Guildford.

Social life centres on campus, where the students' union runs over 170 clubs and societies, from ballroom dancing to taekwondo, alongside varsity sport. Manor Park Social and the Stag Hill campus bar, with its lake view, are the everyday gathering spots, and the union's Freshers' Ball and Summer Ball anchor the calendar. Guildford's own High Street and its pubs give you a smaller-scale night out in town. For anything bigger, central London is close enough for an easy evening trip.

• Join one of over 170 clubs and societies run by the Students' Union.
• Manor Park Social and the Stag Hill bar, overlooking the lake, are the main campus hangouts.
• The Freshers' Ball and Summer Ball are the two big union events each year.

Surrey is an expensive part of the country, so rent will likely be your biggest monthly cost, and the university offers a range of accommodation types and price points to suit different budgets. A 16-25 Railcard, currently 35 pounds a year, cuts about a third off most train fares, which pays for itself quickly if you head to London often. For groceries and local produce, Guildford's farmers' market sets up on the High Street on the first Tuesday of most months, with more than 50 stalls.

• Rent is the main cost in Surrey, so compare accommodation types and prices early.
• A 16-25 Railcard, about 35 pounds a year, cuts roughly a third off most train fares.
• The High Street farmers' market, first Tuesday of most months, has over 50 stalls.

Surrey has around 5,750 rooms across en-suite, studio, shared and single options, mostly around Manor Park and Stag Hill, and exchange students can apply for one, though only new degree students are guaranteed a place. Guildford Park, just south of Stag Hill and close to the station, is a popular residential pocket for students moving off campus, blending into Onslow Village further south, a planned 1920s garden suburb with tree-lined streets. Because the university sits on a hill above the centre, checking how far a place is from campus matters as much as the price.

• Apply for university accommodation early, exchange students are not guaranteed a room.
• Guildford Park, next to Stag Hill and near the station, suits students leaving campus.
• Onslow Village, a 1920s garden suburb further south, is a quieter, leafier option.

South Western Railway and Great Western Railway run frequent trains from Guildford, including three an hour to London Waterloo via Woking, plus direct services to Portsmouth Harbour, Gatwick Airport, Reading, Farnham and Haslemere. A 16-25 Railcard is worth getting as soon as you arrive, since it cuts about a third off most fares. In town, local buses connect the station, campus and centre, but the University of Surrey campus sits on top of Stag Hill, so expect some walking uphill either way.

• South Western Railway runs about three trains an hour to London Waterloo via Woking.
• Direct trains also reach Portsmouth Harbour, Gatwick Airport, Reading and Farnham.
• Stag Hill campus sits above the town centre, so some uphill walking is unavoidable.

The University of Surrey, chartered in 1966 out of the former Battersea Polytechnic, is Guildford's main host, with around 16,400 students on its Stag Hill and Manor Park campuses. It ranks strongly nationally, including top-20 UK subject rankings for hospitality and leisure management and for petroleum engineering, and is known for its Professional Training placement year, which many students spend at a partner employer. Guildford also hosts the Academy of Contemporary Music, based in the town's Rodboro Buildings, which teaches contemporary music and creative industries subjects alongside university-accredited qualifications.

• The University of Surrey enrols around 16,400 students across Stag Hill and Manor Park.
• Surrey ranks in the UK top 20 for subjects including hospitality and petroleum engineering.
• The Academy of Contemporary Music, in the Rodboro Buildings, teaches music and creative subjects.

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

Guildford's granite-paved High Street is the natural place to start, lined with shops and cafes and the setting for the monthly farmers' market. By the river, the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre stages touring and local productions from opera to pantomime across two stages, while G Live, near London Road station, brings in orchestras, comedy and touring shows in a hall seating over a thousand. Riverside walks along the Wey are an easy way to spend a free afternoon between lectures.

• Browse the High Street farmers' market, first Tuesday of most months, for local produce.
• Catch a show at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, right on the River Wey.
• G Live hosts orchestras, comedy and touring shows near London Road station.

Stag Hill and Manor Park put you right on campus, the simplest choice for your first year. Guildford Park, just south of Stag Hill and near the railway station, is the natural next step for students moving into shared housing, blending seamlessly into Onslow Village, a leafy 1920s garden suburb further out with its own small shops and an arboretum. The town centre itself, around the High Street and castle, is where most eating, shopping and evenings out happen.

• Stag Hill and Manor Park keep you on or right next to campus.
• Guildford Park, near the station, is the main student area once you leave halls.
• Onslow Village offers a quieter, leafier base a little further from the centre.

London Waterloo is about 30 miles away with three direct trains an hour, easily done as a half day or a full evening out. Box Hill, part of the Surrey Hills National Landscape and long popular with cyclists and walkers, including on the Zig Zag Road used in the 2012 Olympics, is a short trip for a day outdoors. Direct trains also run to Portsmouth Harbour on the south coast and to Gatwick Airport, useful for a longer weekend away or a flight home.

• London Waterloo, three direct trains an hour away, suits a half day or full evening.
• Box Hill, in the Surrey Hills, is a favourite short trip for walking and cycling.
• Direct trains reach Portsmouth Harbour and Gatwick Airport for longer trips.

Buy a 16-25 Railcard as soon as you arrive, since almost every trip to London or the coast gets about a third cheaper straight away. Remember that campus sits on top of Stag Hill, so factor in the climb when you are choosing a place to live or walking back late. Guildford is quieter than a big city, so joining a society early through the Students' Union is the fastest way to build a social circle beyond your course.

• Get a 16-25 Railcard immediately, it cuts about a third off most train fares.
• Remember Stag Hill is uphill from the centre when planning your daily walk.
• Join a society through the Students' Union early to meet people outside your course.