Portugal
Student Population
412,000
50,000 international
3 years
Standard Degree Length
Tuition Fees
Academic Year
September - July
Education Model
Funding
Scholarships and Grants available for domestic and international students
Good to Know
If you are looking to study at university in a sunny country with beautiful coastlines, then Portugal could be the destination for you.
Degree Length
The standard degree length is 3 years and requires you to complete 180 ECTS (European Credits). This will typically consist of six semesters
Education Model
Like other European countries, Portugal follows the Bologna Process in higher education. Portuguese universities tend to focus on providing you with valuable theoretical knowledge whilst also engaging you in exciting research projects.
Higher education institutions in Portugal are split into traditional universities and polytechnical schools, both of which have public and private institution options. Polytechnic institutions tend to provide you with a more practical, hands-on experience, whereas a university follows more general education.
Portugal is well known for offering degrees in specific fields such as Social Sciences, Medicine, and Biotechnology, however your options aren’t limited to these. English-taught degrees are also becoming more popular as they welcome more international students each year.
Gap Years
Placements
Higher education institutions in Portugal set their own tuition fees so it is important that you check with each individual institution. Costs also vary depending on the type on institution you choose to study at. The average cost to study at a public university is around 1,250 EUR per year, whereas private universities may cost between 3,500-3,900 EUR per year. However, you can expect different institutions to be higher or lower in cost. Non-EU/EEA students are also more likely to be charged higher fees.
There are affordable accommodation options available depending on location. You should budget between 150-250 EUR per month if you are staying in students halls of residence, or between 350-800 EUR per month if you choose private accommodation. There are dedicated accommodation portals you can use to looks for student accommodation, these include Uniplaces, HouzeStudent, and Student Room Flat.
Living costs will depend on what part of the country you are studying in. However, compared to other European countries, Portugal is seen a much more budget friendly. It is recommended you budget around 500-800 EUR per month for living costs.
EU and EEA students will benefit from free or reduced healthcare costs providing you hold a European Health Insurance Card. Other students can apply for the National Health Service Card which gives you access to the public health care system in Portugal.
There are scholarships available for international students. You are advised to check with individual institutions as they offer they own scholarships.
There is public funding available for EU and non-EU students through three different institutions:
1. The Instituto Camoes – scholarships available for programme in Portuguese language and culture.
2. The Directorate-General of Higher Education – merit-based scholarships for all programmes and level of study.
3. The Foundation for Science and Technology – project-based research grants for studies in science and technology.
Funding
Costs
The application process takes place through the official portuguese higher education centralized portal, Candidatura Online. You can select up to 6 higher education institutions per application and rank them in preferred order. The Portuguese Ministry of Education publishes the number of places available at institutions and students are then ranked on the GPA to gain a place.
Application Process
You will be required to provide your high school transcript. Some universities will also require you to take an entrance exam. You may be exempt from this exam is you are an EU student and provide you final exam results. Non-EU students can sit the exam at the Portuguese embassy in their home country if required.
When to Apply
There are usually three application rounds to Portuguese universities. The first round is usually April-May, second round is June-July, and third round is August-September. Application deadlines do vary from one institution to another, so it is important to check on the institution’s website.
Grade Conversion
Grades are converted to the Portuguese points system.
Universities
Explore the university profiles for this country on the CareersExplore Platform.
Research Resources
Global Scholarships | Global Scholarships is a database holding lots of scholarships which are available to students who would like to study at university. This is a global database so holds scholarship information for a wide range of different countries. |