INSA Toulouse

INSA Toulouse (Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse) is a public, multidisciplinary and international engineering school founded in 1963 and located on a 20-hectare campus at 135 avenue de Rangueil, Toulouse. It has more than 3,300 students and more than 700 staff,. It is a founding member of the University of Toulouse, which brings together 15 higher education institutions and 7 research institutes, and belongs to the INSA Group, the first network of public engineering schools in France, made up of 7 INSAs that train nearly 22,000 engineers, architects and landscape architects each year. On behalf of the INSA Group it is a member of the ECIU University alliance of 12 European universities.

The INSA model rests on a humanist philosophy of education conceived by Gaston Berger, co-founder of INSA, built on two pillars: fighting social reproduction and upholding humanist values. The school also pursues environmental change, working with the think tank The Shift Project on a CSR policy centred on socio-ecological and energy-climate issues, and digital change, including artificial intelligence, open data and ethics.

Teaching and research are organised around eight specialised departments and eight research laboratories. The five-year engineering curriculum, equivalent to a Master's-level degree, begins with a core-science first year, continues with four pre-specialisations in Years 2 and 3 (Construction Engineering, Materials, Components and Systems Engineering, Modelling, Computer Science and Communication, and Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering) and ends with eight specialisations in Years 4 and 5: Automatic Control and Electronics, Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Computer Science and Networks, and Applied Mathematics. All specialisations can also be followed through a work-study contract. An Active Education in Science (FAS) track is adapted to holders of the STI2D baccalaureate, and specific sections allow artistic, sporting or cultural projects alongside studies. INSA also awards Master's degrees, five Advanced Masters and doctorates.

The campus lies in the Rangueil scientific complex, a 15-minute metro ride from central Toulouse. It offers 1,662 accommodation places in CROUS and Promologis residences, a catering service, sports facilities, the Bib'INSA library, a Psycho-Social Health Centre and about 80 student associations including the Amicale des Élèves.

International students can enter through international programmes in Year 1 (ASINSA for Asia, IBERINSA for Spain, NORGINSA for Norway and a pathway for English-speaking countries), through the n+i network of almost 50 French engineering schools for Master's study, or with a foreign baccalaureate equivalent. INSA Toulouse has more than 200 partner universities in more than 50 countries and a 30-strong international team.