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Settle in Toulouse

WELCOME TO SCIENCES PO TOULOUSE!


This page brings together the practical information you will need to prepare for your arrival and successfully begin your journey as an international student with us.

For the second year running, Toulouse has been ranked France's best student city by the magazine L'Étudiant; a dynamic and welcoming environment that will accompany you throughout your studies.

Here you will find guidance on settling in (cost of life, visa, accommodation, transport, the Welcome Desk, Toul'Box), campus life and student associations.

We encourage you to explore each section carefully to ensure a smooth and well-prepared arrival.

WELCOME DESK

The Welcome Desk of the Communauté d'universités et établissements de Toulouse  (COMUE) is a dedicated space for student life, open all year round, including during the summer.

Housing, health, administrative procedures, residence permits, culture, student initiatives… Whatever your needs, our team is here to welcome and guide you throughout the year, directing you to the services best suited to your situation.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 5pm (until 6pm in September)

Contact : welcomedesk@univ-toulouse.fr

 
On-site support services
Several organizations hold regular sessions at the Welcome desk to help students with their administrative procedures.
  • Préfecture de la Haute-Garonne (residence permits and immigration procedures)
  • Rectorat de l'académie de Toulouse, including the Centre d'information et d'orientation du supérieur (CIO du Sup) (academic guidance and orientation)
  • Caisse d'allocations familiales (CAF) de la Haute-Garonne (housing benefits and family allowances)
  • Toulouse-Occitanie CROUS (student housing and financial aid)
  • CPAM de Haute-Garonne (health insurance and socuial security registration)
   
 
Toul'box
The Toul'Box is a paid service offered by the COMUE de Toulouse for international students. It helps make your move to Toulouse and the surrounding region easier, as well as your integration into local and academic life. It offers a range of service packages tailored to your situation, from opening a bank account and having your accommodation search handled on your behalf, to being picked up at the train station or airport, among other services.

Discover the Toul'Box

SETTLING IN TOULOUSE

Toulouse is a major student city that remains relatively affordable. On average, you can expect to spend around 20% less than in Paris for a comparable standard of living, with a typical student budget ranging between 750€ and 1,000€ per month (covering accommodation, food, transport and health insurance). This means you can fully enjoy your stay without the cost of living getting in the way of settling in.

Cost of life

Compared to other major European capitals, Toulouse offers a pleasant and affordable living environment. The monthly budget for an international student is estimated at around 1,200€, covering all expenses, depending on lifestyle and type of accommodation. Housing represents the main expense: expect to pay between 350€ and 500€ per month for a room in student accommodation or a shared flat. Public transport is efficient and affordable thanks to the Tisséo network (metro, tram, bus), with student passes starting from 16.70€ per month. For everything else (food, leisure and daily expenses), budget an additional 300€ to 400€ per month. Please note that certain financial aids, such as the APL (housing benefit provided by the CAF) or the Visale guarantee, are also available to international students (subject to conditions) and can significantly reduce housing costs.
 

Expense category Monthly estimated budget
Housing (student residences, shared flats, ect.) ≈ 500 €
Transport (Tisséo subscription) ≈ 17 €
Food 200 - 250 €
Leisure and daily expenses 100 - 150 €
Estimated total ≈ 800 - 1 200 €

*Data from the Social Hub (https://www.thesocialhub.co/fr/blog/cout-de-la-vie-a-toulouse/)
Visa

Students from an EU/EEA country do not require a residence permit. However, they are encouraged to apply for a European Health insurance card from their home country before arrival.

All other nationals must apply for a long-stay student visa (VLS-TS), which allows you to:
  • Travel freely within the Schengen Area
  • Work up to 964 hours per year (approximately 20 hours per week)
  • Access the Visale scheme (free housing guarantor service)
  • Renew your stay beyond the period covered by the initial visa
 

Once in France, your visa must be validated online. This step is mandatory !

Depending on your home country, your application must be made through Campus France (rather than directly on France Visas). You can check on their website whether your country is among the 73 concerned by the "Études en France" procedure.

If you have any questions or encounter any issues, we encourage you to reach out to the Welcome Desk or the consulate, as they are best placed to answer your question and provide further clarification.

 

Useful links:

Housing

We advise you to start your accommodation search as early as possible, as demand rises sharply in August, September and October, during the start of the academic year.

Before beginning your search, it is important to define your budget clearly. Housing is typically one of your largest monthly expenses, accounting for around 60% of your overall budget.

 

Price Type of accommodation
450€/month (average) Studio/1-bedroom flat in the city centre
approximately 400€/month per person Shared flat
Prices vary by type and size Student residences
+800€ The Social Hub

*Data from the Welcome desk (https://welcomedesk.univ-toulouse.fr)
 

As part of its partnership with The Social Hub, Sciences Po Toulouse provides students with a promotional code offering a discount on standard room rates.

 

Finding a guarantor (housing)

During your accommodation search, you will need to submit a rental file to landlords. This file brings together several official documents, such as proof of identity and rent receipts. Most landlords require a guarantor. If you do not have one residing in France, several solutions are available: Visale (free, for students aged 18 to 30) and paid private schemes such as GarantMe or etc.
 

Reminder: Visale (the free rental guarantor scheme) should not be confused with your student visa. These are two entirely separate procedures. One relates to your accommodation application, the other to your legal stay in France.

Useful links:

 
CROUS housing

Reminder: If you are an international student, your CROUS housing application should not be submitted through the "Mes services étudiants" platform. Applying for CROUS housing through our office is done via the application form which will be sent by email.
Please note that this applies to both the main and the complementary allocation phases. All CROUS applications, at every stage, must go through our office.

Given the limited number of places available in CROUS student residences, we are unfortunately unable to guarantee accommodation to all students. Free movers (students applying independently) are not eligible to apply for CROUS residence accommodation.

Allocation results will be communicated during the first half of July or November, depending on your semester of arrival.
 
Housing emergency (temporary housing)

If you arrive in Toulouse before your permanent housing is confirmed, or if you find yourself without accommodation for a short period, we recommend booking temporary lodging through platforms such as Booking.com or Airbnb. These platforms offer flexible short-term options, from budget hotels and hostels to furnished rooms and apartments, allowing you to secure a place to stay while you finalize your housing search or wait for your permanent accommodation to become available. We advise booking a few nights in advance of your arrival to avoid any last-minute stress, and to use this time to visit potential long-term housing options in person.

Transport

Toulouse has a comprehensive and affordable public transport network, well suited to student life. The Tisséo network (metro, tram and bus) serves the entire metropolitan area, including all campuses. As an international student, you can benefit from preferential rates through the Pastel card, available from Tisséo agencies or online (10€ production fee), which brings together all your transport passes on a single card

Tip: Students who are willing to wait can save money by loading their transport pass directly onto their student card instead of getting a separate Pastel card.

Cycling is also widespread in Toulouse: the city has an extensive network of cycle paths, a bike-sharing service (vélôToulouse), and long-term rental options through the Maison du vélo (from 16€/month). For occasional car journeys, the Citiz car-sharing service is available 24/7 without the need to own a vehicle.

Finally, for exploring the wider region, attractive rates are available on the liO train network in Occitanie, including the LibertiO' Jeunes offer (-50% for those under 26) and the combined PASTEL+ pass (liO trains + Tisséo, 75€/month) for those who wish to travel regularly outside Toulouse.

In addition, the SNCF Carte Avantage Jeune can also prove to be a worthwhile investment for students under 28. At 49€ per year, it offers -30% on TGV INOUI and Intercités tickets throughout France, all year round and in all classes. In Occitanie, the card also offers -25% on TER trains during off-peak periods, which is particularly useful for exploring the region. The card pays for itself from the third journey onwards and also gives access to discounts on trips within Europe. It can be purchased on SNCF Connect.
 

Download the maps of buses, trams and metro
 

Useful links: