Buffalo gives you a real American city at small-city prices, with Niagara Falls essentially on the doorstep and Toronto a short drive north. The University at Buffalo brings a big international community, and locals are famously welcoming. Just come prepared for the legendary lake-effect winters.

• Home to the University at Buffalo (SUNY), the largest campus in the state system.
• Niagara Falls is about 30 minutes away and Toronto around two hours.
• One of the most affordable cities of its size in the northeast.

Life revolves around UB's two campuses, with the buzz spread between Elmwood Village, Allentown and University Heights. Buffalonians are obsessed with their sports teams, so a Bills game at Highmark Stadium or a Sabres night is a rite of passage. Winter drives the social scene indoors, into craft-beer bars and wing joints.

• Catch a Buffalo Bills game and learn to tolerate tailgating in the snow.
• Elmwood Village and Allen Street have the best bars, cafes and record shops.
• Try the wings where they were invented at the Anchor Bar or Duff's.

Buffalo is one of the cheapest cities in the northeast: budget around 1,100 to 1,700 dollars a month with shared rent. Housing in particular is a bargain, and student staples cost little. The main hidden expense is warm clothing for the winter.

• Shared flats run about 400 to 650 dollars a month per person.
• A plate of wings and a drink rarely tops 15 dollars.
• Budget for a serious winter coat and boots; you will use them for months.

Students cluster in University Heights near the South Campus, in Elmwood Village, and in the walkable streets of Allentown. Buffalo's grand old houses are carved into cheap student flats, so you get space for your money. Check how you will reach campus in deep snow before signing.

• University Heights is closest to the South Campus and the Metro Rail.
• Elmwood Village and Allentown are pricier but full of character and nightlife.
• Ask the Studcasa Buffalo group which landlords are reliable before you commit.

The NFTA Metro Rail is a single light-rail line linking downtown to the South Campus, backed up by a bus network. A UB Stampede shuttle connects the North and South campuses for free. Many students eventually share a car for winter and big shops.

• The Metro Rail runs free above ground downtown along Main Street.
• The UB Stampede shuttle links North and South campuses at no cost.
• Buffalo Niagara Airport (BUF) is a cheap hub for domestic flights.

The University at Buffalo is a large public research university on a semester system, strong in engineering, management, health sciences and architecture. Expect big lectures with smaller recitations, continuous coursework and professors who keep open office hours. Lockwood and the science libraries stay open late in term.

• Register early through the HUB student centre; core courses fill quickly.
• UB's international student services run orientation, trips and social nights.

Almost every exchange student needs a visa, and which one depends on your programme and nationality. Most exchange students come on a J-1 exchange visitor visa (with a DS-2019 from your host university) or an F-1 student visa (with an I-20); your US university tells you which and issues the document. You then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 form, and attend an in-person interview at a US embassy or consulate, so start the moment you're accepted, as interview waits can be long.

Budget for the SEVIS fee (around 220 dollars for J-1, 350 for F-1) plus the visa application fee, and note J-1 visas carry mandatory health insurance rules and sometimes a two-year home-residency requirement. Keep every document for border entry.

• Most exchange students, J-1 (DS-2019) or F-1 (I-20) visa
• Pay the SEVIS fee (~$220 J-1 / ~$350 F-1) before your interview
• Complete DS-160 and attend an in-person consulate interview
• J-1 requires compliant health insurance; check the two-year home-residency rule

Buffalo lives on comfort food: wings, beef on weck and Friday fish fries, washed down with a strong local beer scene. The West Side is increasingly diverse thanks to a big refugee community, so global food is easy to find. Culture-wise, the Albright-Knox art gallery punches well above the city's size.

• Order wings and a beef on weck; the West Side Bazaar has great global street food.
• Friday fish fry is a local tradition through the colder months.
• The Buffalo AKG Art Museum is a must and often cheap for students.

Buffalo's neighbourhoods each have a distinct feel, from student-heavy University Heights to the boutiques and bars of Elmwood Village. Allentown is the bohemian core, while downtown and the Elmwood strip suit those who want to walk to nightlife. Proximity to the Metro Rail matters in winter.

• University Heights: cheapest and closest to the South Campus.
• Elmwood Village: leafy, walkable and full of independent shops.
• Allentown: artsy and central, with the best bar scene.

Buffalo's location is its trump card. Niagara Falls is a quick trip, Toronto gives you a world city across the border, and the Finger Lakes wine country lies to the east. Keep your passport handy for the Canadian side.

• Niagara Falls is 30 minutes away; the views are better from the Canadian side.
• Toronto is about two hours north; carry your passport for the border.
• The Finger Lakes and Rochester make easy weekend trips east.

In Buffalo the winter is the whole game: prepare for it and you will have a brilliant, cheap year. Kit yourself out with proper cold-weather gear, learn to love wings and tailgating, and use the border to explore Canada. Locals will adopt you quickly if you show up.

• Buy a heavy coat, gloves and waterproof boots before the first lake-effect storm.
• Keep your passport valid so Toronto weekends are always an option.
• Ask the Studcasa Buffalo group about carpools for airport runs and big shops.