How to Pursue Education in Portugal?

Are you dreaming of benefiting from the perks of education in Portugal, one of the cheapest countries that also offers quality education? If yes, you are at the right place. In this blog, we will uncover all the information you need to know about education in Portugal.

Stick around and clear all your confusion and answer all your questions as an aspiring student planning to move to Portugal. Find out how to get enrolled in your dream university and enjoy the perks of education in Portugal.

How to Study in Portugal?

Are you heading to Portugal and planning to pursue your education there? Well, before you bring your plan to action, you must know the details of how to study in Portugal. Here we provide you a comprehensive guide on how to study in Portugal.

Select a University for Your Course

First off, you will need to explore universities that offer courses that go with your basic education. After you have a set of options where your preferred course is offered, you can move on to further steps.

There are universities that are specifically dedicated to medical streams, whereas others offer all courses related to engineering or arts. In addition to this, some might offer a degree that is closely relevant to your educational background but not specifically what you are looking for. For instance, you may get many options offering multiple medical degrees, but none of those might match your educational background. If you have graduated in radiology, you will need a university that particularly offers a master’s program in a similar stream.

In addition to this, you may come across your field of education in most of the universities. However, they might not offer your field of education in Master’s or Phd even when you are looking for universities to get your Master’s degree. 

Hence, although education in Portugal is unparalleled, you will still need to do good research work before you move to Portugal while planning to pursue your education there.

Calculate the Costs

We always need to know how much something costs before registering for or buying it. When you register for a course in any institute located in Portugal, you must look into the fee structure of that particular subject.

The fee structure may include tuition, library, and apparatus fees. If you are about to pursue a research project during your studies, you may need to pay a research fee as well. In addition to this, you must consider hostel or residential costs and other living expenses. 

Remember to add a budget for your monthly utilities and transport costs as well. When you have all the expenses in mind and your budget sorted, you can survive abroad better as a student.

If the tuition fees, health insurance, and other costs fall in your budget, you can then make an informed and more precise decision. 

Also, you must know that the course fees in Portugal are different for international students and Portuguese students. Furthermore, you can also apply for certain scholarships, which are sometimes issued by the Portuguese government and sometimes by the institute itself to promote education in Portugal.

Application Deadlines

Most universities usually start accepting admission applications nine months before the academic year starts. This implies you will have to apply for the universities early in the year during the month of January.

If you miss the deadline, you may miss the chance to pursue your education in Portugal. Hence, you must keep in mind the respective university’s yearly schedule or admission dates. However, if you somehow skipped the admission dates of January, you can look up admission dates that may come in later months of the year, as the application submissions are open in different phases during the year.

Nevertheless, do not forget to mark the application deadlines of your preferred university or institute. That way you can enroll in an institute that suits your budget and sits rightly with your academic background.

Apply for the Student Visa

Now that you have decided about your preferred universities and have secured a seat in the institute, you need to move to Portugal before your semester starts. For that you will need to apply for the student visa.

For the student visa, you may require proof of your enrollment in one of the Portuguese educational institutes. Hence, you can enroll only after an educational institute in Portugal has approved it. 

However, before you apply for a student visa, you must prepare your documents timely. In case you need any expert help you can get it from a consultant who is in this profession and is well aware of the legalities associated with the student visa. 

All in all, to pursue your education, you must first find the most suitable university and then apply for a student visa to continue further education in Portugal. Only when you have enrolled in one of the Portuguese educational institutes, you will be able to apply for a student visa vto Portugal.

Move to Portugal

After you have done all of the above-mentioned steps, here comes the final step, which involves you moving to Portugal from your parent country. This process can be as critical as it can get. You will need to look into multiple factors.

Furthermore, this immigration might be immensely demanding in terms of finances. Not only that, moving to an abroad country can also take an emotional toll on you. Likewise, this step can also prove to be physically draining for the ones planning to pursue their education in Portugal.

You have your visa and acceptance letter issued by one of the Portuguese educational institutes in your name. Hence, you should think further about moving from your native country to Portugal.

The to-do list when moving to Portugal may include finding a residential place for yourself, creating a bank account in Portugal for yourself, and getting a residence permit there. Furthermore, you are obliged to provide documents like NIF, and you should have registered yourself at the Public Health Center as well. 

You might also need to do thorough research on the legal provisions and the constitution of Portugal regarding the foreign students who are being served by the Department of Education in Portugal.

How Does the Education System in Portugal Work?

Higher education in Portugal comprises three phases: bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. In addition to this, one can also do an integrated master’s in Portugal, where the final years of graduation are counted as master’s degrees.

In Portugal, you will find a broad spectrum of grading systems varying from institute to institute. Usually, you are graded on a scale of 0 to 20, while 10 is considered the lowest grade in Portugal’s educational system. The academic year in Portugal starts in September and ends in July.

Education in Portugal is divided into two well-known sectors, i.e. private and public. Needless to say, public education in Portugal is cheaper than private institutes. Like in all other countries, the tuition fees in the Public sector or public educational institutes are lower than the tuition fees for private education in Portugal.

How Much Does Studying in Portugal Cost?

Education in Portugal is cost-effective compared to all other countries in Europe. Hence, if you have decided to pursue your education in Portugal, that is a wise decision to make. In Portugal, not only education is cost-effective, but the living expenses are also budget-friendly.

Here is a sneak peek into the yearly tuition fees of different degrees offered in Portugal:

Studying in Portugal can cost you anything between 1500 to 12,500 euros per year. However, this cost can vary from institute to institute and can also depend on the field of education you are affiliate with. For instance, you will find most of the courses offered in the University of Porto cheaper than other universities in Portugal. 

In addition to this, education in Portugal might be cheaper for Portuguese students compared to the international students. It is because of the CPLP discount which is Community of Portuguese Language Countries. This discount offers 45% discount to the local students in their tution fees. 

However, when you are about to study in Portugal, you will also rely on the real estate industry for your residence. Here, we have painted a brief picture of real estate prices in Portugal:

How to get Enrolled for Education in Portugal?

If you have just completed your High school education and are planning your further education in Portugal, you must start by selecting a suitable institute for yourself. Once you have selected your university based on your academic preferences, you can then apply for your course.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are always certain admission requirements that you must fulfill to get admission to your preferred course. The required document for admission may include your past degree that is related to the field you are applying for now. In addition to this, the institutes may need you to provide your professional experience, your resume, a motivation letter, your past academic record, and much more.

You can submit your admission application online. For instance, you can visit your institute’s website. You can also submit your applications via online portals of Portuguese governments for universities that are government-owned institutes. However, you must never ignore the tik tok of passing the deadline in your head when you are applying for education in Portugal. Otherwise, you will not be able to get your seat reserved in your preferred institute in Portugal.

Now that you have played your part, the institute will evaluate your past academic record and judge your skills. The institute will look through your record to see if you pass the merit criteria of not. If you meet their eligibility and merit criteria, you will receive an email of your selection in the first phase of admission.

You might get interviewed on a video call as well. After the interview, if the institute selects you, you will be emailed an acceptance letter. You can then proceed with further technical and administrative procedures after you have received the acceptance letter.

Now that you have reserved your place in one of the Portuguese institutes, you are close to fulfilling your dream of getting an education in Portugal. However, that does not mean you have nothing left to do to land in Portugal. You will still need to prepare documents and apply for a visa to Portugal and a Portuguese residence permit. You will need a residence permit from the Portuguese government to be able to stay in Portugal during your studies. 

There you go! You are now acquainted with the enrollment procedure for education in Portugal and the process of moving to Portugal.