The Portuguese Republic, commonly known as Portugal, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. Its capital city is Lisbon. Portugal’s resident population was estimated at about 10.75 million in 2024. Its main official language is Portuguese, and Catholicism remains the country’s largest religion.
Portugal is well known for its impressive architecture, historic sites, and beaches. Some well-known places to visit include Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Convento de Cristo, Bom Jesus do Monte, Peneda-Gerês National Park, and Praia de Tavira. When it comes to food, Portugal is famous for seafood and dishes such as pastel de nata, caldo verde, leitão, alheira, and piri-piri chicken.
Compared with many other Western European study destinations, Portugal can be an affordable option, although costs vary by city and lifestyle. Its public higher education system also has regulated tuition caps for eligible Portuguese, EU, and certain bilateral-agreement students, while non-EU international student fees are set by each institution and can be higher. Recent official data show that Portugal continues to attract internationally mobile students, including tens of thousands of degree-seeking and credit-mobility students in higher education. In this article, we talk about some of the best cities in Portugal to study in for international students.
Top Cities to Study in Portugal for International Students
1. Lisbon
Aside from being the capital of Portugal, Lisbon is also the country’s most populous city. The municipality had about 575,739 residents in 2024, while the greater metropolitan area had roughly 3 million residents. It is popular for being a culturally and historically rich place. With that, some of the top tourist attractions in the city are Castelo de São Jorge, Oceanário de Lisboa, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Torre de Belém, and Elevador de Santa Justa.
On the topic of colleges and universities, there are many to choose from in Lisbon, including the University of Lisbon, NOVA University Lisbon, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon, Lusófona University, and the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon. This is what makes Lisbon one of the best cities to study in Portugal.
For prospective students who aspire to get into a university that is prestigious both in Portugal and in Europe, the clear choice is the University of Lisbon (ULisboa). Besides being known for high-quality teaching and research, ULisboa is one of Portugal’s largest institutions of higher education. The current university dates from July 2013, when the former University of Lisbon and the former Technical University of Lisbon merged. Its international student community includes students from more than 100 nationalities.
ULisboa has 19 schools, designated as faculties or institutes, offering a wide range of study options. Its schools include the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Social Sciences, Institute of Education, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, Institute of Social and Political Sciences, ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Instituto Superior Técnico, School of Agriculture, and Lisbon School of Nursing.
2. Porto
Porto, otherwise known as Oporto, is situated along the Douro River near the Atlantic coast. The city is closely associated with port wine, which is produced in the Douro Demarcated Region and historically aged and shipped from lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto. Aside from tasting port wine, tourists who find themselves in Porto are recommended to check out Torre dos Clérigos, Igreja de São Francisco, Palácio da Bolsa, Cais da Ribeira, and Porto Bridge Climb.
Moving on to educational institutions, prominent options in the city include the University of Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Fernando Pessoa University, Portucalense University, and IPAM Porto.
The University of Porto (U.Porto) was officially established on March 22, 1911. It is one of Portugal’s largest universities and is highly regarded for teaching and scientific research. Official figures list 14 faculties, one Business School, 45 research units, and 315 degree-awarding courses at U.Porto.
On the other hand, IPAM Porto is a strong option for marketing and business studies. IPAM was founded in 1984 and describes itself as Portugal’s oldest and largest marketing school. It offers undergraduate, master’s, postgraduate, executive education, and online programs in marketing, business, and technology.
3. Faro
Located in southern Portugal’s Algarve region, Faro is another strong city to study in Portugal. When in the city, visitors should consider going to Cidade Velha, Museu Municipal de Faro, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Comboio Turístico de Faro, and Igreja do Carmo.
The University of Algarve (UAlg) is perhaps the best option for international students who are planning to move to Faro. This distinguished institution of higher education was founded in 1979. It has three campuses, offers more than 170 courses, and enrolls more than 10,000 students. The university has eight schools and faculties: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Education and Communication, School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism, School of Health, and Institute of Engineering.
4. Coimbra
Coimbra is a riverfront city that is widely known among locals and tourists for the historic University of Coimbra. The university is the oldest in Portugal and one of the oldest universities in the world. Other tourist spots in Coimbra include Sé Velha, Museu Nacional Machado de Castro, Jardim Botânico, Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha, and Arco de Almedina.
The University of Coimbra (UC) was first founded in 1290 in Lisbon and was permanently moved to Coimbra in 1537. It is a respected institution and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2013. Current official figures list about 29,577 students and 1,863 professors.
5. Braga
The city of Braga is located in Portugal’s northwestern Minho region. Museu de Arte Sacra, Antigo Paço Episcopal, Bom Jesus do Monte, Fonte do Ídolo, and Capela de São Frutuoso de Montélios are some of the favorite destinations in the city.
Braga is among the best cities to study in Portugal. For international students who would like to live and study in Braga, the University of Minho is a solid option. The university’s Gualtar campus is located in Braga, while the Azurém and Couros campuses are in Guimarães.
We hope that you found this article on the best cities to study in Portugal for international students informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!
