Studying in Toulouse: universities, costs, housing and student life

Universities and schools in Toulouse

Toulouse is France's fourth largest city and one of its biggest student hubs, built around three public universities and a cluster of engineering schools tied to its aerospace industry. Université Toulouse Capitole (Toulouse 1) covers law, economics and management, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès (Toulouse 2) covers humanities, social sciences and languages, and Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier covers science, technology and health.

Toulouse's reputation rests heavily on aerospace and engineering. INSA Toulouse trains engineers over a five-year integrated program, ISAE-SUPAERO specializes in aeronautics and space engineering, ENAC trains civil aviation professionals, and Toulouse INP groups several engineering institutes under one umbrella. Airbus, ATR and Thales Alenia Space all have a major presence in the city, which shapes internship and graduate job opportunities for engineering students.

Degrees follow the standard French system built on the Bologna model: a three-year licence worth 180 ECTS, a two-year master worth a further 120 ECTS, then a doctorate. Credits transfer across European countries under this shared framework.

How to apply

If you already live in France or hold an equivalent qualification, apply for a licence through Parcoursup, which centralizes applications to French public universities. If you live outside France, apply through Campus France and its Etudes en France procedure, a step most countries require before a student visa is issued.

Engineering grandes écoles including INSA Toulouse and ISAE-SUPAERO run separate, competitive admissions, often built around an entrance exam, preparatory class results or a file review plus interview. Check each school's own application calendar, since deadlines rarely line up with Parcoursup.

Every student enrolling in French higher education pays the CVEC, a mandatory annual contribution that funds student health, sport and cultural services. The fee is 105 euros for the 2026-2027 academic year , paid online before you finish university enrollment.

The academic calendar

The French academic year starts with a rentrée in early September and splits into two semesters, the first running to January and the second from January to May or June, each closing with a formal exam period. Expect a break around Christmas and a shorter one around Easter, with most programs scheduling internships or exchange placements between semesters or over the summer.

Engineering grandes écoles such as INSA Toulouse and ISAE-SUPAERO often run a tighter schedule with more contact hours and continuous assessment than the public universities, so check your specific program's calendar once you accept an offer rather than assuming it matches the general university rhythm.

Housing in Toulouse

CROUS Toulouse-Occitanie manages subsidized student residences across the city. Applications run through a Dossier Social Étudiant on the national student services portal, then your residence preferences go through trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr .

The 2026 housing campaign for Toulouse ran the main allocation phase from May 5 to July 5 , across three assignment rounds that prioritize scholarship holders, followed by a complementary phase from July 7 to October 30 covering remaining units. International students become eligible for the complementary phase from July 13, so plan your housing search around that date if you apply from outside France. Rent is charged all-inclusive of charges and qualifies for CAF housing aid (APL).

CROUS also offers 292 couple-designated units across 10 residences, sized 30 to 45 square meters with a queen bed, for students who move with a partner. If you do not secure a CROUS room, private studios and shared flats cluster around the Paul Sabatier science campus, the Rangueil engineering district and the city center near Capitole square.

Choosing where to live

Rangueil, home to Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier and INSA Toulouse, carries the highest density of student housing and a lively, budget-friendly atmosphere built around the science and engineering campuses. The Mirail-Université area, around Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, offers a similar setup for humanities and social science students, with generally lower rent than the city center.

The historic center near Capitole square puts you closer to nightlife, shops and Toulouse Capitole's law and economics campus, at a higher price than the outer districts. Compans-Caffarelli, a newer development close to the center, gives a quieter, more residential alternative still within easy metro reach of the main campuses.

Getting around Toulouse

Tisséo, the local transport operator, runs two metro lines, a tram line and an extensive bus network that connects the main campuses at Rangueil, Le Mirail and the city center. Students qualify for a discounted transport pass, and the driverless metro system makes cross-city trips fast outside peak hours.

The city center is compact and flat, so many students cycle or walk for daily trips and rely on Tisséo mainly for longer journeys to campus or the airport.

Arrival admin to plan for

Non-EU students need a long-stay student visa before arrival, then validate it online with the French immigration office after landing, which also grants a residence permit for the length of the course. Register with the French national health system (Assurance Maladie) and your university's student health service soon after arrival to avoid paying full price for medical visits.

Open a French bank account early to simplify rent payments, CAF transfers and phone contracts. Bring your lease and admission letter to the appointment, since banks ask for proof of address and enrollment.

Scholarships and funding

International master's and PhD candidates often apply to the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme, run by the French government through Campus France, which funds selected students at French institutions including those in Toulouse. EU exchange students on a partner program access Erasmus+ funding through their home university, while ISAE-SUPAERO, INSA Toulouse and Toulouse INP each run their own merit-based scholarships tied to specific programs.

Check current eligibility criteria and deadlines directly on Campus France and on each school's own funding page, since terms differ by program and nationality. Apply for external scholarships before your university application deadline, since most funding decisions come in ahead of final enrollment.

Working while you study

EU/EEA students in Toulouse work under the same rules as French citizens, with no special permit needed. Non-EU students holding a student residence permit work part time during their studies, capped at a share of full-time hours set by French immigration rules, so confirm the current limit with your university's international office or the local prefecture.

Toulouse's aerospace industry creates a steady stream of internship and part-time technical roles for engineering students, alongside the usual tutoring, retail and hospitality jobs. University career centers and the schools' own alumni networks are a practical starting point for finding employers used to student schedules.

Student life in Toulouse

Toulouse earned the nickname 'la ville rose', the pink city, for the terracotta brick that covers its historic center along the Garonne river. Capitole square and the surrounding old town host markets, cafes and student bars, while the Cité de l'Espace museum reflects the city's aerospace identity.

Student associations at each university and school organize welcome weeks, sports clubs and cultural events, a practical way to build a social circle early in the semester. Toulouse's size keeps living costs lower than Paris while still offering a full range of student amenities, cinemas and live music venues.