with a view.

• Mathallen food hall in Vulkan for a spread of stalls under one roof.
• Grønland for cheap, diverse eats, Middle Eastern, Asian and Norwegian fast food.
• Grab a pølse and a kanelbolle for a cheap, very Norwegian snack.

Grünerløkka is the trendy, student-favourite district of cafés and bars along the Akerselva river, Grønland is its cheaper, multicultural neighbour, and Sagene and Tøyen are up-and-coming with lower rents. Frogner and Majorstuen are elegant and pricey, the centre holds the big sights, and Bjørvika is the gleaming new waterfront. Blindern near UiO is quiet and green.

• Grünerløkka and Sagene for student life along the river.
• Grønland and Tøyen for cheaper rents and the best-value food.
• Frogner and Majorstuen for elegant, calmer (and dearer) streets.

Oslo blends city and wild with ease. The Nordmarka forest for hiking and cross-country skiing is a metro ride away, the Oslofjord islands like Hovedøya are a short ferry hop for summer swims, and Holmenkollen's ski jump overlooks the city. Further out, Lillehammer is two hours by train, Bergen a spectacular seven, and Gothenburg in Sweden around three and a half for a weekend across the border.

• The Nordmarka forest by T-bane to Sognsvann or Frognerseteren for hikes and skiing.
• Ferry to Oslofjord islands like Hovedøya for summer swimming.
• Lillehammer (2 hours) or Gothenburg, Sweden (about 3.5 hours) for weekends.

Budget hard: cook at home, pre-drink, and buy wine and spirits at Vinmonopolet before it closes, as supermarkets only sell weak beer. Use the free nature and cheap student museum entry as your entertainment, and get a Ruter pass for the metro to the forest. Norwegians open up around shared activities, so join something outdoorsy early.

• Buy alcohol at Vinmonopolet before it closes; plan the weekend around its hours.
• Cook at home and pre-drink, as restaurant and bar prices are brutal.
• Use free forest, fjord and cheap student museum entry as your main entertainment.