Município de Lagoa - Higher Education Scholarship for students living in Lagoa

Lagoa higher education scholarship

You will receive a monthly grant of up to 50% of the Portuguese minimum wage if you are studying in the Algarve, or a up to 70% of the minimum wage if you are studying full-time elsewhere in Portugal. The exact amount is set by the local council each year. The grant covers the 10 months of the academic year. It is paid in a single instalment once the final ranking list has been confirmed. The funding comes from the Lagoa local authority (Município de Lagoa) in the Algarve, which supports local students facing financial difficulties. The grant is not automatically renewed, so you must reapply for it every year.

Who can apply

• Where you live: You have been living in the Lagoa district for more than 3 years. This includes any time you moved there to study.
• Financial need: Your household income per person is no more than 70% of the Portuguese minimum wage.
• Degree: You are currently completing or starting a Bachelor’s degree (Licenciatura), an integrated Master’s programme, a PhD programme or a higher technical vocational training programme.
• Where you study: Any officially recognised public, private or cooperative higher education institution throughout Portugal, both on the mainland and on the islands.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• No existing degree: You do not yet hold a qualification at the level for which you are applying, in any subject area.
• Grades: Please state your results from the previous year. First-time applicants should state their final secondary school grade.
• No debts: You owe the Lagoa Town Council nothing.
• Nationality: You are a Portuguese national or a foreign national with lawful residence status in Portugal.

How to apply

You can submit your application online via the local authority’s service portal (you will need to register first) or in person at the ‘Balcão Único’, the local authority’s central service desk in Lagoa. For 2025/2026, the application window runs from 13 October to 21 November 2025. A municipal panel will then review the applications and publish a provisional ranking list. You may lodge an appeal against this before the final list is confirmed.

How realistic are your chances?

In each funding round, up to 15 scholarships are awarded for Bachelor’s or higher-level technical degree programmes, up to 5 for Master’s degree programmes, 1 for doctoral programmes, and up to 15 continuation grants for students who are already receiving funding.

If you are weighing up other ways to fund your studies in Portugal, our guide Scholarships in Portugal brings together further scholarships and funding options across the country.