If you're a student looking for an exciting and fascinating locale to spend a term or two studying abroad, you're likely in search of a place that is both cosmopolitan and friendly, both entirely foreign and entirely nonthreatening. To get a sense for where Portugal falls on that sliding scale, let's start with its most renowned city: Lisbon. Lisbon is a likely choice for students looking to study abroad in Portugal.

Reasons to Study in Portugal

1. Cost of Living
Compared to the rest of Western Europe, Portugal is affordable. For under $1000, you can manage fairly well in smaller student cities. Tuition and fees are also reasonably priced, especially for English-taught degrees. Room sharing is also common practice at many universities, so it’s possible to make your study abroad experience in Portugal even more affordable. Another nice feature? Student rates. Students can save up to 50 percent off the costs of museums and historic sites with student IDs. Restaurant life? More than manageable.

2. Coastline
With over 700 miles of coastline, Portugal is a dream for those who love the ocean—and it’s never too far away. Dramatic beaches. Fairytale cliffs. Untouched Atlantic landscapes. It’s worth a visit to see just its sheer beauty. Into watersports? Try scuba diving, surging, body boarding and yachting. Not into water sports? Channel some inner peace and watch the waves.

3. Education
Portugal offers world-class education. Of note in world rankings? The University of Lisbon has a range of studies and locations for any student’s needs. The Universidade Nova de Lisboa has a focus on the humanities and social sciences. At the University of Minho, you can opt for any number of specialty areas including education, economics, arts and sciences, architecture, and engineering

4. Portuguese
Learn it! Not only is it beautiful, its similarities to Spanish and Italian will give you the ability to at least understand the other two languages. Most bachelor’s degrees are taught in Portuguese—but most master’s programs are in English. Either way, learning Portuguese can only benefit you. Think of it as a gateway to northern Africa and South America. Learning the language will also help you adjust not just to studying in a new place, but to learning new the new culture and customs. Listen. Before long, you’ll roll that “r” with the best of them.

5. Weather
It’s perfect. Its Mediterranean climate provides long, hot summers and short, rainy winters. Think of it as spring and summer with a need for a raincoat and a sweater sometimes. If you want to feel like you’re studying in a temperate Shangri-La, then consider Portugal.

6. Food
Among some of the best in Europe and the world—and most off-the-beaten path—the food in Portugal is exquisite. Most dishes center around meat, fish, or eggs—and you can expect some heavy meals. Don’t worry though, “Portuguese tapas” are becoming very popular, so you’ll have a chance to try a variety of food without stuffing yourself.

Put Portugal on your list of places to study abroad if you want a great education, the opportunity to learn a language rich in history and culture, the chance to visit a beautiful place, great friends, great food, and a reasonable cost of living.

Why study in Portugal

Portugal is one of the most favourable countries in Europe for international students. There are several reasons behind choosing Portugal for pursuing higher education degrees. Here we have narrowed down some of the important reasons for studying in Portugal:

1. Excellent universities in Portugal
All over the country, you will find universities which are having a reputation all over the world. The QS world university ranking 2021 has placed 7 Portuguese universities in the list of top universities of the world. These 7 universities are mentioned here:

The University of Lisbon ranked at 357
The University of Porto ranked at =357
Universidade Nova de Lisboa ranked at =428
The University of Coimbra ranked at 431
The University of Aveiro ranked at 581-590
The University of Minho ranked at 591-600
Universidade CatĂłlica Portuguesa - UCP ranked at 801-1000 2. The education system in Portugal
Portugal is a signatory to the Bologna Process. Thus it upholds the standard of Europe in their Higher education. You can obtain all the degree of higher education in Portugal, Bachelor, Masters and PhD. The degree obtained from the University of Portugal will take your career to another level.

3. Learn Portuguese – a global language
If you will study in Portugal you will learn at least some basics of the Portuguese language. If you are successful in learning Portuguese, you will be speaking the world’s 6th most spoken language. Portuguese is the main language in 9 countries and is spoken by over 250 million people in the world.

Knowing the Portuguese language would bring you numerous benefits in your future career since language skills are highly looked after by the employers in this world. This will be a great CV-booster once you graduate and can help you build networks with people in four different continents, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

4. Affordable Tuition Fees in the universities in Portugal
The tuition fees at the Portuguese universities are affordable and also worth it to pay. At public Portuguese universities, tuition fees are around €750 to €1200 per annum. This makes education affordable and accessible to the majority of students all over the world. Private universities charge higher tuition fees than public universities but yet are much affordable than other parts of Europe.

5. The low cost of living in Portugal
Portugal is a relatively cheaper country compared to the rest of Western Europe. This means that if you are on a low budget but want to get quality abroad education, Portugal is the right place for you. You can manage reasonably well in smaller student cities with under $1000. This is one of the biggest reasons to study in Portugal.

6. Scholarships to Study in Portugal
There are several scholarships available for international students in Portugal. These are offered by universities, government and other entities. These are awarded based on financial needs or previous academic results. It helps international students with a waiver in the tuition fees or financial aids. Thus decreasing the overall cost of studying in Portugal.

Not only that, if you are successful in obtaining fully paid scholarships, you can study for free in the country. Isn't it a good idea for international students who cannot afford abroad studies? This is one of the biggest benefits of studying in Portugal.

7. Portugal welcomes foreigners warmly
The Portuguese are known for their reputation for being hospitable. The locals will warmly receive you. Without discriminating between tourists or foreigners from local people, this country looks at each visitor as a welcome guest. They will also help you and assist you throughout your stay in Portugal. Isn’t it amazing? With this welcoming culture, you will easily get adjusted in this new country.

8. It opens up doors for your future
If you study in Portugal, you will have the rights over plenty of opportunities. While studying in Portugal, you will find many start-ups and small companies who would welcome you to join their team. No matter, what language you speak, it is a language that will be beneficial to these companies to grow across the world.

After obtaining a degree in Portugal, you will be open to plenty of opportunities. Doors for the career enhancement will be open to you in both, the local start-up scene and in larger international businesses. Study in Portugal for Indian students and other international students will bring a bright future.

9. Study in Portugal in English
Though Portuguese is the principal language in Portuguese, you can still find courses which are taught in English. Many Private universities offer courses taught in English, especially at the postgraduate level. So you don’t need to worry if you are not fluent enough in the Portuguese language. You will still have the opportunity to study in Portugal.

10. Study in Portugal without IELTS
Yes, this is great news, right? Even if you don’t appear for the IELTS, you can get a chance to get admission in a Portuguese university. Several colleges in Portugal do not ask for the IELTS if your previous education was completed in the English language. This is one of the major advantages to those who want to study abroad without appearing for IELTS.

11. Study and work in Portugal
International Students are allowed to work part-time during their studies in Portugal. They can work for up to 40 hours during their semester. They can also get the opportunity to work for more hours during the holiday and in the summer months. To work during your studies in Portugal you will need authorization from the SEF. This can be a great benefit for you to cover some of your living expenses while studying in Portugal.

Education system in Portugal

Portugal is a signatory to the Bologna Process. Thus it upholds the standard of Europe in Higher education. You can obtain all the higher education degrees in Portugal. Here are the details of it.

• Bachelor in Portugal for international students
Both universities and polytechnics offer bachelor’s degrees in Portugal. To study at the Bachelor's level in Portugal, International students need to present a transcript of upper secondary education, and must also pass an entrance exam. You can obtain your degree in six to eight semesters or three to four years of study. You can even study a bachelor's degree in Portugal in English.

• Masters in Portugal for international students
To study master's in Portugal, applicants will need to possess a relevant bachelors or equivalent diploma. You can also find English-taught masters in Portugal. You will need to attend 3 to 4 semesters or 1 to 2 years, for obtaining a master’s degree. However, some more professional programs such as medicine or law can take a longer period of study.

• PhD in Portugal for international students
PhD degrees in Portugal can be obtained at universities and university institutes. These are independent research degrees supervised by academics who are experts in their fields. Students pursuing PhD are required to publicly defend their thesis at the end of their study program. PhD in Portuguese universities can take up to three years of study and research.



Portugal Universities Admission

The admission process of Portuguese universities is not at all complicated for international students. You will be required to fill up the online application form for the course and university you choose to apply to. You need to present the following documents to study abroad in Portugal:

• A completed application form.
• Proof that you passed the entrance examination.
• A recognised declaration certificate on completion of high school or Bachelor’s degree.
• Transcripts of previous education.
• Statement of purpose or Motivation letter stating your purpose of applying to a particular course in a particular university.
• 2-3 Letter of Recommendation.
• Receipt of payment of application fee which is around 50 Euros.
• Portfolio required for some degrees such as fashion degrees
Different institutions have different admission requirements. So, make sure to check the courses and university requirements before you start applying.



List of College / Universities in Portugal :

1. University of Lisbon
2. ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and
3. Porto Business School
4. University of Coimbra
5. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
6. University of Porto



Cost of Study in Portugal

Universities in Portugal are considered some of the affordable universities of Europe. As it is the case with most of the countries, the public universities to Study in Portugal are more affordable than private universities for most of the cases. The public universities would cost 1,200 to 1,400 euros a year for a Masters or postgraduate course, while doctorate courses would be around 3,500 to 4,000 euros a year. MBA in Portugal Fees can be anywhere between 13,000 euros to 35,000 euros depending on the course and University. Tuition Fees for the private universities to Study in Portugal vary with the course, university and the location you choose to study at.