Portugal offers international students a wide range of higher education institutions. Tuition and living expenses vary by institution, program, city, and student status, so applicants should compare current tuition options and prepare a realistic budget. Portuguese public universities generally charge tuition, and students with international student status may pay higher, course-specific rates.
Studying in Portugal without paying tuition may be possible when a scholarship, grant, or other funding source covers the applicable fees. Portugal offers several scholarships and funding options for international students, but awards are competitive and may provide either partial or full support. A strong academic profile can improve your chances of admission and scholarship consideration, but you should also budget for living expenses and any costs that an award does not cover.
How to Study in Portugal for Free
1. Get Good Grades and Have an Excellent Application
Strong grades, academic awards, and relevant achievements can improve your chances of admission and scholarship consideration. However, entry requirements differ by institution and program. Depending on the course, you may need to provide proof of previous qualifications, meet subject prerequisites, submit recognized entrance-exam results, or demonstrate proficiency in Portuguese or another language of instruction.
You may also be asked to submit transcripts, certificates, a personal statement, a résumé or CV, references, or a recommendation letter. Review the official application page for your chosen program carefully because required documents and selection criteria are not the same at every university.
Prepare clear digital copies of all required documents and follow the instructions on the university’s official application portal. Check whether documents must be certified, translated, or formally recognized, and submit the application before the stated deadline.
2. Apply for Scholarships in Portugal
After applying for admission, look for scholarship opportunities for which you meet the eligibility requirements. Some awards are considered automatically during admission, while others require a separate application. Confirm the application procedure, supporting documents, deadlines, renewal requirements, and expenses covered by each scholarship.
Funding may be offered by government bodies, universities, research organizations, foundations, and other external institutions. Scholarship terms can change between academic years, so use the current official scholarship or admissions page rather than relying only on older announcements. Contact the relevant university office when the eligibility or coverage information is unclear.
3. Apply to Affordable Universities in Portugal
It is important to have a backup plan in case your scholarships do not cover the full cost of your education. Consider applying to affordable universities or programs whose remaining tuition you could manage with a partial scholarship, grant, savings, or another permitted funding source.
For the 2026/2027 academic year, the University of Porto states that annual tuition for students with international student status in bachelor’s and integrated master’s programs ranges from €3,500 to €16,500, depending on the faculty and course. At the University of Lisbon, the standard 2026/2027 tuition for bachelor’s and integrated master’s programs is €697 for national or equivalent students, while tuition for international students is set by the relevant school and course. Always check the exact fee shown on the official program page before applying.
Tuition-free Options for Bachelor’s Studies in Portugal
Scholarships may reduce bachelor’s tuition substantially and, in some cases, cover it in full. However, tuition-free study is not automatic, and an award may not cover accommodation, food, insurance, transportation, or other personal expenses. Citizens of European Union countries are not generally exempt from tuition; they normally apply under the same or an equivalent framework as Portuguese students and pay the applicable national or equivalent tuition rate.
The University of Porto offers several forms of financial support. Its SASUP study scholarships are available to eligible Portuguese and European Union nationals, stateless people, and nationals of countries covered by reciprocal cooperation arrangements. Students classified under international student status are excluded from these SASUP scholarships. Separate merit scholarships are awarded annually to bachelor’s, master’s, and integrated master’s students with exceptional academic results. Under the applicable merit-scholarship regulation, the award equals five times the guaranteed minimum monthly wage in effect at the beginning of the relevant academic year.
For 2026/2027, the University of Aveiro offers an incentive scholarship that reduces the applicable international tuition fee to €1,000 for eligible full-time first-cycle students with an application grade of at least 16 out of 20, or its equivalent. Continued eligibility depends on full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress. The Catholic University of Portugal also offers faculty-specific excellence and merit awards, as well as study grants and partial or full tuition reductions in qualifying cases. Eligibility and coverage depend on the regulations of the relevant faculty.
Tuition-free Options for Master’s Studies in Portugal
A master’s degree in Portugal is not automatically tuition-free for either international or European Union students. However, competitive scholarships, tuition reductions, and research funding may cover part or all of the applicable fees. Applicants should check whether an award covers only tuition or also provides support for living and research expenses.
For 2026/2027, the University of Aveiro offers international master’s students an incentive scholarship that reduces the applicable tuition fee to €1,000. Applicants must generally enroll full-time and have an application grade of at least 14 out of 20, or its equivalent. For this category, the maximum number of awards for each study cycle is generally limited to 10% of the students placed in that cycle during the relevant application phase.
The University of Coimbra offers a Master’s Research and Scientific Production Incentive Scholarship for full-time students with international student status. The award contributes €2,000 toward master’s tuition and may continue through the program’s normal duration, subject to the applicable conditions. Eligible students from Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries may receive an additional €1,000 scholarship, while qualifying students who continue their studies at Coimbra may also receive a €1,000 continuity scholarship.
Tuition-free Options for Ph.D. Studies in Portugal
Doctoral funding at the University of Aveiro is awarded through specific and competitive calls rather than automatically with admission. A recent university-wide call offered 10 Ph.D. scholarships with an initial duration of one year, renewable for equal periods up to a maximum of four years. The awards included a monthly stipend and tuition costs, but that application round closed on January 31, 2026. Prospective applicants should monitor the university’s official doctoral scholarship page for new calls and deadlines.
Doctoral candidates at the University of Coimbra may apply for competitive scholarships from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and for program-specific research grants. Under the 2026 FCT doctoral studentship call, selected applicants receive a monthly allowance and eligible support that may include tuition, additional training, conference participation, insurance, and, when applicable, travel or relocation expenses. Admission to a doctoral program does not guarantee an FCT scholarship.
We hope this article about studying in Portugal with scholarship support was helpful. If you are interested, make sure to also check out the Programs in Europe for International Students!
