You get a proper capital feel at a fraction of Dublin or London prices, with everything walkable and a genuinely warm welcome. History is layered thickly here, from the Titanic to the Troubles, which makes it a fascinating place to spend a semester.

• Queen's University Belfast (Russell Group) and Ulster University's new city-centre campus put students in the heart of things.
• It is one of the UK's most affordable cities, with rents well below Dublin or London.
• From the Titanic Quarter to the Cathedral Quarter is a 20-minute walk.

The social scene splits between the student-dense Holylands near Queen's and the pubs and live music of the Cathedral Quarter. Traditional sessions and craft beer are both easy to find.

• The Holylands (Agincourt Avenue and around) is the classic student patch near Queen's.
• Cathedral Quarter pubs like The Duke of York, Kelly's Cellars and The Sunflower are the go-to for trad music and pints.
• The Studcasa Belfast group is handy for finding flatmates and gig buddies.

Belfast sits at the low end of the UK cost band, so your money stretches further than almost anywhere else in the country. Markets and pub food keep everyday spending down.

• Budget around GBP 700-1,150 a month, at the low end of the UK band.
• A pint runs about GBP 4-5, and St George's Market does a big, cheap weekend breakfast.
• A yLink card (ages 16-23) cuts Translink bus and train fares.

Most students cluster around Queen's in the Holylands and Stranmillis, with nicer flats a little further out on the Lisburn and Ormeau roads. Some Holylands houses are tired, so view before you sign.

• The Holylands and Stranmillis are student-dense and close to Queen's.
• The Lisburn Road and Ormeau Road offer nicer, slightly quieter flats.
• Ask the Studcasa Belfast group before committing to a Holylands house.

Belfast is small enough to walk or cycle across, and Translink runs the buses and rapid-transit routes for longer hops. A new central station ties the trains and coaches together.

• Translink runs the Metro buses and the Glider (G1 and G2) rapid-bus routes.
• Grand Central Station is the new hub for trains and coaches.
• The centre is compact enough to walk almost everywhere.

The two universities dominate student life and sit close to the centre. Terms follow the standard UK autumn-to-summer pattern.

• Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University are the two main hosts.
• Terms run late September to June, with freshers' week early in the autumn.

Since Brexit, EU citizens no longer have free movement, so most non-Irish students need permission to study. For an exchange of up to six months you can often come under the Short-term study route or simply as a Standard Visitor, depending on your nationality and course length. For a full year you will need a Student visa sponsored by your host university.

What applies depends entirely on your passport, so confirm with the university and official UK government guidance early. The Student visa needs a CAS reference from your uni, proof of funds and usually the immigration health surcharge, so budget both time and money for it.

• Exchange under 6 months, often Standard Visitor or Short-term study
• Full year, Student visa with a CAS from your uni
• Irish citizens, no visa needed under the Common Travel Area
• Budget for the immigration health surcharge on longer visas

Food here is hearty and local, and the covered market is the social and culinary heart of the weekend. To understand the city, learn its recent history first-hand.

• Order an Ulster fry, complete with soda and potato bread, at least once.
• St George's Market from Friday to Sunday packs food, crafts and live music under one Victorian roof.
• Black-taxi mural tours of the Falls and Shankill are an honest way to learn the city's history.

The city is organised into quarters, each with its own character, all within easy reach of the centre. Your choice depends on whether you want study, nightlife or the waterfront.

• Queen's Quarter and Botanic for student life and green space.
• Cathedral Quarter for nightlife and the arts.
• Titanic Quarter for modern waterfront living.

Northern Ireland's dramatic coast and second city are close, and Dublin is an easy cross-border trip. A rented car or the train opens up the whole region.

• The Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast are about 1-1.5 hours north.
• Derry/Londonderry's walled city is about 2 hours by train or bus.
• Dublin is about 2 hours on the Enterprise train for a cross-border weekend.

Belfast is very welcoming but has sensitivities around its recent past, so read the room. Pack for weather that turns quickly.

• Keep some cash for market stalls and black-taxi tours, though cards work almost everywhere.
• Be tactful about politics and flags until you know the company.
• Bring a good raincoat; the weather changes fast.