Lisbon 25th July, 2022: This Monday (25th), registrations were opened for the “national competition” that gives access to public higher education in Portugal. In this school year, scheduled to start in September, 54,361 places are offered, an increase of 2.6% compared to the previous competition.
According to the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGE), citizens from outside the European Union (EU), such as Brazilians, can also apply for opportunities. The requirement is that they have completed, on January 1, 2022, at least two years of uninterrupted residence in Portugal with a Residence Permit (AR). Those who have the Statute of Equality and Rights, an agreement between the Portuguese and Brazilian governments, granted to those who have a valid AR, can also participate.
It is still mandatory to have a high school completion certificate valid in the country and to have taken the national exams, similar to the National High School Exam (Enem) in the last two years. As the process is carried out in stages, it is also necessary for the student to have requested the registration password in the month of April. With this number, it is possible to access the DGE website and apply, which are exclusively digital. The portal also contains a guide, with a step-by-step guide on the process.
Some courses and universities have specific prerequisites, which must be consulted directly at the institutions. As with Enem, approval occurs through grades, with cut-off marks being required in some courses, such as Medicine.
Applications are open until August 8th. With the vacancies that are not filled, the second phase is opened, from September 12 to September 23, followed by the third phase, from October 7 to October 11 with the last remaining registrations.
The difference in public university education between Portugal and Brazil is the monthly fee, which varies according to the educational institution and course. In the Portuguese country, they are called “kickbacks”, which means “contribution”. The Law course at the University of Lisbon, for example, costs 697.00 euros per year, and can be divided into 10 installments of 69.70 euros.
For those who still reside in Brazil and intend to study in Portugal, the procedure is different, with a special competition being held, which has not yet been announced this year. Each Portuguese university, public or private, can allocate a maximum of 30% of its vacancies to so-called international students. The monthly fee is higher for those who enter through this modality, and can cost up to four times more, according to Portuguese legislation.