Kaohsiung trades Taipei's intensity for warmth, space and a slower pace, with palm-lined harbours, sea breezes and blue skies most of the year. National Sun Yat-sen University sits right on the coast at Sizihwan, and living costs are lower than the capital. With the High Speed Rail putting Tainan and Taipei within easy reach, it is a relaxed base with the whole west coast on tap.

• National Sun Yat-sen (NSYSU) sits on the seafront at Sizihwan; Kaohsiung Medical and NKUST also host exchange students
• It is warmer, cheaper and more spacious than Taipei
• The HSR reaches Tainan in about 15 min and Taipei in about 90 min

The scene is easygoing and outdoorsy: beach evenings at Cijin, sunset drinks along the Love River, and the regenerated Pier-2 Art Center for galleries, markets and gigs. Night markets like Ruifeng and Liuhe are the default hangouts, and language exchanges connect you with local students. It is less frantic than Taipei but genuinely sociable.

• Hang out at Pier-2 Art Center for markets, street art and live events
• Catch sunsets and beach nights on Cijin island, a short ferry from Gushan
• Ruifeng and Liuhe night markets are the go-to evening spots

Kaohsiung is easy on the wallet, so budget around NT$24,000-32,000 (roughly 700-950 euros) a month. Rent is markedly cheaper than Taipei, with rooms from around NT$8,000-14,000. Cheap night-market meals and lunchboxes mean you rarely need to cook to save money.

• Rooms are cheaper here than Taipei, so search 591.com.tw around Sizihwan and Yancheng
• Eat at Ruifeng and Liuhe night markets for meals under NT$100
• Get the southern TPASS (NT$999) for unlimited metro, light rail and buses

University dorms are the simplest and cheapest option; off-campus, students cluster near NSYSU in Gushan and Sizihwan, or in lively Yancheng. Rooms are affordable but agents may add a fee, so check what is included. Scooter parking is worth confirming if you plan to ride.

• Apply for a university dorm first, as it is best value and closest to campus
• Look at Gushan, Sizihwan and Yancheng on 591.com.tw for shared flats
• Ask the Kaohsiung group on Studcasa for room leads and lease help

Kaohsiung's MRT (red and orange lines) plus a circular light-rail line and buses cover the city, all on one iPass card. The southern TPASS gives unlimited monthly travel for NT$999, and YouBikes fill the gaps. Many locals ride scooters, doable if you have the right licence, but the metro and bikes handle most student needs.

• Use an iPass for the MRT, light rail, buses and ferries
• Buy the NT$999 southern TPASS for unlimited monthly travel
• Grab YouBikes for the flat, cyclable waterfront and campus areas

National Sun Yat-sen is strong in marine science, management and the sciences, with a stunning seafront campus; Kaohsiung Medical University and NKUST add health and technology options. Teaching mixes lectures and projects, and English-taught courses are expanding. As up north, free or cheap Mandarin classes are usually on offer, so take them.

• NSYSU for marine science and management; NKUST for engineering and tech
• Sign up for campus Mandarin classes to get more from daily life

This depends entirely on your passport, so treat the below as a map, not gospel. Most European, UK, US, Canadian and Australian students get 90 days visa-free on arrival, fine for a short summer thing, not for a full semester. For a proper exchange you apply for a student Resident Visa at your nearest Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) before you fly, using the admission letter your host university sends.

Once you land, you convert that into an ARC (Alien Resident Certificate) at the local immigration office within a couple of weeks, this is your golden ticket for a bank account, phone contract and re-entry. Start early: TECO appointments and document legalisation can eat weeks. Your host uni's international office will hand-hold you through most of it.

• Short stay: 90 days visa-free for many nationalities
• Full semester: student Resident Visa via TECO before you fly
• After arrival: convert to an ARC within about 15 days
• Exact rules depend on your passport, check your own TECO office

The south is known for bold, cheap food: seafood off Cijin, milkfish soup, fresh fruit and the tall night-market stalls of Liuhe and Ruifeng. Life happens outdoors here, from harbour walks to temple visits around Lotus Pond. Convenience stores remain the round-the-clock backbone of daily life.

• Eat fresh seafood on Cijin island and milkfish dishes across the city
• Visit the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Pond in Zuoying
• Use 7-Eleven and FamilyMart for 24/7 meals, coffee and parcels

Sizihwan and Gushan, by the sea and the NSYSU campus, are the student heartland; Yancheng is the atmospheric old harbour district with cafes and bars; Xinxing and Lingya form the central business and shopping core; and Zuoying, in the north, has the HSR station and the temple-dotted Lotus Pond.

• Sizihwan and Gushan for seaside student living near NSYSU
• Yancheng for old-town character, cafes and nightlife
• Zuoying for the HSR station and Lotus Pond sights

Kaohsiung is a springboard for the south. Tainan, Taiwan's historic former capital, is 15 minutes by HSR or 30 by train; the beaches and reefs of Kenting are about two hours south; and the little island of Xiaoliuqiu, ringed by sea turtles, is a short bus-and-ferry trip. Taipei is 90 minutes by HSR when you want the capital.

• Day-trip to Tainan (about 15 min HSR) for temples, history and food
• Head to Kenting (about 2h) for Taiwan's best beaches
• Ferry to Xiaoliuqiu island to snorkel with sea turtles

Kaohsiung's heat is real, so pace yourself and stay hydrated, especially in summer. Carry your iPass everywhere, keep cash for night markets, and take shoes off indoors. If you ride a scooter, sort the correct licence and always wear a helmet, as police do check.

• Dress for heat and humidity year-round and carry water and sun cover
• Keep cash for night-market stalls that do not take cards
• If renting a scooter, get the proper licence and always wear a helmet