Tuition fees at university in Portugal

Public Portuguese universities and polytechnics are free to decide the amount of tuition fees (called "propinas") students have to pay. However, the Ministry of Education establishes a minimum amount that varies each year depending on the minimum national wage rate. According to Portuguese regulations, the minimum amount of tuition fees students are required to pay is 1.3 times the minimum national wage rate. For the year, 2010, the minimum national wage rate amounted to 475 EUR per month.

[View the updates on the minimum average wage rate in Portugal]

In general, tuition fees are higher than the minimum recommended. Full time students enrolled in bachelor's and master's programs are charged an average tuition fee of approximately 950 - 1250 EUR per academic year. For third cycle programs (PhD degrees), the average tuition fee amounts to approximately 2500 - 3000 EUR per academic year.

Tuition fees for part-time students amount to approximately 70% of the full tuition.

Exchange students may be exempted from paying tuition fees at public institutions in Portugal depending on the agreement signed by the Portuguese institution and its counterpart abroad.

Source: Law on Higher Education Funding (Lei de Bases do Financiamento do Ensino Superior - Lei nº 37/2003, de 22 de Agosto).