Study in Portugal

Portuguese higher education includes public universities and polytechnic institutes as well as private institutions, and follows the Bologna structure with ECTS credits: • Bachelor’s (Licenciatura): 3–4 years (180–240 ECTS). • Master’s (Mestrado): 1.5–2 years (90–120 ECTS). Fields such as medicine, architecture and pharmacy are taught as integrated master’s programmes (Mestrado Integrado) of 5–6 years, entered straight after secondary school. • PhD (Doutoramento): usually 3–4 years. The academic year starts in September and is split into a first semester (to January–February) and a second semester (February to June–July). Most bachelor’s programmes are taught in Portuguese, usually requiring B1 or B2, while many master’s and PhD programmes are taught in English, especially in engineering, economics, management and the sciences. Some universities run a foundation year in Portuguese for international students.

1) International student: under Decree-Law 36/2014, this is anyone who does not hold Portuguese or EU citizenship and has not lived legally and continuously in Portugal for more than two years (years on a study permit do not count). These students apply through each university’s Special Admission Contest for International Students, not the national contest, and need a qualification that gives access to higher education in the country where it was awarded, plus proof of the required language. 2) Apply directly on the university’s portal, usually in several rounds between December and July for a September start, for example for 2026–27: • University of Porto: 2 January – 6 February, 9 February – 2 April and 2 June – 22 July 2026 (some faculties have their own calendars). • University of Coimbra: 15 December 2025 – 26 January, 16 February – 15 April and 20 May – 17 July 2026, with a EUR 50 fee. • University of the Algarve: 5–30 January and 30 March – 30 April 2026. • Iscte master’s: five rounds from 15 December 2025 to 24 June 2026, with a EUR 70 fee. 3) For a master’s or PhD you may need your foreign degree recognised through the national recognition platform. Apply in the first round if you can, as visa processing can take 60 days or more.

Tuition: Portuguese and EU students pay a low annual fee at public universities (EUR 697 for a bachelor’s at the University of Lisbon in 2026–27), while each university sets fees for international students based on the real cost of training. Examples for 2026–27: • University of Lisbon: from EUR 1,500 (law) to EUR 7,500 (economics and management at ISEG) for bachelor’s degrees, EUR 7,000 for engineering at IST and EUR 18,000 for medicine. • University of Porto: EUR 3,500–16,500 a year, with a reduction of up to 45% for citizens of Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries. • University of Coimbra: EUR 7,000 for bachelor’s and integrated master’s degrees, EUR 18,000 for medicine. • University of Aveiro: EUR 3,500, 4,150 or 5,000 depending on the field. • University of the Algarve: EUR 1,750–4,500. • Iscte: EUR 7,000 for a bachelor’s; master’s about EUR 5,000 for the first year. Living costs: the University of Minho estimates about EUR 400–500 a month in Braga, NOVA estimates about EUR 650 a month in a university residence in Lisbon, and costs rise sharply in private housing in Lisbon and Porto. The minimum wage is EUR 920 a month in 2026.

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa and simply register with the town hall after 3 months. Everyone else goes through two steps: 1) A residence visa for study (D4) from the Portuguese consulate or visa centre in your country after admission. Typical documents: a passport valid for 3 months beyond the visa, the acceptance letter, proof of accommodation, a recent (within 4 months) legalised criminal record, travel medical insurance, and proof of means of subsistence under Ministerial Order 1563/2007, which uses the minimum wage as its reference (EUR 920 a month in 2026), or a term of responsibility from a host or a scholarship. According to consular checklists, citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries admitted to a higher education institution are exempt from proving means. Processing can take 60 days, and the visa is valid for 120 days with two entries. 2) A residence permit from AIMA after arrival, by appointment, with proof of enrolment, tuition payment, means of subsistence and health insurance or National Health Service coverage. The permit is valid for 3 years and renewable, or for the length of the programme if shorter. Students at institutions approved by AIMA are exempt from proving tuition payment and means, and Camões Institute scholarship holders are exempt from several documents. Note: since the September 2026 amendment of the Foreigners Act (Law 62/2026), you can no longer obtain a study residence permit inside Portugal without a residence visa.

Holders of a higher-education study residence permit may work, as employees or self-employed, alongside their studies and need no separate work permit, as long as study remains the main purpose of their stay and they stay enrolled and progress. In practice you need a tax number (NIF) and a social security number to work. The minimum wage is EUR 920 a month in 2026, and jobs are easier to find if you speak Portuguese, especially in tourism, hospitality, services and tech companies in Lisbon and Porto. After graduation: the Foreigners Act lets graduates who studied on a higher-education residence permit apply for a residence permit without a new visa and stay for up to one year to look for work matching their qualifications or to set up a company. Bachelor’s graduates who find a job can also apply directly for a permit to work. Once you have a job, you move to a work residence permit or, for highly qualified jobs, an EU Blue Card.