Do you want to study in Europe but not in the UK? Then, you should try Portugal. Don’t make that face. Portugal is a great study destination in Europe.
For one, the weather is not as freezing as in the UK. Their schools are top-notch but quite affordable. Also, the cost of living in Portugal is relatively cheap compared to other European countries. And guess what? You don’t need proof of English proficiency to study in Portugal. Yes! No IELTS or TOEFL! How good can it get?
Even if you feel you still can’t afford it, there are many scholarships for international students in Portugal offered by both government and private institutions. In this article, we’ve curated a list of schools with fully funded scholarships for international students in Portugal.
Are you ready to dig into this goldmine?
Get your notepad and keep reading.
13 Schools with Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students in Portugal
Here’s a comprehensive list of schools with fully funded scholarships for international students in Portugal.
1. 200 Merit Undergraduate International Scholarships in Portugal
Scholarship Value: €1000-€2000
Target Program: Undergraduate
Awarding Institution: University of Coimbra
The Merit Undergraduate International Scholarship is one of the best scholarships in Portugal. It’s targeted at helping brilliant international students who cannot afford the cost of getting a Bachelor’s degree in Portugal. Also, it is sponsored by the University of Coimbra in Portugal, one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in the year 1290.
The scholarship is open to international schools from different countries. Its value is €1000-€2000, which covers part of your tuition. To be a recipient of the scholarship, you must score at least 160 points or above in the school’s entrance examination.
2. University of Porto Scholarships
Scholarship Value: Partial/Full Funding
Target Program: All Levels
Awarding Institution: University of Porto
The University of Porto is one of the top-ranking Portuguese institutions offering scholarship opportunities to international students in Portugal. These scholarship opportunities are fully and partially funded, depending on your academic level.
Regardless of your academic level, there is something for you at the University of Porto. Bachelor, Master’s, and Ph.D. students all get the chance to apply for a scholarship. These scholarships include scientific scholarships, SASUP scholarships, Merits Scholarships, and other forms of funding and support.
i. SASUP Scholarships
This scholarship is open to all students enrolled in undergraduate, Master’s integrated Master’s programs. It is offered by the Social Services of the University of Porto. It’s a fully funded scholarship that covers your accommodation, feeding, transportation, and other living expenses in Portugal.
ii. Merit Scholarship
Asides from other regular funding opportunities, the University of Porto also awards merit scholarships to outstanding international students. Each faculty is responsible for selecting students deserving of the scholarship. If you want to win the merit scholarships, you must study hard to come out top of your class.
iii. Scientific Scholarship
This is another scholarship sponsored by the University of Porto. It is a research scholarship for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. The aim is to assist international students in getting scientific and technological training to aid their research work.
3. Carnegie Mellon Portugal Ph.D. Scholarships
Scholarship Value: Full Tuition
Target Program: Postgraduate
Awarding Institution: Carnegie Mellon University.
This scholarship is sponsored in partnership with Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). It is exclusive for international students enrolled in a Doctorate program at Carnegie Mellon University. Needless to say, you can only be eligible for the scholarship application if you’ve completed your Master’s degree and have stellar academic records.
The interest of the Carnegie scholarship is to promote Information and Communications Technology (ICT). As such, they give preference to individuals studying Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Robotics, Language Technologies, Engineering and Public Policy, and Human-Computer Interaction. The duration of these courses is usually four years. If you are an IT guru, don’t hesitate to hop on this one.
12 international students are selected each year from the large pool of applications. You will be judged based on the quality of your application. If you are one of the lucky winners, your tuition fees will be paid in full for four years. Yes o! It is fully funded!
That’s not all. In addition to studying at Carnegie Mellon University, you will also be hosted by the Portuguese University for 12 months to learn from their research team at the University Campus in Pittsburgh. This way, you get a taste of both worlds.
4. SAHC International Masters Programme Scholarship
Scholarship Value: Partial Funding
Target Program: Master’s Degree
Awarding Organisation: SAHC Consortium
SAHC offers an advanced education program on the engineering of conservation of structures, focusing on architectural heritage. Its scholarship program is open to international Master’s students from any country in the world. 20 lucky applicants are selected each year.
5. University of Aveiro Portugal International Scholarships
Scholarship Value: €1000
Target Program: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree
Awarding Institution: University of Aveiro, Portugal
The University of Aveiro is the most prominent in Aveiro, Portugal. Each year, the school creates scholarship opportunities for international students who qualify but can’t afford the tuition fees. The scholarship is open to all international students applying for a Master’s program, regardless of their nationality.
This scholarship is worth €1000, which covers part of your tuition fees. To be a recipient of the scholarship, you must score 14 and above in the admission exam and enroll for a full-time Master’s course at the university. Selection is based on 5% of the total admission spots for each Master’s program.
6. Learn Africa Scholarships in Spain & Portugal
Scholarship Value: Fully Funded
Target Program: All Levels
Awarding Organisation: Learn Africa
The Learn Africa scholarships are targeted at helping exceptional African female international students looking to further their studies in Portugal or Spain. Their aim is to train African women at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels through collaborative efforts.
7. Gilman-FLAD Portugal Scholarship
Scholarship Value: Partial Tuition
Target Program: Undergraduate
Awarding Organisation: Luso-American Development Foundation
The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to make Portugal a learning haven for international students, specifically from the United States. The scholarship program is in partnership with Luso-American Development Foundation, a private Portuguese philanthropic foundation. Each semester, €10,000 is allocated for partial funding scholarships. If you are a lucky applicant, you will receive a $500 or $1000 grant every semester.
8. University of Minho Scholarships
Scholarship Value: Fully Funded
Target Program: All Levels
Awarding Institution: University of Minho
Scholarship Type: Fully Funded scholarship
The University of Minho offers a range of scholarships to international students. It is one of the top scholarship opportunities for international students in Portugal. It is sponsored by the European Social Fund and the Portuguese state under POPH. This scholarship is exclusively for international students from the European Union and has various categories for you to explore.
There is a category for low-income students who can’t afford the tuition fees. Then there is also the merit award for international students with outstanding academic performance. In addition to that, there is a scholarship exclusive to international students enrolling in a Ph.D. program at the University of Minho.
Here’s a breakdown of the categories.
i. University of Minho’s Excellence Scholarships: An annual academic fee granted to the best student of each academic year.
ii. University of Minho’s Social Program Scholarship: For students from low-income households.
iii. The University of Minho’s Academic Merit Award: For outstanding g students benefiting from the school’s social programs.
iv. UMinho’s Emergency Social Fund: Cash benefit grants used to help students experiencing economic and social constraints.
v. Almedina Award: An annual award to the best student benefitting
vi. Lions Clube de Braga: 50 annual scholarships for disadvantaged students at the University of Minho
Others include:
- University of Minho’s Day Award
- Caixa Geral de Depósitos Award
- Câmara Municipal de Braga Award
- Câmara Municipal de Guimarães Award
- AIMinho Indústria/Empresa Award
- Civil Engineering Scholarships
- EEUM External Merit Awards
The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher education regulates the application guidelines and selection process for these awards. Don’t forget to put your best foot forward.
9. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship
Scholarship Value: Full Tuition
Target Program: Master’s Degree
Awarding Institution: Higher Education Institutions (HEI)
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship is focused on international students or foreigners interested in enrolling in a master’s degree program in any higher Institution in Portugal.
This scholarship is designed and administered in partnership with higher education institutions (HEI). It aims to build peace and internationalization between EU and non-EU-based nations. Thereby, encouraging more interesting students to study in European Union (EU) nations.
To qualify for the scholarship, you must enroll in your Master’s program at a Portuguese university. You must also show proof of completing your Bachelor’s degree. Beneficiaries of the scholarship are selected based on merit. You can win this scholarship if you perform excellently in your undergraduate study.
It is a fully funded scholarship that covers your tuition fees, travel, and living expenses throughout your study period.
10. University of Lisbon Scholarship
Scholarship Value: Partial Funding
Target Program: Doctoral Degree
Awarding Institution: University of Lisbon
The University of Lisbon is big on promoting scientific research. That is why the school grants scholarships to outstanding international students to help them complete their scientific or technological research projects.
They launched this doctoral degree scholarship program in 2015 with the aim of helping students integrate into the corporate framework. The scholarship covers part of your tuition for your Doctoral program and you can renew it for three years.
11. University of Coimbra Scholarships
Scholarship Value: Partial/Full Funding
Target Program: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree
Awarding Institution: University of Coimbra
The University of Coimbra opens its doors to international students from more than 100 countries across the globe. It offers scholarship opportunities and financial support to help international students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The aim is to improve their living conditions and study experiences, regardless of their course.
They award the merit scholarship to undergraduates based on their academic performance. The higher your grades, the higher your chances of winning the scholarship. If you score 160 points and above in the entrance exam, you will €1000-€2000. This amount covers part of your tuition for the duration of your study, from the first to the final year.
Here’s where it gets interesting. If you score 180 points and above in the admission exam and can prove you don’t have the financial capacity to pay your tuition fee, you will get a complete tuition exemption. That is 100% free tuition-fully funded! They call it the extraordinary merit scholarship!
If you are enrolling in a master’s program, you can apply for the scholarship worth €2000. They call it the scholarship for the promotion of scientific research and output for Master’s programs. The scholarship covers part of your tuition fees for the duration of your Master’s program.
12. Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Nova School of Business and Economics Scholarships
Scholarship Value: 50% Tuition Waiver
Target Program: MBA Program
Awarding Organisation: The Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics and Nova School of Business and Economics
The Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, in partnership with the Nova School of Business and Economics, offers scholarships to international students enrolled in an MBA program. The MBA program runs for one year and aims to teach managerial skills needed in the contemporary business world. The scholarship provides a 50% discount on tuition fees.
To be a recipient of the scholarship, you must have stellar academic and professional records. You must also prove that you don’t have the financial capacity to pay your tuition fees. The scholarship committee will conduct an interview to determine the best candidates for the scholarship.
13. Portuguese Government Scholarships
Scholarship Value: Partial/ Full Tuition
Target Program: All Levels
Awarding Organisation: Portuguese Government
Last but not least on our list of the Portuguese government. What does the government have to do with this? We’ll tell you. Not all fully funded scholarships for international students in Portugal are provided by the school or private organisations. The Portuguese government sponsors some scholarship opportunities.
The Portuguese government offers grants exclusively to international students enrolled in a language course. For instance, the Institute Camoes gives a 12-month scholarship to international students studying language, education, and culture. The grant consists of €450 and £375, which you will receive at the beginning of the scholarship.
That’s not all. The Portuguese Institute for Development, Apoioao (Instituto Português de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento) gives scholarships to international students from countries that were previously part of the Portuguese territory. These countries are Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé, Príncipe, and Equatorial Guinea. The scholarship covers all your bills, including tuition fees, accommodation, study materials, and books. They even give you a monthly stipend in addition to all this. Isn’t that great?
Conclusion
Now, you know the school’s offering fully funded scholarships to international students in Portugal. The next step is to roll up your sleeves and start applying. Studying abroad may be financially intensive, but don’t let money stop you from achieving your dreams.
You must have excellent grades in your previous academic program to increase your chances of winning any otherwise fully funded scholarship for international students in Portugal. Don’t roll your eyes at us. It is what it is. When we said your GPA is a critical factor in gaining admission to study abroad, we weren’t joking. Well, there is still time to take your studies seriously. You can download our Effiko GPA Calculator to calculate and track your grades. It is fast, accurate, and easy to navigate.
In addition to having good grades, you must submit a well-written statement of purpose that vividly states reasons for applying for your preferred course. It should also highlight your academic prowess, leadership roles, social work, and achievements.
If you need help with writing your statement of purpose, take advantage of our writing services.
Do you need further guidance on how to apply for scholarships to study abroad? Schedule a call with our career advisors today.