Portugal

Basic Information about Portugal

Portugal is situated in the south-western extremity of Europe, occupying the western littoral of the Iberian Peninsula. The territory also includes the Azores, Madeira and Porto Santo Islands. It is bound to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the east and north by Spain. The capital of the country is Lisbon. The population of the country is 10.4 million the official language is Portuguese, which is spoken by the entire population.

The Higher Education System

Higher education in Portugal is divided into two subsystems: university education and non-university higher education (polytechnic education), and it is provided in autonomous public universities, private universities, polytechnic institutions and private higher educational institutions of other types. The two systems of higher education are linked and it is possible to transfer from one to the other. It is also possible to transfer from a public institution to a private one and vice-versa. University institutions may award “Licenciado”, “Mestre” and “Doutor” degrees while Polytechnic institutions award 1st cycle – “Licenciado” and 2nd cycle – “Mestre” degrees.

Scholarships

The Portuguese agency Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) promotes national scientific research and technological development by providing different types of grants, e.g. Master grants (MA), Doctorate grants, Post-doctorate grants, Sabbatical grants, Grants for scientific career development, Enterprise doctorate grants, Training grants at scientific and technological international organisations, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Camões Institute

Acting under the oversight of Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Camões Institute (ICA) is the Portuguese institution responsible for promoting both the teaching of Portuguese language and culture at foreign higher educational establishments and Portuguese culture abroad in general. In order to pursue these objectives, within the context of a variety of cooperation programmes with foreign higher educational institutions, ICA has a range of Scholarship Programmes for Portuguese and foreign students, e.g. The Portuguese Language and Culture Summer Courses Programme, The Annual Portuguese Language and Culture Courses Programme, The Fernão Mendes Pinto Programme, Research Programme, The Pessoa Programme, The Vieira Programme, Protocol between the Camões Institute and the Eça de Queiroz Foundation, Protocol between the Camões Institute and the National Cultural Centre (CNC). Please contact us for more details and the rules and deadlines for applications.

FAQs

What courses can you study ?

Levels of study available are :

first degrees: Bacharelato (three years of study) and Licenciatura (four to six years of study);
postgraduate courses: Mestrado (four semesters, advanced degree in a scientific area through practical research);
doctoral studies: Doutoramento (several years of personal study for a thesis);
Postdoctoral programmes: Agregação (reserved for Doutoramento, the highest level of study).

What are the Tuition fees at universities in Portugal ?

In general, tuition fees are higher than the minimum recommended. Full time students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s programs are charged an average tuition fee of approximately EUR 950 – 1250 per academic year. For third cycle programs (PhD degrees), the average tuition fee amounts to approximately EUR 2500 – 3000 per academic year.

I'm not from Portugal and I don't speak Portuguese. How will I be able to function, living and studying in Portugal ?

All of our programs in Portugal are completely in English, and English is also commonly spoken in Portugal as a second language.

How do I know whether there will be anyone else there from my country or who speaks my native language ?

Portugal is in fact a very diverse country with students from all over the world who come to study at its campuses. Plus, the student communities are very friendly. Newcomers shouldn’t feel concerned at all about being isolated.

What are the student visa requirements for Portugal ?

Valid passport expiring no earlier than three months after returning home and with at least one blank visa page
Completed application form
One passport size photograph in color
Copy of travel itinerary with acceptance letter or confirmed reservation
Valid ticket or other proof of departure arrangements
Proof of sufficient financial means to support themselves throughout the stay
Proof of health insurance coverage

Will your qualifications be recognised in the UK or other countries ?

Following the Bologna Process and the creation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), a postgraduate course from Portugal is directly comparable to the UK equivalent.

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