Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier: Fees & Ranking

The short answer

Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University is a public university in Toulouse with about 37,000 registered students, around 4,000 of them foreign students.^[1] Its website now calls it Université de Toulouse (“the University of Toulouse, formerly Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier”), and since 1 January 2025 it has been an experimental public institution.^[2] It is ranked 565th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 587th in 2026.^[3]

The standard national tuition for 2026/27 is €178 for a bachelor’s and €255 for a master’s; the national rate for non-EU students would be €2,902 and €3,950.^[4] According to a university board document of 12 February 2026, the university partially exempts all non-EU students who would pay the higher rate, so that they pay the same as French and EU students. Confirm this with the university because a national decree changed the waiver rules in May 2026.^[5]^[4]

Key facts

Current name	Université de Toulouse (formerly Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier, “UT3”)^[2]
Location	Toulouse, France (118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9)^[2]
Status	Public university; an experimental public institution since 1 January 2025^[2]
Founded	1969, on the foundations of the old University of Toulouse (first founded 1229)^[6]
Students	About 37,000 registered, of which 4,000 foreign students (the homepage shows 37,700)^[1]
Research	74 research laboratories and federative research structures^[2]
Sites	Nine sites^[2]
Training entities	Faculty of Science and Engineering; Faculty of Sport and Human Movement Sciences; Faculty of Health; University Institute of Technology (IUT)^[7]
Master’s taught in English, 2026/27	5 listed (NanoX, MITAT, TULIP-GSR, BSM2T, SWEP)^[7]
QS World University Rankings 2027	565th (2026: 587th)^[3]
Main language of teaching	French (no minimum level stated on the university’s pages)^[8]
Tuition 2026/27, standard rate	€178 bachelor’s · €255 master’s^[4]
Tuition 2026/27, non-EU students	National rate €2,902 bachelor’s · €3,950 master’s; the university partially exempts all non-EU students concerned (policy of 12 Feb 2026)^[5]
Official website	utoulouse.fr

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University

The university was established in 1969 on the foundations of the old University of Toulouse, which dates back to 1229.^[6] It is named after Paul Sabatier, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist born in Carcassonne in 1854.^[2]

Since 1 January 2025 the institution has operated as an experimental public institution, and its website describes it as “the University of Toulouse, formerly Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier”.^[2] It runs nine sites and has 74 research laboratories and federative research structures.^[2] Teaching is organised in four entities: the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Faculty of Sport and Human Movement Sciences, the Faculty of Health and the University Institute of Technology (IUT).^[7]

Names and look-alikes: Rankings and older documents still say “Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier” or “Université Paul Sabatier”; the university now calls itself Université de Toulouse. Wikipedia adds that the name “Université de Toulouse” was used earlier for the grouping of Toulouse institutions and that its sections give different dates for this, so check which body a document refers to.^[6] Toulouse also has separate institutions such as Université Toulouse Capitole and Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès, each with its own admissions and fee policy.^[6]

How is Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the university (listed as “Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III”) is 565th in the world. It was 587th in 2026 and 580th in 2025.^[3]

The university’s own ranking page cites other rankings in its own words: a place among the 301–400 band of the 2025 Shanghai (ARWU) ranking, and 329th out of 1,594 universities in the 2025 Leiden bibliometric ranking, which it describes as 8th among the 34 French institutions included.^[9] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier?

The course offer is divided into four entities:^[7]

Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSI)
Faculty of Sport and Human Movement Sciences (F2SMH)
Faculty of Health
University Institute of Technology (IUT)

Degrees follow the European structure of bachelor’s degree, professional licence, master’s degree and doctorate.^[7] Most courses are taught in French.^[8]

For 2026/27 the university lists five master’s degrees taught in English: Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NanoX), International Management of Air Transport and Tourism (MITAT), Functional biology and ecology (TULIP-GSR), Biomolecular sciences: mechanisms and therapeutic targets (BSM2T) and Sustainable water and ecosystem protection (SWEP).^[7] The page does not state an English requirement, so check the programme page.

How much does Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier cost in 2026/27?

Level	Standard rate per year	National rate for non-EU students per year
Bachelor’s (licence)	€178	€2,902
Master’s	€255	€3,950

These are the national rates for 2026/27 listed by Campus France (page updated 25 June 2026). Doctoral students are not subject to the higher rate.^[4]

What non-EU students pay here

The university’s exemption document for 2026/27 (a board document dated 12 February 2026) says that since the national “Bienvenue en France” strategy the university has chosen to partially exempt all non-EU students who are subject to the higher fees, until the end of the cycle of the degree they are preparing. The exemption brings the amount down to the one paid by French and EU students, and the registration application counts as the exemption request.^[5]

This document is older than Decree No. 2026-385 of 19 May 2026, which, according to Campus France, changed the rules for fee waivers; students who already held a waiver before the decree keep the previous rules until the end of their current cycle at the same institution.^[4] We found no updated notice from the university after the decree, so ask the registration office (scolarite.inscriptions@utoulouse.fr) which rate applies to you before you pay.^[10]

Other waivers and CVEC

The same document lists further exemptions: students with state scholarships, wards of the Nation and international scholarship holders, and, on application, exemptions on social criteria.^[5] Everyone registering must also pay the Student and Campus Life Contribution (CVEC); the registration page links to the official CVEC site and gives no amount.^[10] Tuition is only part of the bill: for rent and living costs, see our France guide and the Study in France guide.

How do you apply to Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier?

The university’s applications page gives separate procedures by level:^[11]

Bachelor’s, first year: its own procedure for applying or changing course.
Bachelor’s, second or third year, and master’s, first or second year: the “licence or master application” procedure.
Professional licence: a separate procedure. BUT: applications go through the IUT (Toulouse – Auch – Castres).
Doctorate or HDR: a separate page.

The registration page shows which platforms lead to enrolment: students admitted through Parcoursup or eCandidat register online, and students admitted through Études en France (not first year) or with a prior admission application (DAP) complete a 2026/27 registration file.^[10] The applications page itself does not say which route applies to international students, so check your country on Campus France and contact scolarite.inscriptions@utoulouse.fr.^[11]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. The university publishes a separate application calendar for 2026/27.^[11]

Which language level do you need?

The university’s pages do not state a minimum French level or test score. They say that most courses are taught in French, that good knowledge of written and oral French is essential before you start, and that you are strongly advised to assess your level several months before departure. TCF, DELF, DALF and TEF are named only as certificates you can prepare for with outside organisations.^[8] Individual programmes may set their own requirements, so ask the programme before you book a test.

The university offers French courses for beginners (level A0) and, for exchange and Erasmus students, classes placed by a level test.^[8] For the five English-taught master’s degrees the university’s list does not state an English requirement.^[7]

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier the same as the University of Toulouse?

Since 1 January 2025 the university calls itself Université de Toulouse and describes itself as “formerly Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier”.^[2] Wikipedia notes that the name was also used earlier for the grouping of Toulouse institutions, so check which institution a document means.^[6]

Do non-EU students pay higher fees at Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier?

The national rate for non-EU students is €2,902 (bachelor’s) and €3,950 (master’s) for 2026/27.^[4] The university’s 12 February 2026 document says it partially exempts all non-EU students who would pay it, so they pay the standard €178 or €255. A national decree of 19 May 2026 changed the waiver rules, so confirm with the university.^[5]^[4]

Do I need to speak French to study there?

Usually yes. Most courses are taught in French, but the university’s pages state no minimum level.^[8] Five master’s degrees are listed as taught in English for 2026/27.^[7]

How is Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier ranked?

It is 565th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 587th in 2026.^[3]

How do I apply as an international student?

Use the procedure for your level on the university’s applications page; students admitted through Études en France or a DAP complete a registration file, and others register online after admission through Parcoursup or eCandidat.^[11]^[10]