Winterthur gives you the best of both worlds: a friendly, green city with Switzerland's largest university of applied sciences, plus Zürich a mere twenty-odd minutes away on frequent trains. It is a former industrial town turned cultural hub, with more museums per head than almost anywhere and a young, easy-going feel. Crucially, rents are noticeably cheaper than in neighbouring Zürich.

• Home to ZHAW, one of Switzerland's largest universities of applied sciences
• Much cheaper than Zürich, which is only about twenty minutes away by train

A big ZHAW student body keeps Winterthur young, and life plays out in the pedestrian old town's bars and the converted industrial Sulzer and Lokstadt districts. Summer brings the huge Musikfestwochen, when the old town fills with stages, plus the Afro-Pfingsten festival. When you want a bigger night, Zürich's clubs are a short late-train away.

• Spend evenings in the old town's bars or the revamped Sulzerareal and Lokstadt
• Catch the summer Musikfestwochen, when the old town becomes an open-air festival
• Ask the Winterthur Studcasa group how students balance nights here with trips into Zürich

Winterthur is expensive by international standards but a real saving on Zürich, so budget around €1,400–2,200 a month. Lower rents are the main draw, and a single ZVV pass covers both Winterthur and Zürich on one network. The ZHAW mensa and home cooking keep food affordable.

• Rooms run roughly CHF 550–950 a month, well under Zürich rates
• One ZVV pass covers travel across both Winterthur and Zürich
• Eat at the ZHAW mensa and shop at Migros, Aldi and Lidl to save

Shared flats are the standard, spread through the old town, Töss, Veltheim and the trendy Lokstadt development. Many students live here precisely because it undercuts Zürich, so the market is busy, particularly at term-start. Search early and view where possible.

• Search WGZimmer.ch, Students.ch and Ronorp for rooms across the city
• The old town and Neuwiesen keep you central, while Töss and Seen are cheaper
• Ask the Winterthur Studcasa group, where students regularly sublet rooms

Winterthur is flat, compact and cycle-friendly, with Stadtbus buses and trolleybuses on the ZVV tariff. The real advantage is the S-Bahn, which whisks you to Zürich in about twenty-five minutes and the airport in ten. That makes it easy to live cheaply here and study or work in the city.

• Cycle the flat city or ride Stadtbus buses on a ZVV pass
• Take the S-Bahn to Zürich in about twenty-five minutes, or the airport in ten
• Use the same ZVV ticket across the whole Zürich-Winterthur network

Winterthur is home to ZHAW, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, one of the country's largest, strong in engineering, business, health and applied sciences. The University of Zürich and ETH are a short train ride away for those enrolled there. ZHAW terms run mid-September to December and February to June, with many courses taught in German.

• ZHAW is a large applied-sciences university strong in engineering, business and health
• Zürich's university and ETH are only a short S-Bahn ride away

Switzerland is in Schengen but not the EU, so your process depends on nationality. EU/EFTA students do not need a visa; you enter freely and then register with your local commune (Gemeinde/commune) within 14 days of arrival to get a residence permit, showing enrolment, funds and insurance.

Non-EU students must apply for a national (D) long-stay visa at a Swiss embassy before travelling, then convert it to a residence permit at the local commune after arrival. You will need your acceptance letter, proof of sufficient funds, accommodation and health insurance. Processing can take eight to twelve weeks, so apply as early as possible. Everyone must sort mandatory Swiss health insurance or get an exemption using EHIC or equivalent cover.

• EU/EFTA: no visa; register with your local commune within 14 days
• Non-EU: apply for a national D visa at a Swiss embassy before arrival
• Bring acceptance letter, proof of funds, housing and insurance
• Sort health insurance early, it is mandatory or needs a formal exemption
• Start non-EU applications 3+ months ahead; processing is slow

Winterthur wears its industrial past lightly, with old factory halls now home to bars, markets and the Lokstadt quarter. It is a city of museums, from the Technorama science centre to top art collections, and a relaxed café culture. Swiss staples fill the menus, and, as everywhere, Sundays are quiet.

• Spend a day at the Swiss Science Center Technorama, a huge hands-on science museum
• Explore the art at Kunst Museum Winterthur and the Fotomuseum
• Wander the Lokstadt and Sulzerareal, former factories turned social hubs

The pedestrian Altstadt is the lively centre. Neuwiesen sits just beside it, the Lokstadt and Sulzerareal are the hip former-industrial quarters, and Töss, Veltheim, Seen and Oberwinterthur are quieter, more affordable residential districts.

• Altstadt for the bars, shops and the heart of the action
• Lokstadt or Neuwiesen for a modern, central base
• Töss, Seen or Veltheim for lower rents a short ride out

Winterthur's position makes weekends effortless. Zürich is twenty-five minutes away, the mighty Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen about the same, and the medieval town of Stein am Rhein and Lake Constance a little further. St Gallen, the airport and Kyburg castle above town are all quick trips.

• Take the train to Europe's largest waterfall, the Rhine Falls, in around twenty-five minutes
• Visit medieval Stein am Rhein and Lake Constance for a day on the water
• Pop into Zürich in under half an hour whenever the mood takes you

Winterthur is the smart-money choice near Zürich, so make the most of the lower rents and the shared ZVV network. Take advantage of the student discounts at the city's many museums, cycle everywhere on the flat streets, and stock up on Saturday since Sundays close the shops. A little Swiss German helps day to day.

• Live here to save on rent while keeping Zürich twenty-five minutes away
• Use student discounts at Technorama and the city's museums
• Cycle the flat streets, and do your shopping before Sunday