University of Porto
Portugal, Porto
Everything about studying in Portuguese universities: tuition fees, lists of the best universities.
Portuguese universities are renowned for centuries-old traditions in education. It is here where the ancient University of Coimbra is located, which for many centuries was considered one of the leading universities in Europe, where rich youth from all over the continent aspired to study. Portuguese universities are still famous today: they actively participate in international research projects of the European Commission and annually accept tens of thousands of international students in exchange programs. Students are attracted not only by the opportunity to get a quality education at a relatively low price but also by the warm and friendly atmosphere typical of the universities of Portugal.
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Advanced searchProgram | Age | Duration | Min. cost | Avg. cost | Language requirements | Exams |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foundation | 16+ | 1-2 semesters | 5,579 USD/year | 7,232 USD/year | B1 | DEPLE |
Bachelor's | 17+ | 3-4 years | 3,099 USD/year | 6,199 USD/year | B2 | DIPLE, IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 79 |
Master's | 20+ | 1-2 years | 3,099 USD/year | 6,199 USD/year | B2 | DIPLE, IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 79 |
MBA | 20+ | 1-2 years | 9,298 USD/year | 23,245 USD/year | C1 | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 93 |
Doctoral | 20+ | 3-4 years | 3,099 USD/year | 8,781 USD/year | C1 | DAPLE / IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 93 |
Documents must be submitted online directly to universities. For admission you will need:
There is no single system for filing documents, each program puts forward its own criteria. All information must be checked with universities.
Higher educational institutions in Portugal are divided into 2 main types:
Both types of higher education institutions can be public or private.
In addition, Portugal has an Open University (Universidade Aberta), which specializes in distance learning. Some of its departments operate under the MIT-Portugal program. All higher education institutions are run by the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (MCTES). Each university awards degrees regulated by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (A3ES) and the Directorate General of Higher Education (DGES). This process allows the state to objectively assess higher education and oversee its quality and general success.
Teaching at polytechnics is focused on applied research aimed at solving specific problems, as well as technical and practical training of students. Polytechnic institutes issue only Licentiate (Bachelor's) and Master's degrees, while PhD degrees are exclusive to universities.
Nursing, accounting, and preschool education are taught only in polytechnics. They also train technicians and engineers for industrial production and other sectors, for example, for setting up medical equipment. On the other hand, polytechnics do not have programs in medicine and architecture — they exist only at universities. Portuguese polytechnics are somewhat innovative institutions since most of them were opened in the 80s, but this does not diminish the quality of education. They transformed from pre-existing non-university teaching and agricultural higher education institutions; higher engineering and accounting institutes; and the Maritime School.
In Portugal, there are about 15 public polytechnic institutes. They usually refer to a specific area or region. Their residents have priority in admission to institutions. In addition, polytechnic programs tend to take into account the specific economic, technical, and social needs of the regions. Because of these features, polytechnics can be compared to community colleges in the United States. You can view the programs presented at the polytechnics here.
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Advanced searchAll higher education institutions in Portugal are divided into public and private. The latter can be owned by both individuals and corporations. Universities belonging to the Catholic Church belong to the same type of institutions.
Both general universities and polytechnics can be private or public. Moreover, all military and police higher schools are owned by the state.
Public universities in Portugal have a long history. They originated in the Middle Ages and, like other European medieval universities of that time, were founded by monarchs under the supervision of the Catholic Church. State-run institutions have stricter regulations on tuition fees and student numbers.
The development of private universities in Portugal began after 1974. Although there are well-known reputable establishments among them, in general, they are considered to be less prestigious than the public ones. The reason lies not only in the simplicity of admission but also in the fact that such universities do not have the proper academic foundation and sophisticated technical equipment necessary for modern education and fundamental research. Most often, such institutions teach literature, acting, and other arts.
The most elite education is provided by "old" universities, which are all public. In addition to the ancient University of Coimbra, founded in the 13th century, this group includes the University of Porto and the University of Lisbon. The last of "old" institutions were established a little over a century ago on the foundation of higher educational institutions that operated in these cities in the 17th-19th centuries. In general, the prestige of public universities extends even to new educational institutions formed in the second half of the 20th century.
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Advanced searchPortuguese universities are members of various associations and networks:
Although Portuguese universities do not rank first in the rankings, their specific academic performance shows a decent quality of education. The QS ranking of 2021 includes 7 Portuguese universities, although all of them are out of the Top 100[1]. Quite high positions are occupied by specialized educational institutions. According to the Financial Times rating, the School of Business and Economics at the University of Lisbon Nueva is among the hundred best MBA schools. Portuguese universities show good results in terms of the quality of education in certain disciplines. So, according to the World Academic Ranking of Universities (ARWU), in 2020 the University of Lisbon entered the top-300 in terms of the quality of teaching Mathematics.
Universidade de Lisboa — the largest university in Portugal. It was founded in 1911, and in 2013 it became part of the Lisbon Technical University. According to the QS ranking 2021, it is the best university in the country. University offers a wide range of courses: here you can find programs in Social and Applied Sciences, Humanities, Medicine, and Agriculture. Among the graduates and teachers of the university, there is a large number of politicians, including the first president of the country, T. Braga, and the long-term president of the European Commission, J.M. Barroso. The university also graduated the first Nobel laureate from Portugal — the neurosurgeon and psychiatrist A.E. Moniz.
Universidade do Porto is a public university with a general academic profile, the 2nd largest in Portugal (over 30000 students). It was founded in 1911. Traditionally the strengths of the university are Medicine, Technology, Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, and Social Sciences. At the University of Porto, great attention is paid to scientific research in various fields: molecular biology, marine ecology, astrophysics, and technology for the production of new materials. Among Portuguese universities, it holds the leading position in terms of the citation index (over 20%).
Universidade de Coimbra — the oldest University of Portugal, founded in 1290. It is located in the center of Coimbra, in a complex of ancient buildings that also includes a medieval chapel. This public university is known for its traditions: on significant dates, students wear a special uniform, and after completing their course, they run the "festival of burning ribbons" — symbols of the faculty. The University of Coimbra has programs in both Humanities and the exact sciences. Among its outstanding graduates, there are famous mathematicians (P. Nunes), politicians (A. Salazar), and poets (L. Camões).
Universidade Nova de Lisboa was founded in 1973. It is the youngest of the three universities in the Portuguese capital. It opened because of the growing popularity of higher education among young people. 4 years after its creation, the university underwent a reform, according to which its faculties received almost complete autonomy. The university is famous for its business school; the teaching of Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Medicine is also of very high quality.
Universidade Católica Editora has a special concordat status (agreement between the state and the Pope). The university was established in 1967 but received official recognition only in 1971. Initially, the educational institution taught Philosophy, Theology, and Humanities. Later, the faculties of Medicine, Technology, Exact Sciences, Business, Arts, and others were opened. The headquarters of the Catholic University is located in Lisbon, but the branches and schools of the university can be found in different cities of Portugal, including Braga, Porto, Beiras.
Many universities in Portugal offer MBA degrees. Eduniversal ranking evaluated 6 Portuguese business schools as providers of the best quality of education in 2019. Business schools, which train specialists in the fields of Management, Trading, Administration, Economics, and Marketing, can be part of universities or be independent educational institutions.
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Advanced searchThere are no free universities in Portugal. The cost of education at universities in the country for EU citizens usually does not exceed 3,099 USD, while foreigners pay about 6,199 USD per year in Bachelor's degree programs. Additionally, the state and universities offer grants and scholarships for local and foreign students. For example, there is financial support for students from low-income families.
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