There is nowhere quite like New York for an exchange: five boroughs of relentless energy, world-class everything, and a subway that never sleeps. NYU, Columbia and the sprawling CUNY system put students right in the thick of it. It is the most expensive place you could choose, but the payoff is a city that genuinely never stops.

• Home to NYU, Columbia, Fordham and the huge CUNY system.
• A 24-hour subway puts the whole city within reach at any hour.
• Unmatched access to art, music, food and nightlife.

Student life is the city itself: cheap comedy in the Village, gigs in Brooklyn, museum late-nights and endless neighbourhoods to explore. You will build your scene around your patch, whether that is downtown Manhattan or Bushwick. There is always something free or nearly free happening if you look.

• Explore live music and bars across Williamsburg and Bushwick in Brooklyn.
• Take advantage of pay-what-you-wish museum hours and student tickets.
• Catch cheap standup and jazz across the East Village and Harlem.

New York is the most expensive city in the country, so budget high: roughly 2,000 to 3,200 dollars a month with shared rent. Housing dominates, and even a shared room in a decent area is dear. An unlimited MetroCard or OMNY and cooking at home are essential savings.

• Shared rooms typically run 1,100 to 1,800 dollars a month.
• A 30-day unlimited MetroCard or the OMNY weekly cap pays for itself quickly.
• Dollar-slice pizza and food carts keep everyday eating cheap.

Nearly everyone shares, and the search is fierce and fast, so be ready to decide within hours of viewing. Students spread across the East Village, Harlem and Morningside Heights in Manhattan, and Williamsburg, Bushwick and Astoria across the river. Beware broker fees and always view before paying anything.

• Look in Bushwick, Astoria and Harlem for better value than downtown.
• Watch for broker fees and never pay a deposit before viewing in person.
• The Studcasa New York group is essential for rooms and scam-spotting.

The subway is the city's lifeblood, running 24/7 and reaching every corner with a tap of OMNY or a MetroCard. Buses fill the gaps and the city is intensely walkable. Forget a car; between transit, walking and Citi Bike you will never need one.

• Tap on with OMNY; fares cap out weekly so heavy use is capped.
• The subway runs 24 hours; use a live map app to dodge delays.
• Citi Bike and walking beat the train for short crosstown trips.

NYU and Columbia are major private research universities and CUNY a vast public system, all on semester calendars, strong across the humanities, business, journalism and the arts. Expect seminar-heavy teaching, serious reading loads and continuous assessment. Libraries like NYU's Bobst and Columbia's Butler are open around the clock in term.

• Register early; the city's universities move fast and courses fill quickly.
• Your host's international office runs orientation, trips and support.

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

New York food runs from dollar dumplings and halal carts to the bagels, pizza and pastrami the city is built on, plus every world cuisine imaginable. Weekend markets like Smorgasburg showcase the range, and eating well need not be expensive. The culture is simply everything, all at once.

• Master the classics: a bagel with lox, a pizza slice, and a pastrami on rye.
• Graze the Smorgasburg food market in Brooklyn at the weekend.
• Chase cheap, brilliant eats in Flushing and Manhattan's Chinatown.

Your neighbourhood defines your New York. Manhattan's East Village and Harlem are classic student territory, while Brooklyn's Williamsburg and Bushwick and Queens' Astoria offer more space and value. Aim for a good subway connection over square footage.

• East Village and Lower East Side: central, lively and pricey.
• Williamsburg and Bushwick: Brooklyn's creative, sociable heart.
• Astoria and Long Island City: Queens value with a quick Manhattan hop.

New York is a hub for the whole northeast and beyond. Cheap buses reach Philadelphia, Boston and DC, the Hudson Valley and the beaches of Fire Island make easy escapes, and the airports open up everywhere. Weekends can be city, mountains or coast.

• Philadelphia is two hours and Boston or DC around four by bus or train.
• The Hudson Valley and Fire Island make easy seasonal escapes.
• Cheap flights from the three airports reach the whole country.

New York is overwhelming at first, so pace yourself and protect your budget. Move fast on housing, walk more than you think you can, and take up the endless free student offers. The city rewards the bold and the organised.

• Sort your housing decisively; good rooms are gone within a day.
• Wear comfortable shoes; you will walk miles without noticing.
• Ask the Studcasa New York group for the best free events and cheap eats.