·Private (Catholic, Jesuit)·Est. 1904
“Jesuit, Catholic, and New Orleans — a small private university where music, law, and social justice define the student experience.”
Loyola University New Orleans is a private, Catholic, Jesuit university founded in 1904 and located in the heart of Uptown New Orleans, directly across St. Charles Avenue from Audubon Park and next door to Tulane University. A member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Loyola enrolls roughly 4,200 students across undergraduate, graduate, and law programs and delivers a classic liberal-arts education rooted in Ignatian values of cura personalis — care for the whole person — academic rigor, reflection, and service to others. Loyola is best known for its College of Music and Media (one of the top Catholic music schools in the country, with nationally recognized programs in music industry studies, music performance, jazz studies, and popular & commercial music), the Joseph A. Butt, S.J., College of Business, and the College of Arts and Sciences, which houses strong programs in psychology, criminology and justice, political science, mass communication, English, and the natural sciences. The College of Law, on the university's Broadway Campus, is one of two law schools in New Orleans and trains students for both civil law (Louisiana's unique legal tradition) and common law. Small class sizes — roughly 11:1 student-faculty ratio — and a consistent emphasis on writing, discussion, and ethics give Loyola a discussion-seminar culture distinct from larger state research universities. For international students, Loyola offers one of the most welcoming small-university experiences in the US South: a historic Uptown campus minutes from the French Quarter and the New Orleans music scene, generous merit scholarships ($14,000–$23,000 per year automatic for qualified international applicants), a Jesuit mission-driven community that expects and supports global perspectives, and a Center for International Education (CIE) that provides full F-1 advising, orientation, and a 'Pilot Program' bridge for students whose English scores fall below the direct-admit minimum. New Orleans itself — its food, music, Mardi Gras traditions, and diverse Creole-French-Latin-American cultural mix — is a unique draw for students looking for an American college experience outside the usual east-coast or west-coast options.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceThe deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$49,000 – $50,000
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Loyola's largest college, home to the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Departments include biological sciences, chemistry, criminology and justice, English, history, mass communication, mathematics and computer science, political science, psychology, philosophy, and religious studies. Small classes and Jesuit liberal-arts core shape the experience.
One of the top Catholic music schools in the United States and a major draw for prospective students from around the world. Houses the School of Music and the School of Mass Communication. Programs range from classical performance and jazz studies to music industry studies, popular & commercial music, digital filmmaking, and design. Deep ties to the New Orleans music scene.
AACSB-accredited business school offering majors in finance, marketing, management, international business, accounting, and economics. Known for its ethics-forward, Jesuit-framed curriculum, a strong Butt MBA program, and hands-on internship placements in New Orleans' finance, energy, and hospitality sectors.
Offers the BSN and graduate nursing programs, with clinical partnerships across New Orleans health systems. Focus on community health, ethics, and service to vulnerable populations.
Founded in 1914 on the Broadway Campus. Unusual among US law schools for offering parallel tracks in both civil law (Louisiana's Napoleonic-code tradition) and common law. Houses the LL.M. in United States Law specifically designed for international-trained lawyers.
4 years
Signature Loyola program and one of the nation's most established undergraduate music-business degrees. Combines hands-on production/recording, music entrepreneurship, law, and industry placement inside the New Orleans music ecosystem.
4 years
Fast-growing major with Jesuit-inflected focus on criminal-justice reform, restorative justice, and social inequality. Internships with NOPD, federal courts, and public defenders.
1 years
One-year LL.M. designed for foreign-trained lawyers seeking exposure to US common law, with optional bar-preparation track. Small cohort size and individualized academic advising.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $49,440
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
