Toulouse
Quick Facts
Average Rent : 200€-400€ after CAF
(Private/Student résidence)
Monthly transport pass : 10,20€
Last passage of public transport : Midnight /
3h00 on weekend
Number of Malaysian student : Around 40
Interviewee : Syafiyya Sabrina binti Jasmi
Jin Yu TUNG
Soorya BALASUBRAMIAN
Q : Why did you choose to do your study in this city and how did it differ from your expectations?
Syafiyya : It wasn’t my choice because I am a PF student and I can only choose the course that I want and the city is decided based on the course chosen.
Jin Yu : I choose INSA Toulouse because it was one among a few options who offers prepa integré after my preparation year at Tours. Toulouse is young student city, Asian/foreign students can be spotted easily on the street.
Soorya : Because only IUT Toulouse has an extra subject (Sciences Aéronautiques). You’ll learn about aerodynamics, flight control and you’ll have a deep knowledge of thermodynamics.
Q : What do you like and dislike about this city?
Syafiyya : I like this city because of the city’s unique architecture made of pinkish bricks. Even though Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, it is not as busy as Paris. Also, there are a lot of interesting places to visit.
Jin Yu : Sunny but few good Asian restaurant which is why we are all chefs after 4 years in Toulouse.
Soorya : Toulouse is a big city, lots of shops and restaurants. Even in the centre ville you have like 5 Asian stores. Weather is pretty warm. But if u wanna go skiing or see snow, it’s just a 1 hour drive away. The Malaysian community here is pretty nice. We have gatherings and soirées every week, play games makan-makan. So you won’t really feel lonely. Student life is pretty great as well, a lot of young people are international students here and the campus is nice. Transport is excellent you got metro bus trams. The only bad thing I would say is the centre- ville is 20 mins away from where Malaysian students usually live.
Q : What were the difficulties that you faced here? How did you overcome them?
Syafiyya : So far no particular difficulties I guess.
Jin Yu : Making friends with the French (the kind you can give your whole heart to and not just classmates you say bonjour and au revoir in the class) Solution: Be brave, talk to them regardless your level in French, be open minded. Use malaysian food to buy them 😉
Soorya : Nothing in particular actually, some subjects were hard.
Q : What did you like to do in the city for leisure purposes?
Syafiyya : Strolling around the centre ville.
Jin Yu : Street photography, eat out with friends
Soorya : Jogging by the canal (they look like Amsterdam a little with the old boats).
Q : How did you find the locals in the city?
Syafiyya : All my local friends in university are really nice and friendly.
Jin Yu : The Toulousaints are quite friendly and helpful (*with some south accent).
Soorya : Pretty much the same as any other city but you have more younger people.
Q : Share your favourite memory in this city/your department.
Syafiyya : Spending the whole day wandering around the city and discover new things with my friends.
Jin Yu : – Hotpot, raclette, barbecue, potluck soirée with my fellow malaysian friends. – When you finally managed to debug your code after days of debugging (without the help of your binôme).
Soorya : Everytime we get together to play games and and hangout.
Q : Where can you get halal food?
Syafiyya : Supermarket and boucherie
Jin Yu : – Hotpot, raclette, barbecue, potluck soirée with my fellow Malaysian friends. – When you finally managed to debug your code after days of debugging (without the help of your binôme).
Soorya : Local boucheries. Carrefour has them too
IUT de Toulouse
Interviewee : Syafiyya Sabrina binti Jasmi (DUT Génie Chimique Génie des Procédés (GCGP))
Soorya BALASUBRAMIAN (DUT Génie Mécanique et Productique)
Q : How do you find the teachers and the environment in your department
Syafiyya : All the profs are really nice!
Soorya : Quite competitive in my IUT because it’s one of the best IUT in France. The teachers ware normal I guess.
Q : How do you find the international student support in your department/école?
Syafiyya : We have one prof who takes care of the Malaysians
Soorya : Our responsable has been receiving Malaysian students for many years. She’s a very nice lady who is also our aeronautics prof. She speaks English too because she’s also a prof in the USA. Most profs know about Malaysians students and are always supportive.
Q : Describe the student life (Sports, night life, cultural events)
Syafiyya : Since there are a lot of Malaysians in Toulouse, we always organize a sport event during weekend and buat makan-makan especially after exams
Soorya : Lots of restaurants, clubs, and bars. You can practise any kinda sport. Even Malaysians do weekly hangout and sports (frisbee, tennis, volleyball, football, sukaneka etc). It’s fun if you’re social. You have musical clubs too.
Q : How do you go to class?
Syafiyya : 10-15 mins by metro.
Soorya : 5 mins walk.
INSA Toulouse
Interviewee : Jin Yu TUNG (3ème année d’école d’ingénieur )
Q : How do you find the teachers and the environment in your department
Jin Yu : Bof, some teachers are very knowledgeable but lack teaching skills, some young PhD students are just as lost as us during the TPs. There is room for improvement.
Q : How do you find the international student support in your department/école?
Jin Yu : It was well organised by SFERE.
Q : Describe the student life (Sports, night life, cultural events)
Jin Yu :You can do sports with the AS (Association sportive) at school or with your fellow Malaysian friends.
Q : How do you go to class?
Jin Yu : Less than 5 mins walk.
