Step 1 — Identify the correct admission route before applying
Use the following decision:
• Portuguese, EU/EEA citizen, or qualifying family member: normally check the National Access Competition or another applicable national route.
• Non-EU national: normally check the university’s Special Competition for International Students and apply directly to that institution.
• Non-EU national legally resident in Portugal for more than two uninterrupted years on 1 January of the year of entry, or otherwise covered by an exclusion from international-student status: ask the university, in writing, whether the national route applies. Send copies of residence permits and proof of residence; do not decide from nationality alone.
Refugee, beneficiary of international or temporary protection, diplomatic/cooperation scholarship holder, or applicant under a special regime: ask DGES and the university to confirm the applicable special route before submitting an application.
Concrete action: email the admissions office with the subject ‘Confirmation of admission route – [course] – [academic year]’. Ask them to confirm the competition, deadline, tuition fee and exact document list.
Step 2 — Compare courses, costs and deadlines
• Search for the course in the DGES guide and confirm that the institution and degree are officially recognised.
• Open the university’s own admissions notice. International competitions have institution-specific dates, vacancies, entrance subjects and fees.
• Calculate the full first-year cost: application fee, international tuition, deposit, document legalisation, translation, visa, insurance, rent deposit and monthly living costs.
Concrete solution if the international tuition is unaffordable: compare the same course at public universities and polytechnics; ask about CPLP reductions, merit awards, social-support discounts and instalment plans. These reductions are institution-specific and are not automatic.
Step 3 — Make the foreign school qualification usable
• Request secondary-school equivalence from a Portuguese public secondary school when it is required for the chosen route.
• Ask the university whether your foreign final examinations can replace the Portuguese entrance examinations. Check the current CNAES/DGES equivalence tables for the required subjects.
• If the documents are not in Portuguese, ask whether a certified translation is required. Confirm whether an apostille or consular legalisation is necessary for documents issued in your country.
Concrete solution if equivalence is delayed: submit the request early, obtain proof that it is pending, and ask admissions whether provisional submission is accepted. Only rely on a written answer.
Step 4 — Apply and preserve evidence
• Upload complete, legible colour scans and use the file names requested by the institution.
• Save the application receipt, payment proof, submitted documents and the published admissions notice.
• After admission, complete enrolment by the deadline and obtain an enrolment declaration stating the course and academic year.
Step 5 — Ask for financial support immediately after admission
• Contact SAS/GAS and request an individual eligibility assessment for the DGES social-action grant. Foreign nationality alone neither guarantees nor always prevents eligibility; residence status and the legal eligibility categories matter.
• If eligible, obtain BeOn credentials from SAS/GAS and submit the application online. Do not wait for classes to begin if applications are already open.
• Ask separately about a university residence, emergency fund, subsidised meals, merit scholarships, tuition instalments and fee reductions. These are different forms of support and may have separate applications.
Concrete solution when there is only one family income: give SAS/GAS a short written budget showing household income, rent, dependants, health costs and transport. Ask for emergency aid and a tuition payment plan even if the DGES grant decision is still pending.
Step 6 — Secure safe accommodation
• Join the university residence waiting list as soon as applications open, even if no place is immediately available.
• Ask SAS/GAS for verified private-housing lists and emergency accommodation referrals.
• For a private room, request a written contract, landlord identification, full address, rent and deposit conditions, payment receipt and information on whether the contract will be registered with the Tax Authority.
Concrete solution if no accommodation is found before arrival: book short-term accommodation that can be verified, continue on the residence waiting list and ask the university/CLAIM for local referrals. Do not transfer a deposit solely on the basis of social-media messages.
Step 7 — Prepare the visa and residence file
• If a visa is required, apply through the competent Portuguese consular channel before travelling.
• After arrival, follow the AIMA procedure for the Article 91 higher-education residence permit. Prepare the passport, visa where applicable, enrolment evidence, accommodation, financial means, health coverage and any other current requirement stated by AIMA.
• Keep proof of every appointment request and submission. Ask the university whether it participates in any AIMA–higher-education regularisation channel.
Concrete solution if the permit is delayed: request an updated enrolment declaration, keep proof of the pending process, contact the university’s international office and a CLAIM, and use AIMA’s official written contact route. A pending request is not automatically equivalent to a valid residence card for every purpose, so ask the relevant authority what evidence it accepts.
Step 8 — Complete practical registration
• Ask for a Portuguese tax number (NIF) when needed for rent, banking or contracts.
• Register with the health system if eligible and ask the university about student health and psychological support.
• Students aged 18–23 should check eligibility for the free sub23+TP public-transport pass and request the necessary student-status declaration from the university.
• If Portuguese is a barrier, enrol in Portuguese as a Foreign Language or Português Língua de Acolhimento and ask for academic-writing support or a buddy programme.