Penafiel Municipality - Higher Education Scholarship for students living in Penafiel

Penafiel higher education scholarship

You will receive about 261 EUR per month for 10 months, in line with the academic year. The amount is equal to half the ‘Indexante dos Apoios Sociais’ (IAS), a Portuguese reference rate for social benefits, at the level applicable at the time of your application. You may renew the grant each year until you complete your studies, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria and progress to the next academic year. The Penafiel Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal de Penafiel) awards 10 of these grants per academic year to local students in need of financial support.

Who can apply

• Where you live: You have been living in the municipality of Penafiel for at least 5 years.
• Study level: You are enrolled in a higher education course (university, polytechnic or other recognised higher institution) in Portugal.
• No degree yet: You do not yet hold a bachelor’s degree, an integrated master’s degree or a higher qualification.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Nationality: Open to all nationalities; what matters is where you live.
• Financial need: Your household income per person does not exceed the IAS threshold at the time of the call (approximately 522 EUR per month in 2025).
• No double funding: You will not receive any other scholarship or equivalent benefit.

If more people qualify than there are places available, priority will first be given to applicants with the lowest per capita household income, then to those with more siblings who are also studying, followed by those with better marks in their final year of school, and finally those who live furthest away from their university.

How to apply

You can apply for this online via the local authority’s education portal between 1 and 31 October. First, you need to register on the portal and wait until the local authority has confirmed your account. You can then submit the application form together with your supporting documents. The same form applies to both initial applications and renewals.

How realistic are your chances?

The local authority awards 10 grants per school year. The sources do not indicate how many people apply.