Portugal 2013/14 - student fees and grants

National student fee

The annual tuition fee for 1st cycle courses, integrated 2nd cycle courses (mestrados integrados) and for 2nd cycle courses (mestrados) that are legally needed after the 1st cycle course for the practice of a specific profession is fixed by each public higher education institution and range from EUR 630.50 to EUR 1 065.72.

For other cases in the 2nd cycle courses, tuition fee is fixed freely by public higher education institutions.

The minimum value of the above fees is calculated as a 1.3 times the national minimum wage at the beginning of each school year. The maximum wage value is updated every year according to the rate of inflation. The most institutions adopt the maximum value.

International students pay higher fees than national students.

Student grants

Student grants can be need or merit based.

Eligibility for need-based scholarships is determined by the income of the student and his family. Need-based grants amount vary between EUR 1 065.72 and 5 677.14 (2013/14).

Merit-based grants amount is EUR 2 415 (2013/14).

Loans

There is a special loan scheme for higher education students at low rates, with government guarantee. In 2011/12, 3.66 % of all students enrolled took out the loan.

Tax benefit for student's parents

Tax benefits for parents are provided through tax deduction on educational expenses.

Family allowances

Family allowance – child benefit – is granted to families with sons/daughters enrolled in higher education, less than 24 years old when the household income does not exceed 1.5 times social support index times 14 (2013: EUR 8 803.62) and when the family assets are less than 240 times social support index (2013: EUR 100 612.80).