Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior - Bolsas de Estudo para Estudantes do Ensino Superior

What you get

You receive a yearly grant that you do not have to pay back. It helps cover the cost of studying in Portugal. The amount depends on your household income: it is the gap between a reference ceiling and your income per household member, with a minimum of 887.50 EUR per year. Lower-income households get a higher grant. For example, if your family earns around 5,000 EUR per person, the grant works out at roughly 1,618 EUR. The grant covers one academic year, so you reapply each year. It comes from the Direcao-Geral do Ensino Superior (DGES), the Portuguese higher education authority.

Several extras can be added on top. From 2026-2027, first-time students from low-income households can also get a one-off incentive payment of 1,074.26 EUR. If you study away from home, you get a monthly housing allowance of 161.14 EUR for a student hall or private room, a transport allowance of 25 EUR per month (up to 250 EUR per year), and if you come from the islands, a return flight.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You study at a public or private higher education institution in Portugal, on a short-cycle course (CTeSP/TeSP), a Licenciatura (bachelor), or a Mestrado (master).
• Study phase: This is your first enrolment in that study cycle. Recent graduates in a compulsory professional traineeship can also apply, within 24 months of finishing.
• Study load: You are enrolled in at least 30 ECTS credits. From your second year on, you must have passed at least 36 ECTS if you were taking 36 or more.
• Financial need: Your household income per person is no more than about 12,354 EUR per year (23 times the IAS benchmark). The household's assets, excluding the family home, are below about 128,911 EUR.
• Tax status: You have no unpaid tax or social security debts.
• Nationality: You are a Portuguese citizen, an EU citizen with permanent residence in Portugal, a non-EU national with long-term or permanent residence (or from a country with a cooperation agreement), or a stateless person or recognised refugee. Students under the separate 'international student' regime generally cannot apply.

How to apply

You apply online through the DGES platform BeOn. The main window for 2026-2027 runs from 14 August to 2 October 2026. If you enrol later, you have 20 working days from enrolment. A late window runs to 31 May 2027, but the grant is then reduced. A decision usually comes within 30 working days, or 3 to 5 days for automatic awards.