Academia da Força Aérea - Financial support for Master Students in Military Aeronautics

Benefit

You study for free and receive a monthly salary of 226 EUR to 2,333 EUR gross, rising with each year of the programme. The combined bachelor's and master's degree lasts 10 semesters (5 years) for pilots and 12 semesters (6 years) for the other courses. Cadets (students in officer training) earn 226 EUR in year 1, rising to 452 EUR in year 4. From year 5 you are paid as an officer candidate, and in year 6 as a second lieutenant. Pilot students get an extra 300 EUR per month in years 1 to 5 and 600 EUR in year 6.

There are no tuition fees. Accommodation on campus near Sintra, meals, uniforms, study materials and medical care are provided free of charge. You will also receive a 75% discount on train tickets. Upon graduation, you are guaranteed a permanent post as an Air Force officer. The programme is run by the Academia da Força Aérea (AFA), the Portuguese Air Force Academy.

Eligibility

• Courses: You choose one of six courses of study: pilot training, aeronautical engineering, aerodrome engineering, electrical engineering, aviation administration or medicine. Some of the subjects in the fields of engineering, administration and medicine are taught at civilian universities in Lisbon.
• School: You have completed secondary education (12th year). Between 2022 and 2026, you sat the Portuguese national entrance examinations required for your educational pathway and achieved a minimum of 95 points.
• Nationality: You have Portuguese nationality.
• Age: You are under 22 on 31 December of the application year, or under 26 if you already serve in the armed forces.
• Fitness: You must pass physical, medical and psychological tests, as well as an English test at level B1 (intermediate).
• Personal record: You have no previous convictions that are incompatible with military values. You have no visible tattoos on your hands, neck, face or head.
• Previous attempts: You have never been expelled from, or dropped out of, an officer training course run by the Portuguese Armed Forces.

How to apply

Apply online, in person in Lisbon or Porto, or by registered post. The respective application deadlines end 5 working days after the publication of the results of the national selection tests. For this call for applications, this means that the deadlines end on 25 August, 4 September and 23 September. From July to September, you will sit the selection tests: a fitness test, an English test, psychological and medical examinations, a flight test for pilots, and a military aptitude assessment. Half of your ranking is based on your academic average, and the other half on your results in the entrance examination.

If you are considering other ways to fund your studies in Portugal alongside the AFA programme, our guide Scholarships in Portugal brings together further funding options available in the country.