Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (Barcelos/Portugal) - Emergency Fund for students with financial problems

What you get

The Emergency Social Fund (FAES) helps you cover your day-to-day study costs if you’re short of cash. It is managed by the Student Services Organisation (SASE) of the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA) in Barcelos, Portugal.

You will not receive a monthly cash allowance. Instead, the fund reimburses certain expenses or pays suppliers directly. It covers meals in university canteens, your public transport ticket, accommodation costs if you do not live at home, books and stationery, as well as medical expenses with a doctor’s prescription. There is a ceiling for each type of expense, set as a percentage of the Portuguese Social Assistance Index (IAS). For example, you will receive up to 10% of the IAS for books and stationery and up to 5% for healthcare costs. The fund does not cover tuition fees, enrolment fees or student insurance.

There are two options. The Social Support Fund supports students with proven financial need who are not eligible for a standard government grant. It runs for 10 months of the academic year. The Emergency Aid covers urgent, one-off costs following an unexpected financial setback. You can claim it once per academic year, up to the amount of one year’s tuition fees for a Bachelor’s degree.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled at the IPCA in Barcelos on a Bachelor’s degree programme, a higher vocational training programme (TeSP) or a Master’s degree programme.
• Nationality: You are a Portuguese national, an EU citizen permanently resident in Portugal, a national of a country that has concluded a cooperation agreement with Portugal, or an international student who has been admitted via the special admission procedure for international students.
• Field of study: All subjects are open.
• Study load: You are enrolled for at least 60 ECTS credits. 30 are sufficient if you are completing your degree, writing your dissertation, undertaking a work placement, or are enrolled as a part-time student.
• Progress: You have passed at least 50% of the credit points you earned last year. You can still complete your degree within a further year, or within two years for longer degree programmes.
• No higher degree: You do not yet hold a qualification equivalent to, or higher than, the one you are currently aiming for.
• Financial need: Your household income per person is equal to or less than the minimum social pension, and your family’s liquid assets are less than 240 times the IAS.
• No double funding: You are not currently receiving any other scholarship or financial support, unless such support is clearly insufficient.
• Not for exchange students: You cannot apply if you are currently abroad as part of a mobility or exchange programme.

How to apply

You should submit the application form via Student Support (SASE / SASocial platform), together with a brief description of your situation and the costs for which you require financial assistance. You can apply for the social assistance fund from 25 August to 30 September, or within 20 working days of your enrolment if this takes place later. You can apply for emergency assistance throughout the year, provided funds are available. A social welfare officer will review your documents and arrange an interview with you; you will receive a decision by email within 15 working days.

If you are looking for additional ways to fund your studies, our guide Scholarships in Portugal brings together further scholarships and funding options across Portugal.