Taoyuan is the gateway to Taiwan, with an international airport that makes cheap weekend flights around Asia almost too easy, and it hosts major universities like National Central, Yuan Ze and Chung Yuan. Living costs are lower than Taipei, which is a quick Airport MRT or HSR ride away. With a large Hakka community and green hills to the south, it blends everyday Taiwanese life with easy escapes.

• National Central (NCU), Yuan Ze and Chung Yuan universities all host exchange students
• Taoyuan International Airport means cheap, easy flights across Asia
• Taipei is about 40 minutes by Airport MRT or 20 by HSR

The scene centres on the university towns of Zhongli and Taoyuan District, where night markets and cheap eateries around campuses like NCU are the default hangouts. It is more suburban than Taipei, so students lean on campus clubs, sports and quick trips into the city or the hills. Zhongli's night market is one of the liveliest in the north.

• Hang out at Zhongli Night Market, one of the north's biggest, near NCU
• Join campus clubs and sports, as the social life is campus-driven here
• Hop the Airport MRT or HSR to Taipei for bigger nights out

Taoyuan is budget-friendly, so plan for around NT$24,000-32,000 (roughly 700-950 euros) a month. Rent near the universities is cheaper than Taipei, and the airport on your doorstep makes regional travel a bargain. Night-market food keeps daily costs low.

• Rent near NCU (Zhongli) or Yuan Ze for cheaper rooms than Taipei
• Eat at Zhongli Night Market for meals under NT$100
• Use the TPASS (NT$1,200), which covers Taoyuan, Taipei and New Taipei

University dorms are the easiest and cheapest choice; off-campus, students concentrate in Zhongli near NCU and Yuan Ze, or in central Taoyuan District. It is a spread-out city, so weigh up transport to campus, and confirm scooter or bike parking. Check leases and what is furnished before signing.

• Secure a university dorm early for the best value
• Search 591.com.tw around Zhongli (NCU and Yuan Ze) and Taoyuan District
• Ask the Taoyuan group on Studcasa for room leads and lease advice

The Taoyuan Metro (Airport MRT) links the city, the HSR station and the airport with Taipei, while TRA trains and buses cover the rest. One iPass or EasyCard works on everything, and the TPASS gives unlimited monthly travel across the region. Many students also ride scooters or YouBikes given the spread-out layout.

• Use the Taoyuan Metro and buses with an EasyCard or iPass
• The HSR reaches Taipei in about 20 min; the Airport MRT in about 40
• Consider a scooter (with the right licence) or YouBike for campus areas

National Central University is strong in science, engineering, earth sciences and management; Yuan Ze and Chung Yuan add engineering, IT and design. Teaching is solid and research-active, with English-taught courses common in STEM. As elsewhere in Taiwan, campus Mandarin classes are usually on offer and well worth joining.

• NCU for science and engineering; Yuan Ze and Chung Yuan for tech and design
• Enrol in 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

Taoyuan's Hakka heritage shows up in hearty dishes like stir-fried Hakka noodles and preserved-vegetable pork, and the region's night markets, Zhongli above all, are the place to graze. Temple fairs and old streets keep tradition close, while convenience stores handle the round-the-clock basics of student life.

• Try Hakka specialities like stir-fried Hakka noodles and lei cha
• Graze your way through Zhongli Night Market
• Rely on 7-Eleven and FamilyMart for 24/7 meals, coffee and parcels

Zhongli is the southern university hub around NCU and Yuan Ze, full of student eats and the big night market; Taoyuan District is the administrative and commercial centre; and areas near the HSR and Airport MRT stations are handy for travellers. The city is spread out, so pick based on your campus.

• Zhongli for student life around NCU and Yuan Ze
• Taoyuan District for the central shopping and transport core
• Near the Airport MRT or HSR for easy travel connections

With the international airport here, cheap flights to Japan, Korea and South-East Asia are the headline perk. On the island, Daxi's old street and the Cihu area are a short trip, the Lalashan cloud forest and Xiaowulai waterfall reward hill-country day trips, and Taipei is minutes away by rail.

• Use Taoyuan Airport for budget weekends in Japan, Korea and beyond
• Day-trip to Daxi old street and Cihu, then up to Xiaowulai waterfall
• Ride the HSR or Airport MRT into Taipei whenever you fancy the capital

Taoyuan's spread means transport planning matters, so know your Airport MRT and HSR options and consider a bike or scooter. Make the most of the airport for cheap trips, carry cash for markets, and take shoes off indoors. A little Mandarin goes a long way in the more local suburbs.

• Plan around the Airport MRT and HSR; a scooter or bike helps in this spread-out city
• Grab cheap regional flights while you are on the airport's doorstep
• Keep cash for night markets and learn a few Mandarin phrases