New Orleans is the most distinctive city in the States, a Creole, Cajun and Caribbean mash-up of jazz, wrought-iron balconies and legendary food. Tulane and Loyola sit side by side Uptown, giving you a lively student quarter with the French Quarter a streetcar ride away. It is warm, walkable and endlessly celebratory.

Student life runs on live music, from the brass bands of Frenchmen Street to the dive bars Uptown, and peaks with Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest each spring. The St Charles streetcar links the campuses to the action, and there is always a parade or festival to join. It is a city that celebrates constantly.

New Orleans is moderately priced: budget around 1,200 to 1,900 dollars a month with shared rent. Housing is reasonable by US-city standards, though older homes can mean higher energy bills. Festivals and eating out are the tempting extras.

Most students share the classic shotgun and double houses Uptown near Tulane and Loyola, or in the Carrollton and Riverbend areas along the streetcar. The Marigny and Bywater offer a more bohemian, music-heavy base. Check flood history and energy efficiency in these older homes.

The historic streetcars are both transport and joy, with the St Charles line linking Uptown to downtown, backed by buses and a bike-friendly, flat layout. A Jazzy Pass covers the RTA network cheaply. Blue Bikes and cycling work well for shorter hops.

Tulane is a private research university and Loyola a Jesuit one, both on semester systems, strong in public health, law, music and the liberal arts. Expect small, discussion-led classes where professors know your name and expect participation. The libraries stay open late, and community-engaged learning is a local speciality.

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.

New Orleans food is a cuisine of its own: gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish boils, po'boys and sugar-dusted beignets, rooted in Creole and Cajun traditions. Music and food are inseparable, spilling out of restaurants and street corners alike. Come hungry and curious.

New Orleans neighbourhoods each have a strong identity: leafy, grand Uptown by the universities, the historic French Quarter, and the artsy Marigny and Bywater downriver. The Garden District dazzles with mansions, while Mid-City offers value and the bayou. Pick by whether you want student calm or music-scene buzz.

New Orleans opens up the Gulf South, from Cajun country to the coast. Baton Rouge and Lafayette give you swamps and zydeco, the Gulf beaches lie east, and plantation and swamp tours sit close to the city. A car or carpool helps beyond the day trips.

New Orleans is intoxicating, but a bit of care goes a long way. Learn which streets to stick to at night, stay aware during the humid hurricane season, and pace yourself through the endless festivals. Say yes to the music and the food.