Compare Portuguese universities and polytechnics, explore accredited programmes, understand international admission routes, plan tuition and living costs, and prepare for visa and residence steps.
Portugal uses the European three-cycle degree structure and ECTS, supporting clearer academic progression and credit recognition across participating systems.
Choose research-oriented university education or professionally oriented polytechnic education across public and private institutions.
In 2024/25 Portugal recorded 55,430 degree-mobility students and 19,040 incoming credit-mobility students in higher education.
Portuguese is the national teaching language, while selected institutions offer programmes or units in English. Confirm the language and proof requirement for the exact programme.
Compare metropolitan Lisbon and Porto, historic university cities, smaller inland and coastal centres, and island locations before choosing a campus.
Eligible study-residence-permit holders may work alongside their studies, and qualifying graduates may have a limited route to seek work or create a company after completion.
EUR 735–1,160 per month, excluding tuition
EU/EEA/Swiss students do not use the non-EU study-visa route, but those staying longer than three months generally register their residence with the local municipality. Most non-EU students studying for longer than 90 days need the appropriate Portuguese residence visa before travel and then a higher-education student residence permit through AIMA after arrival. Requirements and submission channels vary by nationality and consular jurisdiction.
Up to 60 days
EUR 110 government fee where applicable; local-currency conversion and visa-centre service charges vary
Students must have appropriate health coverage. Eligible EU/EEA/Swiss students can use an EHIC for medically necessary public healthcare during a temporary stay, but it is not a substitute for travel insurance and does not cover private care or repatriation. Non-EU residence procedures may require health or travel insurance unless a specific legal exemption applies.
AIMA provides a route for eligible higher-education graduates and researchers to request up to one year to seek work compatible with their qualifications or create a company in Portugal. Eligibility, completion level and documents must be confirmed under the current AIMA route; this is not an automatic post-study work permit.
Use normal city precautions: protect passports and valuables on crowded transport, verify accommodation security, and stay alert around nightlife and busy tourist areas. Summer heat, wildfires and ocean conditions can also affect travel. In an emergency call 112.
Historic university city with a concentrated student identity and a smaller urban scale than Lisbon or Porto.
Northern study locations connected with the University of Minho and a mix of historic centres, technology activity and student communities.
Compact coastal-region university city known for science, engineering, design and an accessible campus-centred experience.
Largest metropolitan study hub, with extensive programme choice and public transport; budget early for competitive accommodation.
Major northern university city with a strong academic and cultural environment; compare campus location carefully when choosing housing.
Southern coastal study environment; seasonal tourism can affect housing availability and prices.
Smaller historic settings can offer a different pace of student life; transport and housing should be checked by campus.
Island study locations offer distinctive environments but require extra planning for flights, housing and mainland travel.
International-student applications are submitted to the chosen university or polytechnic, and each institution sets its own deadlines, documents, entrance evidence and language rules. Ask for the official call, fee schedule, refund terms and document-format requirements before paying. Foreign documents may require certified translation, authentication or academic recognition depending on the application.
Hold a qualification that gives access to higher education in the country where it was awarded, meet the institution’s subject or entrance-evidence rules, and satisfy programme language and document requirements.
Hold an appropriate bachelor’s or equivalent qualification and meet the institution’s academic, language and programme-specific selection criteria.
Meet the university’s prior-degree and academic-curriculum rules; a research proposal, supervisor fit, interview or other evidence may be required.
Confirm the exact official call, deadline, certified translation/authentication rules, application fee, tuition schedule, refund policy and any qualification-recognition step before submission.
Use DGES and the institution’s official programme page to confirm level, campus, teaching language and current intake.
Check the institution in DGES and the exact programme in A3ES.
Confirm applicant category, entrance evidence, selection formula, deadlines, fees and document rules.
Collect certificates, transcripts and any entrance-examination or recognition evidence; arrange certified translation or authentication if required.
Follow the programme’s stated Portuguese or English requirement; there is no single nationwide English-test rule.
International-student applications are handled by the chosen university or polytechnic under its published procedure.
Attend any interview, test, portfolio review or document-verification step required by the programme.
Confirm tuition, instalments, deposit, refund conditions, campus and intake in writing before paying.
Portugal offers a Bologna-aligned degree structure, universities and polytechnics, public and private options, and a sizeable international student community. The best choice still depends on the exact programme, language, accreditation, tuition and city.
Portuguese higher education follows the Bologna three-cycle structure and ECTS. Recognition in another country or for a regulated profession is never automatic in every case, so graduates should check the destination authority or professional regulator.
Check the institution in the official DGES register and search the exact programme in A3ES. An active institution record should not be treated as proof that every programme advertised elsewhere is accredited or currently open.
Portuguese is the official language and remains the main teaching language. Selected institutions offer programmes or individual units in English. Confirm the official teaching language and accepted proof for the exact programme.
International students normally apply directly to the chosen institution under its special international-student procedure. They need a qualification that gives access to higher education where it was awarded and must meet the institution’s entrance, language and document rules.
Not usually. EU nationals generally apply under the routes available to Portuguese and EU applicants rather than the special non-EU international-student competition. The correct route should be confirmed with DGES and the institution.
The higher-education academic year generally begins in September or October. Semester dates, examinations, holidays and any second-semester entry vary by institution and programme.
There is no single national international-student fee. Each institution sets tuition by programme and applicant category. Confirm the current official fee schedule, instalments, deposit and refund terms before paying.
A practical starting range is about €735–€1,160 per month for housing, food, local transport and personal or study expenses, excluding tuition, visa costs and international travel. The actual amount depends heavily on city and accommodation type.
No. University residences have limited capacity and eligibility rules. Apply early, compare private rooms and shared apartments, obtain a written contract, and verify the property and beneficiary before transferring money.
They generally do not use the non-EU study-visa route. For a stay longer than three months, they normally request a registration certificate from the municipality after the first three months and must meet the applicable student-residence conditions.
For studies longer than 90 days, most non-EU students need the appropriate Portuguese residence visa before travel and then a student residence permit after arrival. Nationality, residence country and programme duration affect the exact route.
Portuguese law generally provides up to 60 days for a decision on a complete residence-visa application. Appointment availability, missing documents and consular verification can add time, so beginning two to three months before travel is prudent.
The file commonly includes a passport, application form and photos, admission evidence, means of subsistence, accommodation, insurance, criminal-record evidence and any tuition, consent, translation or authentication documents required by the responsible consular post. Exemptions can apply.
A non-EU higher-education student who holds the relevant Portuguese study residence permit may undertake employed or self-employed work alongside the studies. Employment, tax, social-security and residence obligations still apply.
AIMA states that the higher-education student residence permit is generally valid for three years and renewable for equal periods, or for the programme duration when the programme is shorter than three years.
Eligible graduates and researchers may request a period of up to one year to seek work compatible with their qualifications or create a company. It is not automatic, and the current AIMA eligibility route and documents must be checked.
Eligible EU students may use an EHIC for medically necessary public care during a temporary stay, but it does not cover private treatment or repatriation. Non-EU applicants should obtain the coverage required for their visa and residence route.
No. DGES states that students admitted under the international-student regime generally cannot access the direct social-support grant. Applicants should check verified institution awards, Erasmus+, FCT calls and any applicable cooperation scholarship separately.
Confirm the official institution and programme, applicant category, campus, intake, tuition, deposit, instalment and refund terms. Verify the payment beneficiary independently through an official institution channel and keep written evidence.
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