Scholarships in Portugal for expats and international students

If you are planning a move for university, start your scholarship search early. Some awards are competitive, some are partial, and some are only open to specific programs or institutions. This guide explains the real options, who they suit, and how to build a practical funding plan.

Key takeaways

• Portugal doesn’t have one national scholarship for everyone; funding comes through separate routes (DGES, FCT, Camões, Erasmus/Erasmus Mundus, university awards) that each have their own rules, deadlines, and eligible applicants.
• Eligibility depends heavily on your nationality, residency status, admissions route, and degree level; two students at the same university can qualify for very different funding.
• International students entering under Portugal’s international student regime are generally limited to indirect social support, not the direct DGES cash bolsa, except in humanitarian emergency cases.
• Funding tends to be stronger at the doctoral level, mainly through FCT, while undergraduate and master’s students more often rely on university awards, Erasmus funding, or partial tuition support.
• “Funded” doesn’t always mean “fully funded”; always confirm exactly what a specific award covers (tuition, stipend, travel, insurance, visa costs) before relying on it.
• Even with a scholarship, most students still need to budget for visa costs, deposits, flights, translations, and daily expenses before the first payment arrives.

What scholarships are available in Portugal?

Portugal’s scholarship landscape is more fragmented than it first appears. Instead of one national award for everyone, there are different routes depending on your study level, university, and legal status.

The main scholarship categories are government-linked support, university awards, exchange funding, doctoral research funding, and bilateral or private opportunities. Each one serves a different audience, so the first step is to match your profile to the right route.

Government, exchange, and research funding routes

Portugal’s official funding landscape includes DGES support, FCT doctoral studentships, Camões scholarships, and Erasmus-style funding. These are not interchangeable; each program has its own rules, deadlines, and application process.

DGES is the main reference point for student grants and social support. FCT is especially relevant for PhD candidates and research-focused applicants, with calls typically opening twice a year. Camões supports specific Portuguese-language and bilateral opportunities, largely tied to cooperation agreements with CPLP countries (Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and others) rather than open to all nationalities. 

Erasmus-style funding covers two different things, so it’s worth not mixing them up. A semester abroad or internship falls under general mobility funding, coordinated through Portugal’s national Erasmus+ agency. A full joint master’s degree, taught across two or more countries with one combined qualification, falls under Erasmus Mundus instead, managed centrally at EU level with its own catalogue and consortium. Applications typically run October to January, and you apply directly to the consortium, not to Portugal specifically. See the Erasmus Mundus catalogue for current listings.

University and private scholarship examples

Universities in Portugal often run their own scholarships and funding schemes. Examples include the University of Porto, NOVA, and the University of Coimbra; each may publish awards on faculty or admissions pages rather than a single funding page, so check both the main website and the school or department page. These awards can include tuition discounts, merit scholarships, or program-specific funding, and coverage varies widely, so check both the main website and your specific faculty page for the exact degree and intake year you’re applying to.

Who can actually get a scholarship in Portugal?

This is where many guides oversimplify. In Portugal, scholarship eligibility depends heavily on nationality, residency status, admissions route, and degree level.

That means two students applying to the same university may have very different funding options. A student from the EU, a resident student, and a non-EU international applicant should each check different rules before assuming they qualify.

EU, resident, and international-student rules

DGES guidance distinguishes between different student categories. In general, students entering under the international student regime are not eligible for direct social support, except in specific humanitarian situations or other limited cases defined by official rules.

That does not mean international students have no options. It means they need to look beyond broad “Portugal government scholarship” claims and instead check university, research, exchange, or bilateral routes.

Before applying, ask:

• Am I applying as an EU student, resident student, or international student?
• Does this scholarship explicitly mention my status?
• Is the funding tied to a specific university or program?

Undergraduate, master’s, and PhD differences

Funding tends to be stronger at the doctoral level than at the undergraduate or master’s level. PhD applicants may find more structured options through FCT or research-linked funding.

For undergraduate and master’s students, the picture is often more mixed. University awards, Erasmus funding, and partial tuition support are common, but fully funded offers are less common and usually more competitive.

In practical terms, this means:

• Undergraduates should focus on university and exchange opportunities.
• Master’s students should check faculty and program-level awards.
• PhD applicants should look early at FCT and research supervisor pages.

How to build the right scholarship shortlist

Start by narrowing your search based on your own profile: nationality, residency status, intended degree, subject area, and preferred university. From there, build a shortlist of the most relevant official pages. Do not rely on generic scholarship roundups alone, since many are outdated or too broad to be useful.

Best places to check first

A practical order of research is:

1. Official Portuguese bodies such as DGES, FCT, or Camões
2. The university’s international office or funding page
3. The specific program page for your degree
4. Exchange or mobility portals if you are studying through a partner institution

This step-by-step approach helps you avoid missed deadlines or applying for funding that does not match your status.

How to apply for scholarships in Portugal

Scholarship applications in Portugal usually run separately from university admissions. In some cases, you must first be admitted to a course. In others, funding is part of the application itself. The safest approach is to work backwards from the deadline. Check the scholarship rules first, then gather documents, then confirm whether your university admission and visa timeline still leaves enough room.

Documents you will usually need

Most scholarship applications ask for:

• Academic transcripts
• Diplomas or graduation certificates
• Certified translations, if required
• Proof of language ability
• Motivation letter
• CV (curriculum vitae)
• Reference letters
• Research proposal for PhD routes

Exact requirements vary, so always check the official page. Some awards may also require an apostille, certified copies, or proof of admission. The DGES social-support bolsa, by contrast, is assessed on household financial status rather than academic merit, and asks for a different document set entirely: your Cartão de Cidadão (or NIF and NISS numbers), the household’s prior-year IRS tax declaration, IMI property tax records if applicable, and bank account balances as of the previous December 31. Full details are on the official DGES page.

Typical scholarship timeline in Portugal

Deadlines vary by program, but the yearly pattern is usually similar. University and exchange scholarships often open in spring to early summer, with admissions and funding decisions typically moving quickly over the summer. Some programs, especially local awards, still accept applications into autumn. Doctoral research funding tends to follow its own separate schedule rather than this general pattern.

If your scholarship is linked to a visa, start early. Scholarship timing and visa timing don’t always match, and that gap can create delays if you leave everything until the last minute.

What costs scholarships may cover in Portugal

Not all scholarships are equal. Some cover tuition only, others offer a monthly stipend, and a few include travel or accommodation support. Before you apply, read the award terms carefully. The word ‘funded’ doesn’t always mean ‘fully funded.’

What scholarships often cover

Depending on the route, scholarships in Portugal may help with:

• Tuition or propina
• Living costs
• Research expenses
• Mobility or travel support
• Accommodation assistance
• Health insurance or similar required costs

FCT, Erasmus-style routes, and some university awards are more likely to include a living allowance. Tuition-only awards are also common, especially at university level.

What readers may still need to pay themselves

Even with funding, many students still need to budget for visa or residence costs, initial rent and deposits, flights, translation and certification fees, and everyday transport and living expenses before the first payment arrives.

This is where financial planning matters. Students often use local bank accounts or cross-border payment tools to bridge the gap between arrival and their first scholarship payment.

Using a Wise account to manage money for study in Portugal

A scholarship can reduce your costs, but confirm exactly what it includes before you rely on it to fund your move. Tuition, stipend, travel, insurance, and visa-related costs are the categories most often left out or only partially covered, even in awards described as ‘funded.’ You may still need support from family, fees paid from abroad, or money held in euros before you arrive.

That is one reason some students use a Wise account. It can be a practical way to move and manage money across currencies while studying in Portugal, especially if your scholarship is partial or paid in stages. For example, you might receive a scholarship installment and also top up your budget with support from home without dealing with repeated expensive conversions.