Toulouse, France
Qualified St. Lawrence University students have the opportunity to spend the fall semester in Toulouse through the CIEE Language + Culture program. Toulouse is located in the South of France between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and consistently rated as one of the best places to live and study in France. The fourth largest city in France, Toulouse is also home to the European aerospace industry and one of the oldest universities on the continent. The charm of the Old Quarter continues to lure students and scientists with its distinctive rose-tinted architecture and historic backdrop.
Toulouse offers program participants the opportunity to experience life in a dynamic French city with top-rated universities, quaint neighborhoods, and wonderful café-lined squares. The Language + Culture program in Toulouse invites beginner – intermediate French students to immerse themselves in the language, culture, and history of France. Students are expected to invest time in French language study and use their language skills in everyday life with French students, homestay families, and members of the Toulouse community. Although most of the direct enrollment and specialized CIEE courses are taught in English, students are expected to use French as much as possible outside of class. Intermediate students may take classes in English and French at the Institut Catholique de Toulouse (ICT)
- Based in Toulouse
- Fall semester only
- Enrollment caps may be limited to less than 15 per semester based on space limitations
- Pre-requisites: Overall 3.0 GPA; 1 level of college French required ( 4 semesters of college-level French or equivalent to attend ICT)
- Courses taught in English and French
- Live with homestay families
Apply to Study in Toulouse, France
Location Academics Co-Curricular Housing Calendar Orientation Program Contacts
Location
The Toulouse Language + Culture program is based in the Toulouse city center, a city of half a million residents. Toulouse is the capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, bisected by the Garonne River and sits near the Spanish border. It’s known as La Ville Rose (‘The Pink City’) due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many of its buildings. Its 17th-century Canal du Midi links the Garonne to the Mediterranean Sea, and can be traveled by boat, bike, or on foot. Founded by the Romans, the city was the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom in the 5th century and the capital of the province of Languedoc in the Late Middle Ages, making it the unofficial capital of the cultural region of Occitania (Southern France).
Academics
All students take courses at the CIEE Toulouse Study Center located in the historic district of Toulouse, in the middle of the vibrant city center, close to all the main commercial facilities, Institut Catholique de Toulouse, and cultural sites. Courses are taught by faculty from a variety of local universities, while language courses are taught by faculty from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse.
Students with intermediate French language skills may attend the Institut Catholique de Toulouse, an academic center made up of faculties, organizations, and schools enriched by its diversity in social backgrounds and cultures. The university is located in the historic center of Toulouse and hosts more than 3,000 students.
Students must take a minimum of 15 credit hours of classes while on this program. This may amount to 5 or more classes. Course credit from CIEE's Toulouse program transfers back to SLU, provided students have received course approval from the department chair of the particular academic department in question. This process is explained at program orientation.
- Registration is finalized on-site.
- Many courses at the Institut Catholique de Toulouse (ICT) are worth 1-1.5 credits.
- Students can participate in the CIEE Internship course; placements are available both in English and French.
- The Institut Catholique de Toulouse (ICT) offers courses in English, French, and Spanish. For courses taught in French or Spanish, ICT requires successful completion of at least 4 semesters of college-level French and/or Spanish.
Courses and syllabi are available on the CIEE website.
Required courses:
Students are required to take the core language and culture courses at the appropriate level.
Elective courses:
Students may take classes in English or French. Elective courses are listed on the CIEE website.
Co-curricular
Every CIEE semester program has frequent cultural excursions and a multi-day study tour uniquely designed to complement the program’s academics and enhance students’ cultural immersion. In Toulouse, past study tours and excursions have included:
- Overnight study tours exploring Paris, Sète, or Marseille
- Visits to the medieval city of Carcassonne or the city of Albi
- Hikes in the Pyrenees or visits to an organic farm in the Ariège department
- Cheese tastings, music festivals, or professional rugby games
Housing
Students stay with carefully chosen French families in their homes in Toulouse or nearby suburbs. Students are expected to be sensitive to cultural differences and open to understanding and sharing fully in the life of the French family. As a norm, the families host only one student and provide an individual room. Two meals on weekdays and three meals on weekends are included in the study abroad program fee. Students typically eat weekday breakfasts and dinners with your homestay family. Students may purchase lunches at local cafes, restaurants, and markets located throughout the city. Students receive a lunch stipend.
Calendar
See the CIEE website for program dates.
Orientation
Pre-departure: The CIIS office organizes in depth orientation sessions on-campus prior to the students participation in the program. This includes a program specific session(s) in which the students will learn more about the program, local culture, academic expectations, and any other important information. There is also an orientation session led by the CIIS office on culture shock, pre-departure preparations, as well as safety and security while abroad.
On-site: CIIE hosts thorough orientation before departure and at the start of the program in France.
Program Contacts
If you are interested in learning more about the Fall Toulouse France program, please contact:
CIIS Office: Caitlin Hatz, Director of Off-Campus Programs- Questions about eligibility, program logistics, and other off-campus opportunities.
Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Maegan Bos - Questions about academics