Study in New Orleans, The United States

About New Orleans

New Orleans, in Louisiana, grew from the French Quarter (Vieux Carré), a square on a curve of the Mississippi River. The city has 17 National Historic Districts, two of which, the French Quarter and the Garden District, are also National Historic Landmarks, and it is known for live music, Creole architecture and its food.

For students, New Orleans offers private Jesuit and public universities, a large community college and two university-based intensive English programmes, all in a city where most teaching is in English and student life is closely tied to the neighbourhoods around each campus.

Studying in New Orleans

Our directory lists six schools in New Orleans. Loyola University New Orleans goes back to seven Jesuit priests who came to the city in 1847; Loyola College opened in 1904 and became a university in 1912. Its campus is on St. Charles Avenue, and it teaches through colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Law, Music and Media, and Nursing and Health. According to College Navigator, it has 4,250 students, 3,007 of them undergraduates, and a ratio of 12 students per teacher.

The University of New Orleans, now known as LSU New Orleans, is a public university on Lakeshore Drive with 6,501 students, 5,419 of them undergraduates. Its international office runs an Intensive English Language Program, and its study abroad office organises summer programmes abroad. Other universities in the city, such as Southern University at New Orleans and the LSU Health Sciences Center, appear in the federal College Navigator database.

Delgado Community College, on City Park Avenue, offers programmes in nursing, business, the arts, sciences and workforce training, and many of its courses transfer to regional four-year universities; it has 12,712 students and no campus housing. For secondary school, Jesuit High School of New Orleans is a Catholic college-preparatory school on Banks Street.

Learning English in New Orleans

The Loyola Intensive English Program (LIEP) opened in 1976. It currently offers only intermediate and advanced levels, with full-semester or half-semester enrolment and on-campus housing with English-speaking roommates. Through Loyola's Pilot Program, admitted degree students can combine two 3-credit university courses with two 3-credit intensive English courses in their first semester.

Student visa and academic year

International students usually need an F student visa, which covers degree study and English courses at a language institute. After admission, the school's international student office sends a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes), which is needed for the visa application. The academic year typically runs from September to May, and international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year, according to EducationUSA.

Cost of living for students

According to College Navigator, a first-year undergraduate in 2024-25 paid $49,440 in tuition and fees at Loyola University New Orleans, plus $15,600 for food and housing on campus, for an estimated total of $69,989. At the University of New Orleans, out-of-state tuition and fees were $14,008 and the out-of-state total on campus $31,040. Delgado Community College charged $4,279 in tuition and fees, with an estimated total of $23,188 for a student living off campus. These amounts change every year, so check each school's current cost page.

Getting around and daily life

The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) runs the city's buses, streetcars and ferries, which can be tracked and paid for with the Le Pass app. A single ride costs $1.25, a 1-Day Jazzy Pass $3 and a 31-Day Jazzy Pass $45, according to the RTA. The French Quarter and Frenchmen Street, the centre of the live music scene, are the best-known areas for an evening out. New Orleans is warm most of the year: NOAA's 1991-2020 normals at the international airport give an average of 54.3 °F (about 12 °C) in January and 83.9 °F (about 29 °C) in July.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in New Orleans?

Our directory lists Loyola University New Orleans and the University of New Orleans (LSU New Orleans), as well as Delgado Community College.

Can I learn English in New Orleans?

Yes. The Loyola Intensive English Program offers intermediate and advanced courses with on-campus housing, and LSU New Orleans runs an Intensive English Language Program.

How much does a monthly transport pass cost in New Orleans?

A 31-Day Jazzy Pass for RTA buses, streetcars and ferries costs $45 for adults, according to the RTA.

What is the weather like in New Orleans?

Mild in winter and hot in summer: the average temperature is about 12 °C in January and 29 °C in July, according to NOAA.