Scholarships in Portugal

Scholarships

General situation in terms of scholarships

Compared to other major EU countries such as France or Germany, Portugal does not offer a great many government-funded scholarships to its own students, EU students or international students. Scholarships that it does provide are chiefly funded through the DGES, the Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior, or for foreign students through Camões, Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua (Camões, I.P.), which took over the former development-aid institute IPAD in 2012. Portugal is a long-standing member of the EU, so it participates in all EU-derived scholarships, such as the Erasmus Mundus Programme. Although EU regulations prevent Portugal charging different fee structures to students from other EU countries, or refusing fee-payment grants, they may refuse support-scholarships to individuals not already resident in Portugal. The majority of scholarships provided by overseas institutions, public or private, for foreign study, can also be used to study in Portugal.

There are also a number of private and semi-private foundations and institutes which provide scholarships for study in sciences, technology, Portuguese language and Portuguese culture.

Type of scholarships and granting institution

The DGES provides merit-based scholarships for all levels of study in all programmes through public funding. Scholarships for post-graduate study by international students are also available, but many are limited to studies related to Portuguese language and culture. Some are highly specialised, for example for studies in the field of translation and conference interpretation. These scholarships are administered for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Instituto Camões.

Under a plan designed to strengthen Portuguese universities in the areas of transportation, bioengineering, sustainable energy, and engineering design and advanced manufacturing, the government has partnered with overseas universities to provide scholarships for post-graduate programmes in those areas. Additionally, the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) runs an annual, merit-based competition for PhD scholarships (bolsas de doutoramento), open to candidates of any nationality. The scholarship covers tuition fees and pays a monthly maintenance stipend plus social security and insurance contributions for up to four years. Since January 2026 the monthly maintenance stipend for a doctoral scholarship in Portugal has been €1,359.64. For the 2026 call, FCT is awarding 1,600 PhD scholarships (50 more than in 2025): 1,000 through the General Application Line and 600 through the Non-Academic Environment Application Line, with applications open from 2 to 31 March 2026.

Applications for the FCT PhD scholarships are made exclusively online, through the myFCT platform. Applications or documents submitted by any other route are not accepted.

Availability and conditions for getting a scholarship

Conditions and requirements for scholarships vary considerably with the level of the degree and the granting organisation. To study at a Portuguese university, EU, EEA and Swiss students do not require a visa. If they stay for more than 90 days, they must apply for a Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia (CRUE) at their local town hall; there is no multi-year residency requirement before this can be done. International students normally require a visa, which is applied for at the Portuguese embassy in their own country. International students must also have their qualifications recognised as being sufficient to enter the level of programme they are applying for. Insurance for health care is also required; EU students use the European Health Card to access care, which is paid for by their own country. International students may need private insurance, although for developing countries this may be included in the scholarship.

Merit scholarships for general study are awarded by the higher education institutions under DGES rules. The Bolsa por Mérito is worth five times the national minimum monthly wage, which makes €4,600 for 2026/2027, and is awarded for exceptional academic performance regardless of income. In addition, DGES social scholarships are means-tested and have a minimum value of around €871 a year, paid monthly by bank transfer to the student. For 2026/2027 the main application window ran from 14 August to 2 October 2026; later applications are possible until 31 May 2027, with the grant reduced in proportion to the months left. Applications are made online on the DGES BeOn platform, and the on-campus offices of SAS (Serviços de Ação Social) or GAS (Gabinete de Ação Social) help with them.

The social scholarships are awarded on the basis of household income. You can apply if your household’s income per person does not exceed 23 times the Social Support Index (IAS), about €12,354 a year for 2026/2027. The amount you receive depends on your means, so the figure ranges from the minimum up to a higher full-time maximum set each year by the DGES.

Local scholarships for foreign students

There is a one-month scholarship for studies in the field of education paid by the Portuguese government. The Instituto Camões scholarships for study of the Portuguese language and culture have a maximum length of twelve months. The Programa Pessoa scholarship pays a monthly stipend of €650.

Additionally, for students already studying Portuguese at a foreign university, the Programa Curso Anual offers an 8-month scholarship, with the earliest start in October 2026. This pays €450 a month, with a higher first instalment of €825. Applicants must be under 45 years of age. They must have been accepted by the university they wish to study at. Travel costs to Portugal are not covered by government scholarships.

Camões, I.P. also provides scholarships for students from historic Portuguese overseas territories (PALOP and Timor-Leste) to study in Portugal to be future leaders, military officers and educators in their home countries. These scholarships pay a monthly stipend, fees, educational material costs and a settling-in allowance.

Typical scholarships in Portugal

Most local and EU students could apply for the standard government merit-based scholarship. EU students could apply for the wide variety of general EU scholarships and use them for study in Portugal. Foreign students could be eligible for Camões, I.P. scholarships for studies of Portuguese language and culture or, for students from PALOP countries and Timor-Leste, for more general studies, or Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia scholarships for studies in the sciences.