1. Go Abroad
  2. College Study Abroad
  3. Study Abroad Programs
  4. Semester in Toulouse
toulouse pont neuf
Toulouse, France

Semester in Toulouse

New for Fall 2025!

Study Program

Tentative Dates

-

16 weeks

Costs

$19,950 See Full Breakdown

Credit

12 - 18 semester hours

18 - 27 quarter hours

Application Deadline

Apply Now

Request Information

Overview

Spend your semester enjoying the Romanesque architecture and divine gastronomy of Toulouse, the fourth-largest city in France! Toulouse features all the cultural, economic, and social resources of a large city while maintaining the feel of a small town, making it an easy-to-navigate study abroad location for students who do not feel comfortable in large capitals.  

Designed for students from all academic backgrounds, the Semester in Toulouse program will immerse you in French culture and invite you to participate actively in the local community. Enjoy the flexibility and diversity of exciting courses that allow you to move forward in your degree progression while also participating in courses with a local flavor, like language, political science, art history, cuisine, and sustainability initiatives, among others. This program offers a full range of courses in English at CIEE Toulouse as well as French and English-taught courses at Toulouse Business School (TBS) and Sciences Po Toulouse.

Round out your international adventure with optional immersion options, like an embedded for-credit internship (in French or in English) to gain real-world, hands-on work experience in a local organization. You’ll also have every opportunity to participate in CIEE-organized co-curricular and extracurricular activities and a series of off-the-beaten path trips to French attractions.  

Unique Experiences

Discover the secrets of wine-making

and explore the subtle art of paring food and with through a wine-tasting experiences led by experts

Practices "Pétanque"

the most popular sports activity in Southern France

Visit Toulouse's 11th-century brick and stone basilica

One of the largest Romanesque buildings in the western world on the road to Santiago de Compostela

#1

MOST POLITE CITY IN FRANCE

3

UNESCO HERITAGE SITES ARE LOCATED IN TOULOUSE: “CANAL DU MIDI” THAT CONNECTS THE MEDITERRANEAN SEAS AND ATLANTIC OCEAN, THE BASILICA OF SAINT SERNIN, AND FORMER HOSPITAL “HOTEL DIEU ST JACQUES”

#2

LARGEST STUDENT POPULATION IN FRANCE WITH ABOUT 100,000 STUDENTS PER YEAR

Experience
  • toulouse street with fountain

Your Destination

In the South of France between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, Toulouse is consistently rated as one of the best places to live and study in France. Toulouse is well known as the city of art, history, and culture. The Garonne River banks, quaint neighborhoods, and wonderful café-lined squares offer students great opportunities to immerse in France’s laid-back rhythm of life.  

CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Toulouse. 

The Culture

toulouse students petanque balls

Excursions & Activities

Past activities included: 

  • An introduction to “Pétanque” (local bocce ball game) 
  • Canoeing on the Garonne River 
  • Cheese and wine tastings 
  • Visits to museums and art galleries 
  • Day trips to Carcassonne, Albi, Montauban, Tarn et Garonne, Saint Bertrand de Comminges 
toulouse two girls in lab ppe gear

Projects

A for-credit internship (in English or in French) allows students the opportunity to have practical work experience in a company or non-profit organization within a variety of sectors. In addition to the on-site business experience, students participating in an internship program have a bi-monthly classroom component, which provides academic support to their practical experience.

Directed Independent Research (in English or in French) is for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity towards a particular research topic. Independent research topics will be approved by the CIEE Toulouse Academic Director and home institution. To enroll, students must submit a research proposal including a clearly defined research topic, explanation of research plans, description of preparation in the planned area of study, list of resources, tentative outline of a final paper, and suggested schedule of progress. Each student completes a total of 100-120 hours of research and meets regularly with an advisor to complete an academically rigorous, ethically sound, and culturally appropriate research project and final research paper. 

Program Blogs

french slang words study abroad
From CIEE

Top 20 French Slang Words and Phrases You Must Know

By College Study Abroad at CIEE

France, a country renowned for its rich culture, beautiful language, and vibrant history, is also home to a dynamic and ever-evolving lexicon of slang. From the bustling streets of Paris... keep reading

Photo for blog post
From CIEE

The Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad in France

By College Study Abroad at CIEE

Beauty. Glamour. Taste. France has it all, making it a timeless destination for the millions of visitors who travel from all around the world to explore this incredible country each... keep reading

Bibliothèque du Périgord in Toulouse.
From CIEE

Best places to study in Toulouse

By CIEE Toulouse at CIEE

You just arrived in Toulouse and you’re wondering what are some places where you could study in peace? Don’t worry this blog article is made for you! Here are three... keep reading

Housing

Housing & Meals

Housing

CIEE Toulouse offers a variety of housing options to ensure you are comfortable in your home away from home. From homestays to residence halls, all housing has direct access to plenty of shopping, supermarkets, restaurants, and public transportation.   

  • Standard Housing: Includes an individual room in the home of a French family, with or without another CIEE student. Students share meals (breakfast and dinner on weekdays; all meals on weekends) and common spaces with their hosts. Homestays are located within 45 minutes’ commute from CIEE Toulouse.   
  • Select Housing: Includes a single room with a private bathroom and shared kitchen in a residence hall. Residence halls are located under 30 minutes from CIEE Toulouse. Select housing requires an additional fee.   

Please note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive. 

Meals

  • Homestay: All meals are offered at the homestay on the weekend, and students typically eat breakfast and dinner with their hosts on weekdays. Lunch can be purchased at local cafés, restaurants, and markets throughout the city.  
  • Residence Hall: Meals are not included. 
toulouse housing homestay mealtime

Standard Housing

Mealtime at homestay

toulouse housing residence hall exterior

Select Housing

Residence hall

toulouse housing residence hall bedroom window

Select Housing

Single room

toulouse housing residence hall desk area

Select Housing

Single room

toulouse meals rice and bacon dish

Meals

Local cuisine

Academics

Academics

The Semester In program in Toulouse invites students to immerse themselves in the language, culture, and history of France.

CIEE Toulouse allows CIEE students to take business or culture-oriented courses.

Toulouse Business School (TBS) allows CIEE students to take Year 3 undergraduate courses in English. The student population is around 5,600 students. TBS is a private school that holds triple AACSB, AMBA & EQUIS prestigious accreditations.  

Sciences Po Toulouse allows CIEE students to take courses in their Diploma in International Comparative Studies in French or in English. A selection of the Science Po degree courses taught in French are also open to international students. The current student population is around 1,700 students. Sciences Po Toulouse is part of a renowned and selective network of seven Political Science research universities in France. 

GPA

2.5

Additional Requirements

Please refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.   

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors. Your study abroad advisor and CIEE staff can help you understand your course options if you don't see a recommendation that fits your course needs.

Requirements

All Semester in Toulouse students take courses for a total of 12-18 semester credits. Students enroll in 4-8 courses per semester. Students can choose to take courses only with CIEE, or a combination of CIEE courses and courses at one of the following institutions.  

  • Host Institution courses taught in English at either one of the following Toulouse universities:  
    • Toulouse Business School (TBS) – 0 to 2 courses  
    • Sciences-Po University Toulouse – 0 to 6 courses  
  • Students cannot combine host institutions to avoid scheduling conflicts.   
  • Students will select a host institution at application and final selection will happen once on-site when the host institutions provide their schedules.  
  • Note that in the spring semesters, TBS includes 2-week intensive modules. CIEE selected two periods of 2-week courses throughout the semester during which no CIEE courses are taught, which impacts all students enrolled in CEE courses whether they take TBS courses or not.   
  • Students wanting to take courses in French will need at least 4-semesters of college-level or equivalent to European standard level of B2 language proficiency. Sciences Po requires written confirmation that student has a B2 level in French. This can come from students’ universities or from CIEE Toulouse French instructor after testing them. This will take place during on-site course registration.   

Program Credit

Total credit: 12-18 (15 recommended) U.S. semester credits/18-27 quarter credits. 

Credit for the academic year is 24-36 U.S semester/36-54 quarter credits. 

Course Credit

  • CIEE Courses: 3-4 U.S. semester/4.5-6 quarter credits; 45-60 contact hours  
  • CIEE Internship: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 15 seminar hours, 100-120 internship placement hours
  • CIEE Directed Independent Research: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 15 contact hours, 100-120 research hours
  • TBS courses: Typically 2-2.5 U.S. semester credits  
  • Sciences Po courses: 3 U.S. semester credits  

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors. Your study abroad advisor and CIEE staff can help you understand your course options if you don't see a recommendation that fits your course needs.

Academic Culture

Each course is a full semester in content, so the pace is accelerated, and the workload is demanding. CIEE courses are designed to follow U.S. academic culture and standards. The class environment typically features a combination of traditional lecture and discussion with co-curricular excursions and activities. Heavy emphasis is placed on student participation. Host Institution classes tend to be more lecture-based and students are expected to work much more independently than in the U.S., thus more time may be required for studying than students are accustomed to at their home campuses. Similar to classes at U.S. institutions, students should expect to spend an average of two hours of preparation and study for each hour in CIEE classes. To avoid falling behind, students should not plan personal travel out of Toulouse when classes are in session and plan trips for the long weekends 

CIEE courses are mostly scheduled Monday through Thursday. All classes meet twice a week and last between 90 and 120 minutes to take into account the total number of semester weeks, vacation and holidays. Courses combine lectures with local field trips and excursions to help students gain a better understanding of the local culture when relevant to course theme. Class attendance is mandatory, and absences affect final grades. Active participation in class as well as outside of class is essential for a satisfactory academic performance and attendance is strictly enforced.  

Host institution classes take place Monday through Friday.   

Class Format

Students should expect to have daily homework assignments and continuous assessment both at CIEE and at host institutions. CIEE course workload though is similar across courses while it may vary a lot depending on faculties at host institutions.  Host Institution professors expect students to complete requested homework/readings/assignments but will not necessarily remind students nor will they systematically check that the student completed course work.   

Grading

CIEE reports all final course grades to students’ home institutions using a U.S. letter grade equivalent scale of A-F. For CIEE-administered courses, students’ grades are based on attendance, class participation, homework, project work, presentations, and midterm and final examinations. Learning outcomes assessment is continuous through personal reflections, evaluation feedback, self-assessment, and requirements as set out in course syllabi. Host Institution professors use a French grading scale of 0–20, with 10 considered a minimal passing grade. CIEE converts all final grades into recommended U.S. letter grade equivalents. Assessment is based on essays, written tests, oral presentations, out-of-class projects, class participation, and final exams.

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors. Your study abroad advisor and CIEE staff can help you understand your course options if you don't see a recommendation that fits your course needs.

Language of Instruction

English and/or French 

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors. Your study abroad advisor and CIEE staff can help you understand your course options if you don't see a recommendation that fits your course needs.

Courses

Course Information

Course Information

Students wanting to take courses in French will need at least 4-semesters of college-level or equivalent to European standard level of B2 language proficiency. Sciences Po requires written confirmation that student has a B2 level in French. This can come from students’ universities or from CIEE Toulouse French instructor after testing them. This will take place during on-site course registration.  

TOULOUSE BUSINESS SCHOOL  

Sample course list:  

  • Business Ethics  
  • Marketing  
  • Sustainable Finance  
  • Managing in Europe  
  • Negotiating in a Global Environment  
  • Understanding French Business Culture  

Link to website: Incoming Exchange Students | TBS Education

SCIENCES-PO TOULOUSE

Sciences Po excels in the field of international relations and comparative political sciences. Sample course list:

  • The Political Regime of France (English)  
  • Education and Democracy (English)  
  • Stories that stick: Personal, Political and Cultural Narratives (English)  
  • Media and Society (English)  
  • The Psychology of Contemporary Issues (English)  
  • International Migrations (English)  
  • European Institutions (French)
  • Environment and International Relations (French)
  • Intercultural Management (French)  
  • European Economic Integration: Theory and History (French)  
  • Professions in International Solidarity (French)
  • Migrations and post-colonial theories (French)

Full list of English Track courses 

Full list of French Track courses

Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.

Internships

Discover Internship Opportunities

We're excited you're considering this program! Next, explore the types of internships you can choose from for an epic internship abroad with CIEE Study Abroad.

Explore Industry Options

Toulouse features a vibrant work scene with a special focus on its aerospace, engineering, science, technology, and research sectors. The city is home to numerous coworking spaces, incubators, tech startups, and education and research institutions, fostering a community of innovation and collaboration. 

A female intern sits in front of a studio A/V board while recording

Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications

Immerse yourself in today's cutting-edge global media by working in film studios, media companies, the theater, and more.

Business Management and Administration Internships

Business Management and Administration

Study international business practices, multicultural leadership, and global market dynamics in Scotland, China, and more.

A intern teacher works with her students in the classroom

Education and Training

Experience international teaching methodologies and curriculum development in classrooms around Jordan, Spain, and more.

student interns standing in Spanish Parliament

Government and Public Administration

Gain insight into global policy-making, diplomatic relations, and governance practices in agencies, nonprofits, and firms.

Marketing interns pose at a Loki premiere event

Marketing, Sales and Service

Explore global market dynamics, cross-cultural consumer engagement, and sales techniques in firms, agencies, and companies.

Browse Internship Opportunities

Explore internship placements available through this program to find the right fit for your academic and professional goals.

Find Internship Options

Disclaimer: Internship placements are subject to availability and host employer hiring discretion. Application and payment of CIEE fees does not guarantee specific placement. This internship listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party.

Scholarships

Scholarships & Grants

CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.

Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:

  • Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
  • CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
  • MSI Grant
  • Trailblazer Grant

To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.

Learn more about scholarships

Dates & Fees

Dates & Fees

You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Fees & Housing
Program Fall 2025 16 weeks Start Date * End Date * Fees & Housing $19,950

*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.

To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.

Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300*

Educational Costs = $14,456**

Housing = $5,000***

Insurance = $194

Total Fees = $19,950

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

International Airfare = $900†

Books & Supplies = $100

Visa Fees = $300††

Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500

Total Costs = $1,800

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

See Scholarships

*non-refundable fee

**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.

†round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

††average cost, including Campus France regular service costs and onsite OFII fees

What's Included

Tuition

Housing

Pre-departure Advising

Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions

Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet

Orientation

Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city

On-site Staff

Full-time program leadership and support in your city

Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities

Excursions and/or Study Tours

Travel Protection

CIEE iNext travel protection

24/7 emergency on-site support

Staff

Our Staff

Isabelle Jaffe

Isabelle Jaffe

Center Director

A resident of Toulouse with American and French citizenship, Isabelle received her Licence (BA) in English and philosophy and her master's degree in literature from the University of Paris–La Sorbonne...

Carolina Molina

Program Coordinator

Carolina holds a master’s degree in social sciences and food science. She was a professor of nutrition for seven years.

Christine Hlimi

Housing Coordinator

Christine joined CIEE in 2019 and holds a master’s degree in social and work psychology. She worked as a Teacher of French as a foreign language to migrants for three...

Get Started Steps

Get Started

Here’s what you need to do to take the next steps:

1

Start an Application

You're one step closer to an amazing internship abroad experience!

Apply Now

2

Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office

Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. 

3

Contact CIEE

We're here to help! Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.

Contact Us

4

Interested in an optional internship?

After being accepted to this program and submitting the required internship documents, work with CIEE staff on your internship goals and select which positions to interview for. CIEE will reach out to companies that would be a good fit for you, your interests, and your qualifications. Finalize your internship placement upon arrival!

You might also like

Paris
  • Paris, France

Liberal Arts

  • Study Program

Put your French skills to work in the glimmering City of Light!

Features
  • Host Institution
  • Language Immersion
Paris
  • Paris, France

Summer Global Internship

  • Study Program
  • Full-Time Internship

Build new skills and intercultural competencies with an internship and become an active member of the Paris professional community.

Features
  • Big City
See All Programs
Request Info