{"id":14764,"date":"2026-11-03T22:07:05","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T22:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/portugal-university-fees-residents\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T22:07:05","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T22:07:05","slug":"portugal-university-fees-residents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/portugal-university-fees-residents\/","title":{"rendered":"Portugal university fees for international students: do residents&#8217; children pay them?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re moving to Portugal with children who&#8217;ll be at university in a few years, you&#8217;ve seen the two numbers. <strong>Locals pay a few hundred euros a year. Foreigners pay thousands.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The question is <strong>which of those you&#8217;ll pay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Your child pays the national fee if two things are true:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You&#8217;ve lived in Portugal legally for more than two years<\/strong>, without a break, by 1 January of the year your child starts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your child lives here legally with you.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then your child isn&#8217;t an &#8220;international student&#8221; at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-sum\">\n<style>\n.nm-sum,.nm-flow,.nm-qs,.nm-dep,.nm-cost,.nm-stg{font-family:inherit;margin:34px 0 38px;}\n.nm-sum{background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #F2E6BE;border-left:5px solid #F5C518;border-radius:0 18px 18px 0;padding:24px 28px;}\n.nm-k{font-size:12.5px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#8a6d00;margin:0 0 14px;}\n.nm-sum ul,.nm-qs ol{margin:0;padding:0;list-style:none;}\n.nm-sum li{position:relative;padding-left:26px;margin:0 0 11px;font-size:16.5px;line-height:1.55;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-sum li:last-child{margin-bottom:0;}\n.nm-sum li:before{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:4px;top:9px;width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;}\n.nm-flow{position:relative;padding-left:4px;}\n.nm-fs{display:grid;grid-template-columns:44px 1fr;gap:0 18px;position:relative;padding-bottom:26px;}\n.nm-fs:last-child{padding-bottom:0;}\n.nm-fs:not(:last-child):after{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:21px;top:46px;bottom:4px;width:2px;background:#E3E7EF;}\n.nm-fn{width:44px;height:44px;border-radius:50%;background:#1B2A4A;color:#F5C518;font-weight:700;font-size:18px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}\n.nm-ft{font-size:17.5px;font-weight:700;color:#1B2A4A;margin:9px 0 5px;line-height:1.35;}\n.nm-fd{font-size:16px;line-height:1.6;color:#3d4c6b;margin:0 0 9px;}\n.nm-chip{display:inline-block;font-size:13.5px;font-weight:600;padding:5px 12px;border-radius:999px;background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-chip.g{background:#FFFBF0;border-color:#F2E6BE;color:#8a6d00;}\n.nm-qs{background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:18px;padding:24px 28px;}\n.nm-qs .nm-k{color:#5a6b8c;}\n.nm-qs li{display:grid;grid-template-columns:30px 1fr;gap:12px;margin:0 0 14px;font-size:16.5px;line-height:1.5;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:600;}\n.nm-qs li:last-child{margin-bottom:0;}\n.nm-qs li span{width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:8px;background:#fff;border:1px solid #C9D0DC;color:#00B67A;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-dep{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:16px;}\n.nm-dc{border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:16px;padding:20px 22px;background:#fff;}\n.nm-dc.y{background:#1B2A4A;border-color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-dc h4{margin:0 0 4px;font-size:18px;color:#1B2A4A;font-family:inherit;}\n.nm-dc.y h4{color:#fff;}\n.nm-dc .w{font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5a6b8c;margin:0 0 12px;}\n.nm-dc.y .w{color:#F5C518;}\n.nm-dc p{font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.55;margin:0;color:#3d4c6b;}\n.nm-dc.y p{color:rgba(255,255,255,.85);}\n.nm-cost{border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:18px;overflow:hidden;}\n.nm-cost .nm-ch{background:#1B2A4A;color:#fff;padding:18px 24px;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;}\n.nm-cost .nm-ch span{color:#F5C518;}\n.nm-cg{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(4,1fr);}\n.nm-ci{padding:20px 22px;border-right:1px solid #E3E7EF;}\n.nm-ci:last-child{border-right:0;}\n.nm-ci .v{font-size:24px;font-weight:700;color:#1B2A4A;line-height:1.2;}\n.nm-ci .l{font-size:14px;line-height:1.45;color:#5a6b8c;margin-top:6px;}\n.nm-stg{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(5,1fr);gap:10px;counter-reset:s;}\n.nm-sg{background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:14px;padding:16px 14px;position:relative;}\n.nm-sg:before{counter-increment:s;content:counter(s);display:flex;width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;align-items:center;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:10px;}\n.nm-sg b{display:block;font-size:15.5px;color:#1B2A4A;line-height:1.35;margin-bottom:4px;}\n.nm-sg small{font-size:13.5px;line-height:1.45;color:#5a6b8c;display:block;}\n.nm-stg-note{grid-column:1\/-1;font-size:14.5px;color:#5a6b8c;margin-top:4px;}\n.nm-flow p,.nm-qs p,.nm-sum p,.nm-dc p,.nm-cost p{margin-top:0!important;}\n.nm-flow .nm-ft{margin:9px 0 4px!important;}\n.nm-flow .nm-fd{margin:0 0 8px!important;}\n.entry-content ul.wp-block-list,.entry-content ol.wp-block-list{margin:6px 0 26px;padding-left:22px;}\n.entry-content ul.wp-block-list li,.entry-content ol.wp-block-list li{font-size:17px;line-height:1.6;margin:0 0 10px;padding-left:4px;}\n.entry-content ul.wp-block-list li::marker{color:#F5C518;}\n@media(max-width:820px){.nm-dep,.nm-cg{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr!important;}.nm-stg{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;}.nm-ci:nth-child(2){border-right:0;}.nm-ci:nth-child(-n+2){border-bottom:1px solid #E3E7EF;}}\n@media(max-width:560px){.nm-dep,.nm-cg{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;}.nm-ci{border-right:0!important;border-bottom:1px solid #E3E7EF;}.nm-ci:last-child{border-bottom:0;}.nm-sum,.nm-qs{padding:20px;}}\n<\/style>\n<p class=\"nm-k\">The short version<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You&#8217;ve lived in Portugal legally for <strong>more than two years by 1 January<\/strong> of the year your child starts? Then your child isn&#8217;t an international student.<\/li>\n<li>Your child pays the <strong>national fee: \u20ac697 a year<\/strong> at the University of Lisbon and the University of Minho in 2026\/27.<\/li>\n<li>The international fee at the University of Lisbon runs from <strong>\u20ac1,500 to \u20ac18,000 a year<\/strong>, depending on the course.<\/li>\n<li>It works on a <strong>Golden Visa, D7, D8 or D2<\/strong>. You don&#8217;t have to wait for permanent residence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Get the timing right:<\/strong> if your child starts as an international student, they stay one until the end of that degree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Two catches.<\/strong> If your child starts a degree as an international student, on the text of the law they stay one until the end of that degree, so <strong>the timing of the first application matters more than anything else on this page<\/strong>. And it&#8217;s a Portuguese rule: it does nothing for a place at a university in another country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\n.nm-toc{font-family:inherit;margin:30px 0 8px;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-left:4px solid #1B2A4A;border-radius:16px;background:#fff;}\n.nm-toc summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;padding:16px 22px;font-weight:700;font-size:16.5px;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-toc summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none;}\n.nm-toc summary small{font-weight:600;font-size:13.5px;color:#5a6b8c;margin:0 auto 0 4px;}\n.nm-toc summary::after{content:\"\";width:9px;height:9px;border-right:2px solid #1B2A4A;border-bottom:2px solid #1B2A4A;transform:rotate(45deg);margin:-4px 4px 0 0;transition:transform .2s;flex:none;}\n.nm-toc[open] summary::after{transform:rotate(-135deg);margin-top:4px;}\n.nm-toc:not([open]) ol{display:none !important;}\n.nm-toc ol{margin:0 !important;padding:16px 22px 8px 44px !important;columns:2;column-gap:36px;border-top:1px solid #E3E7EF;}\n.nm-toc li{break-inside:avoid;margin:0 0 10px !important;font-size:15px;line-height:1.45;color:#5a6b8c;}\n.nm-toc li::marker{color:#C9A10C;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-toc a{color:#1B2A4A;text-decoration:none;}\n.nm-toc a:hover{text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;}\n.entry-content h2[id]{scroll-margin-top:110px;}\n@media(max-width:820px){.nm-toc ol{columns:1;}}\n<\/style>\n<details class=\"nm-toc\">\n<summary>In this guide<small>9 sections<\/small><\/summary>\n<ol><li><a href=\"#who-counts-as-an-international-student-at-a-portuguese-unive\">Who counts as an international student at a Portuguese university?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-do-the-two-years-of-legal-residence-work\">How do the two years of legal residence work?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#does-my-child-need-their-own-two-years\">Does my child need their own two years?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#does-time-on-a-student-visa-count\">Does time on a student visa count?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-much-does-it-save-in-2026-27\">How much does it save in 2026\/27?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-happens-if-my-child-starts-as-an-international-student\">What happens if my child starts as an international student?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-does-a-resident-s-child-apply\">How does a resident&#039;s child apply?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#does-it-work-on-a-golden-visa-d7-d8-or-d2\">Does it work on a Golden Visa, D7, D8 or D2?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#does-it-apply-at-universities-elsewhere-in-europe\">Does it apply at universities elsewhere in Europe?<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"who-counts-as-an-international-student-at-a-portuguese-unive\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who counts as an international student at a Portuguese university?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Anyone without Portuguese nationality, unless they fall under one of five exceptions<\/strong> in Portugal&#8217;s international student statute.<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> The statute covers <strong>every university and polytechnic in Portugal, public or private<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-qs\">\n<p class=\"nm-k\">Your child isn&#8217;t an international student if they are<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>A national of an EU or EEA country<\/li>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>A family member of a Portuguese, EU or EEA national, whatever their own passport<\/li>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>Your child, living legally with you, once you&#8217;ve been a legal resident for more than two years on 1 January<\/li>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>Holding equal-rights status under a treaty between Portugal and their country on that 1 January<\/li>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>Applying through one of Portugal&#8217;s special access regimes<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The third exception is the one that matters to most families reading this.<\/strong> It&#8217;s the one built on your residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The status decides two things for your child:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The price at public institutions.<\/strong> Each public university sets its own international fee, based on the real cost of the course.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The door your child applies through<\/strong>, covered below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-do-the-two-years-of-legal-residence-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do the two years of legal residence work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You need more than two years of uninterrupted legal residence on 1 January of the year your child enters<\/strong>, and that date is the only one that counts. The day you apply and the day term starts don&#8217;t matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the sentence in the law that settles it:<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"nm-law\" lang=\"pt\">\n<style>\n.nm-law{font-family:inherit;margin:26px 0 30px;padding:20px 24px;background:#F4F6FA;border-left:5px solid #1B2A4A;border-radius:0 16px 16px 0;}\n.nm-law p{margin:0!important;font-size:16px;line-height:1.65;color:#1B2A4A;font-style:italic;}\n.nm-law cite{display:block;margin-top:10px;font-size:13.5px;font-style:normal;color:#5a6b8c;}\n<\/style>\n<p>N\u00e3o sendo nacional de um Estado-Membro da Uni\u00e3o Europeia, nem de um Estado Parte no Acordo sobre o Espa\u00e7o Econ\u00f3mico Europeu, e n\u00e3o estando abrangido pela al\u00ednea anterior, residir legalmente em Portugal h\u00e1 mais de dois anos, de forma ininterrupta, em 1 de janeiro do ano em que pretende ingressar no ensino superior, bem como os seus filhos que com ele residam legalmente, sem preju\u00edzo do disposto no n.\u00ba 4;<\/p>\n<cite>Portugal&#8217;s international student statute<\/cite>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our translation: someone who, not being an EU or EEA national and not covered by the previous exception, has been legally resident in Portugal for more than two years, without interruption, on 1 January of the year in which they intend to enter higher education, as well as their children who legally reside with them, subject to the study-permit rule below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-mf\" role=\"list\" aria-label=\"How the 1 January test works\">\n<style>\n.nm-mf{background:#1B2A4A;border-radius:20px;padding:30px 28px 26px;margin:30px 0 36px;font-family:inherit;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(5,1fr);gap:14px;position:relative;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-k{grid-column:1\/-1;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#F5C518;margin:0 0 6px!important;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s{background:rgba(255,255,255,.06);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.14);border-radius:16px;padding:20px 16px 18px;position:relative;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s:not(:nth-last-child(2)):after{content:\"\u2192\";position:absolute;right:-13px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);width:24px;height:24px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;font-size:14px;line-height:24px;text-align:center;z-index:2;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-n{display:flex;width:36px;height:36px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:14px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-t{font-size:17.5px;line-height:1.35;font-weight:700;color:#fff;margin:0!important;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-c{grid-column:1\/-1;font-size:14px;color:rgba(255,255,255,.7);margin:8px 0 0!important;}\n@media(max-width:900px){.nm-mf{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;gap:16px;padding:24px 20px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;padding:16px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-n{margin:0;flex:0 0 36px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s:not(:nth-last-child(2)):after{content:\"\u2193\";right:auto;left:50%;top:auto;bottom:-20px;transform:translateX(-50%);}}\n<\/style>\n<p class=\"nm-mf-k\">How the 1 January test works<\/p>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">1<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You get your Portuguese residence permit<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">2<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You hold it for more than two years, without a break<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">3<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You pass that point before 1 January of the entry year<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">4<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">Your child applies like a Portuguese student<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">5<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">Your child pays the national fee<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"nm-mf-c\">Two years to the day isn&#8217;t enough. It has to be more than two years on 1 January.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three words in that sentence do the work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>&#8220;More than two years&#8221; is strictly more.<\/strong> Two years to the day on 1 January isn&#8217;t enough.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&#8220;Without interruption&#8221; means continuous.<\/strong> Keep your renewals on time so your residence has no gaps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&#8220;Legal residence&#8221; means holding a residence title.<\/strong> Portugal&#8217;s immigration law defines a legal resident as a foreign citizen holding a Portuguese residence title valid for a year or more,<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> and a University of Lisbon declaration form for international applicants uses that exact definition. So <strong>your clock runs while you hold a residence permit<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"a-worked-example\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A worked example<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your child wants to start in <strong>September 2029<\/strong>. The test date is 1 January 2029, so <strong>your legal residence has to have started before 1 January 2027<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-flow\" role=\"list\" aria-label=\"Worked example: a residence card first issued in March 2027\">\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">1<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">March 2027: your residence card is issued<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">Your two years start running.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">Clock starts<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">2<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">1 January 2029: the test date for 2029 entry<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">You&#8217;ve held the card for 1 year and 10 months.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">Two months short<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">3<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">March 2029: you pass two years<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">Too late for 2029 entry. If your child applies now, they&#8217;re an international student for the whole degree.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">International fee<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">4<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">1 January 2030: the test date for 2030 entry<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">You&#8217;ve held the card for 2 years and 10 months.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip g\">More than two years<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">5<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">September 2030: your child starts<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">Your child pays the national fee.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip g\">\u20ac697 a year in 2026\/27 terms<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A residence card first issued in March 2027 reaches two years in March 2029, <strong>two months too late for 2029 entry<\/strong>. If your child starts a year later, in 2030, <strong>you pay the national fee<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"does-my-child-need-their-own-two-years\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does my child need their own two years?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>One count of two years is enough, and it can be yours.<\/strong> The exception covers the resident &#8220;as well as their children who legally reside with them&#8221;, so a child who arrived after you, on family reunification, is covered on the text once you pass the two years, as long as they&#8217;re living here legally with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>There&#8217;s no age limit for your child<\/strong>, and your child doesn&#8217;t need a residence period of their own.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your child can also qualify in their own right<\/strong>, on their own residence title held for more than two years on 1 January.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your spouse is different.<\/strong> The exception names children only. Your partner qualifies for their own studies on their own two years, or under the family-member exception if you&#8217;re Portuguese, EU or EEA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If one parent is an EU, EEA or Portuguese national, you don&#8217;t need the two-year test at all.<\/strong> Your child is out of the international category under the family-member exception, whatever their passport. The EU definition the law points to covers children under 21 and older children who are still dependent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"does-time-on-a-student-visa-count\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does time on a student visa count?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Since 19 March 2025, yes, for the years your child spends at secondary school in Portugal on a study permit.<\/strong> Before that date, time on a study permit didn&#8217;t count at all, and time on a study permit at university or in any other course still doesn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The change came into the law in March 2025,<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup> and it applies to applications from the 2025\/26 academic year onwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>If your child comes with you on a family permit<\/strong>, they aren&#8217;t on a study permit, so the limit doesn&#8217;t touch them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If your child comes on their own student visa for a university course<\/strong>, they don&#8217;t build up the two years while they study.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The University of Porto&#8217;s English page for its 2026\/27 international call still says that time under a student visa is not counted, which was the rule until March 2025. <strong>Go by the law and the university&#8217;s current regulation<\/strong>, and ask the faculty if the two disagree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-much-does-it-save-in-2026-27\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much does it save in 2026\/27?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u20ac697 a year against \u20ac1,500 to \u20ac18,000 at the University of Lisbon, and \u20ac697 against \u20ac6,500 at the University of Minho<\/strong>, on the fee documents both universities issued in May 2026 for 2026\/27. The gap depends entirely on the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-bars\" role=\"figure\" aria-label=\"University of Lisbon fees for 2026\/27, national against international\">\n<style>\n.nm-bars{font-family:inherit;margin:34px 0 38px;}\n.nm-bars .nm-bc{border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:18px;padding:22px 24px;background:#fff;}\n.nm-bars .nm-k{font-size:12.5px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5a6b8c;margin:0 0 16px!important;}\n.nm-bars .nm-br{display:grid;grid-template-columns:190px 1fr 74px;align-items:center;gap:10px;margin:0 0 12px;font-size:15px;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-bars .nm-bt{height:22px;background:#F4F6FA;border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;}\n.nm-bars .nm-bt i{display:block;height:100%;background:#1B2A4A;border-radius:6px;}\n.nm-bars .nm-bt i.g{background:#F5C518;}\n.nm-bars .nm-bv{font-weight:700;text-align:right;}\n.nm-bars .nm-bcap{font-size:13.5px;color:#5a6b8c;margin:12px 0 0!important;}\n@media(max-width:820px){.nm-bars .nm-br{grid-template-columns:110px 1fr 64px;font-size:14px;}}\n@media(max-width:700px){.entry-content figure.wp-block-table{overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;}.entry-content figure.wp-block-table table{min-width:680px;}}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"nm-bc\">\n<p class=\"nm-k\">University of Lisbon, a year&#8217;s fee in 2026\/27<\/p>\n<div class=\"nm-br\"><span>National fee, any course<\/span><span class=\"nm-bt\"><i class=\"g\" style=\"width:3.9%\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"nm-bv\">\u20ac697<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-br\"><span>Law<\/span><span class=\"nm-bt\"><i style=\"width:8.3%\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"nm-bv\">\u20ac1,500<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-br\"><span>Sciences<\/span><span class=\"nm-bt\"><i style=\"width:19.4%\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"nm-bv\">\u20ac3,500<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-br\"><span>Design<\/span><span class=\"nm-bt\"><i style=\"width:38.9%\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"nm-bv\">\u20ac7,000<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-br\"><span>Nutrition Sciences<\/span><span class=\"nm-bt\"><i style=\"width:61.1%\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"nm-bv\">\u20ac11,000<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-br\"><span>Medicine<\/span><span class=\"nm-bt\"><i style=\"width:100%\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"nm-bv\">\u20ac18,000<\/span><\/div>\n<p class=\"nm-bcap\">Gold: what your child pays as a resident&#8217;s child. Navy: the international fee. Source: University of Lisbon fee deliberation, 28 May 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>University<\/th><th>Course (2026\/27)<\/th><th>National fee<\/th><th>International fee<\/th><th>CPLP nationals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>University of Lisbon, Faculty of Law<\/td><td>Law, licenciatura<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac1,500<\/td><td>not listed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Lisbon, Faculty of Sciences<\/td><td>Biology and the other science licenciaturas<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac3,500<\/td><td>not listed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Lisbon, Faculty of Architecture<\/td><td>Design, licenciatura<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac7,000<\/td><td>not listed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Lisbon, Faculty of Medicine<\/td><td>Nutrition Sciences, licenciatura<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac11,000<\/td><td>not listed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Lisbon, Faculty of Medicine<\/td><td>Medicine, integrated master&#8217;s<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac18,000<\/td><td>not listed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Minho, School of Sciences<\/td><td>Science licenciaturas (Applied Biology, Biochemistry, Data Science, Physics and others)<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac6,500<\/td><td>\u20ac1,100<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Minho, School of Architecture, Art and Design<\/td><td>Architecture, integrated master&#8217;s<\/td><td>\u20ac697<\/td><td>\u20ac6,500<\/td><td>\u20ac2,500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>University of Porto, all faculties<\/td><td>Licenciaturas and integrated master&#8217;s<\/td><td>not in the call page<\/td><td>\u20ac3,500 to \u20ac16,500<\/td><td>up to 45% off<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sources: University of Lisbon, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulisboa.pt\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/page\/2026\/deliberacaocgpropinas2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General Council deliberation on fees, 28 May 2026<\/a>, tables 1 and 2; University of Minho, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ie.uminho.pt\/pt\/Documents\/Despacho_RT-91_2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Despacho RT-91\/2026, 19 May 2026<\/a>, annex 1; University of Porto, <a href=\"https:\/\/up.pt\/portal\/en\/study\/international-students\/special-call-for-applications\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">special call for international students 2026\/27<\/a>. A licenciatura is a bachelor&#8217;s degree; an integrated master&#8217;s is the single-cycle format used for Medicine and Architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-cost\">\n<div class=\"nm-ch\">Example: a three-year degree at the University of Lisbon&#8217;s <span>Faculty of Sciences<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-cg\">\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">\u20ac2,091<\/div><div class=\"l\">national fee, three years<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">\u20ac10,500<\/div><div class=\"l\">international fee, three years<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">\u20ac8,409<\/div><div class=\"l\">what you keep<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">2026\/27<\/div><div class=\"l\">fee levels, held flat<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the international side the University of Lisbon has already set its 2027\/28 fees at the same amounts, subject to next year&#8217;s State Budget law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Check the current table before you budget<\/strong>, because universities fix fees year by year. The \u20ac697 is the University of Lisbon&#8217;s and the University of Minho&#8217;s figure for every licenciatura and integrated master&#8217;s in 2026\/27.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If your child picks a private university, you pay its own prices.<\/strong> Your child&#8217;s status still applies there, but the fee rule binds public institutions only, so check that university&#8217;s own table.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you&#8217;re from Brazil or another CPLP country<\/strong> and your child does end up as an international student, you pay less at the University of Minho and the University of Porto, as the last column shows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"573\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break-1024x573.jpg\" alt=\"A kitchen table by a window over Lisbon with a closed laptop, a stack of booklets, coffee cups and a bowl of oranges\" class=\"wp-image-14760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break-1024x573.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break-768x430.jpg 768w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break-1536x859.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/portugal-university-fees-break.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Illustrative image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-happens-if-my-child-starts-as-an-international-student\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens if my child starts as an international student?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>On the text of the law, they stay one for the whole degree<\/strong>, and at \u20ac6,500 a year at the University of Minho or \u20ac3,500 at the University of Lisbon&#8217;s Faculty of Sciences that adds up fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The law says every student who enters as international <strong>keeps that status until the end of the cycle<\/strong> they first enrolled in, or transfer to.<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> The only exception the law names is acquiring Portuguese, EU or EEA nationality, and even that takes effect from the following academic year. Passing two years of residence during the degree doesn&#8217;t get your child out of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>So don&#8217;t apply a year early as an international student if your child will cross the two-year line soon after.<\/strong> Take the March 2027 residence card from the example above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-dep\">\n<div class=\"nm-dc\"><p class=\"w\">Your child starts in 2029<\/p><h4>International for the whole degree<\/h4><p>Your card was issued in March 2027, so on 1 January 2029 you&#8217;re two months short. At the University of Minho that&#8217;s \u20ac6,500 a year, every year of the degree.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-dc y\"><p class=\"w\">Your child starts in 2030<\/p><h4>National fee from day one<\/h4><p>On 1 January 2030 you&#8217;ve held the card for more than two years. At the University of Minho that&#8217;s \u20ac697 a year.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A year&#8217;s wait has its own cost, so weigh it against the course and the child, but <strong>know your date before the application goes in<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-does-a-resident-s-child-apply\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does a resident&#8217;s child apply?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Through the national access contest for public universities (the Concurso Nacional de Acesso), the same route Portuguese students use.<\/strong> The law says residents under the exceptions enter &#8220;on the same terms as students with Portuguese nationality&#8221;,<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> and the international contest is for international students, so it isn&#8217;t the door your child uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your child finished secondary school outside Portugal, <strong>their foreign exams can stand in for the Portuguese entrance exams<\/strong> in the year they sat them and the four years after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The rules<\/strong> come from the national access council (CNAES):<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-7\">[7]<\/a><\/sup> the exams accepted are the ones required for university entry in that country, national in scope or nationally recognised.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The request<\/strong>, for public institutions, goes through the online form of the national access body, the Instituto para o Ensino Superior (formerly the DGES).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Whether your child&#8217;s exams are accepted for the course they want<\/strong>, A-levels, IB, SAT or ENEM, is a question for the university&#8217;s admissions office, well before the application window.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Expect to show residence cards covering the whole period, yours and your child&#8217;s.<\/strong> Each university sets its own list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"does-it-work-on-a-golden-visa-d7-d8-or-d2\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does it work on a Golden Visa, D7, D8 or D2?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yes, on all four.<\/strong> Each one gives you a residence title, and the test is more than two years of legal residence on a title valid for a year or more, with <strong>no requirement to have reached permanent residence<\/strong> at year five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-dep\">\n<div class=\"nm-dc y\"><p class=\"w\">Golden Visa<\/p><h4>Your family&#8217;s permits count<\/h4><p>You don&#8217;t have to wait for year five or permanent residence.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-dc\"><p class=\"w\">D7<\/p><h4>Your residence permit counts<\/h4><p>The two years run on the permit you hold after you arrive.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-dc\"><p class=\"w\">D8<\/p><h4>Your residence permit counts<\/h4><p>The same rule as the D7.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-dc\"><p class=\"w\">D2<\/p><h4>Your residence permit counts<\/h4><p>The same rule again.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>If you&#8217;re on a <a href=\"\/portugal-golden-visa\/\">Golden Visa<\/a><\/strong>, your permit and your family&#8217;s permits are, on the text, residence titles like any other for this purpose, so your child doesn&#8217;t wait until year five. How your family joins the application, and what the permit costs, is covered in our Golden Visa guide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you&#8217;re on a <a href=\"\/portugal-d7-visa-assistance\/\">D7<\/a><\/strong>, the visa for people living on passive income such as a pension, rent or dividends, the two years run on the residence permit you hold after you arrive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you&#8217;re on a <a href=\"\/portugal-d8-digital-nomad-visa\/\">D8<\/a><\/strong>, the visa for remote workers earning from an employer or clients abroad, the same applies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you&#8217;re on a <a href=\"\/portugal-d2-visa\/\">D2<\/a><\/strong>, the visa for people running their own business in Portugal, the same again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re still choosing between them, our <a href=\"\/d7-vs-d8-vs-d2-visa-portugal\/\">D7 vs D8 vs D2 comparison<\/a> covers who each one suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>On every route your count runs on the residence title<\/strong>, so a family with a child two or three years from university should check the dates early. AIMA can take a long time to issue a first card, as our post on <a href=\"\/portugal-golden-visa-processing-time\/\">Golden Visa processing times<\/a> shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"does-it-apply-at-universities-elsewhere-in-europe\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does it apply at universities elsewhere in Europe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>You only get this in Portugal.<\/strong> The exception sits in one Portuguese law that binds higher-education institutions in Portugal, and every other country decides fee status under its own rules. If your child is looking at a university in another EU country, check that country&#8217;s rule before you count on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-cta\">\n<style>\n.nm-cta{background:#1B2A4A;border-radius:20px;overflow:hidden;color:#fff;box-shadow:0 24px 60px rgba(10,15,30,.18);margin:40px 0;font-family:inherit;}\n.nm-cta img{width:100%;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0;}\n.nm-cta .nm-cta-body{padding:38px;}\n.nm-cta .nm-cta-pill{display:inline-block;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;border-radius:999px;padding:6px 14px;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-cta p{font-size:17px;line-height:1.65;color:rgba(255,255,255,.86);margin:18px 0 22px;}\n.nm-cta p a{color:#F5C518;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;}\n.nm-cta .nm-cta-btns{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:12px;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-p{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A !important;padding:14px 24px;border-radius:12px;font-weight:700;font-size:16px;text-decoration:none;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-p:hover{background:#E3B30C;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-s{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;color:#fff !important;border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4);padding:14px 24px;border-radius:12px;font-weight:700;font-size:16px;text-decoration:none;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-s:hover{background:#fff;color:#1B2A4A !important;}\n@media (max-width:640px){.nm-cta .nm-cta-body{padding:26px 22px;}}\n<\/style>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cta-miradouro.png\" alt=\"A miradouro view over Lisbon rooftops at golden hour\">\n<div class=\"nm-cta-body\">\n<span class=\"nm-cta-pill\">Check your dates<\/span>\n<p>If your child&#8217;s entry year is within three years of your permit date, the dates decide the fee. Book a free 15-minute call and we&#8217;ll look at your family&#8217;s route and the 1 January test for the year your child wants to start. If you want your family&#8217;s dates checked against the law, there&#8217;s a <a href=\"\/portugal-immigration-consultation\/\">paid consultation with our partner immigration lawyer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nm-cta-btns\">\n<a class=\"nm-btn-p\" href=\"\/free-consultation\/\">Book a free 15-minute call<\/a>\n<a class=\"nm-btn-s\" href=\"\/portugal-golden-visa\/\">See the Golden Visa package<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"do-residents-children-pay-international-student-fees-in-port\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do residents&#8217; children pay international student fees in Portugal?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No, if two things are true. <strong>You&#8217;ve lived in Portugal legally for more than two years<\/strong>, without a break, by 1 January of the year your child starts. And your child lives here legally with you. Then your child pays the national fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-much-is-the-national-university-fee-in-portugal\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much is the national university fee in Portugal?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u20ac697 a year at the University of Lisbon and the University of Minho in 2026\/27<\/strong>, for every licenciatura and integrated master&#8217;s. Universities set their fees year by year, so check the current table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"does-my-child-need-their-own-residence-permit-for-two-years\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does my child need their own residence permit for two years?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>Your two years can cover your child<\/strong>, as long as your child lives in Portugal legally with you. Your child can also qualify on their own residence title held for more than two years on 1 January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"is-exactly-two-years-of-residence-enough\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is exactly two years of residence enough?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>You need more than two years on 1 January<\/strong> of the entry year. Two years to the day isn&#8217;t enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"which-date-counts-for-the-two-year-test\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which date counts for the two-year test?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1 January of the year your child wants to start.<\/strong> The day you apply and the day term starts don&#8217;t matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"does-a-golden-visa-count-as-legal-residence-for-university-f\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does a Golden Visa count as legal residence for university fees?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. <strong>Your Golden Visa permit is a residence title<\/strong>, and the test needs a title valid for a year or more. You don&#8217;t have to wait until year five or permanent residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"do-the-d7-d8-and-d2-count-too\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do the D7, D8 and D2 count too?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. <strong>Each gives you a residence permit<\/strong>, and the two years run on the permit you hold after you arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"does-time-on-a-student-visa-count-towards-the-two-years\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does time on a student visa count towards the two years?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Only the years your child spends at secondary school in Portugal on a study permit<\/strong>, since 19 March 2025. Time on a study permit at university or in any other course doesn&#8217;t count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"can-my-child-switch-to-the-national-fee-partway-through-a-de\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can my child switch to the national fee partway through a degree?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>On the text of the law, no.<\/strong> A student who enters as international keeps that status until the end of the degree. The only exception the law names is acquiring Portuguese, EU or EEA nationality, which takes effect from the following academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"does-the-rule-apply-at-private-universities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does the rule apply at private universities?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Your child&#8217;s status applies there too, but you pay the private university&#8217;s own prices.<\/strong> The fee rule binds public institutions only, so check that university&#8217;s table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"my-spouse-is-an-eu-citizen-does-my-child-need-the-two-year-t\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">My spouse is an EU citizen. Does my child need the two-year test?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>Your child falls under the family-member exception<\/strong>, whatever their passport. The EU definition the law points to covers children under 21 and older children who are still dependent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"do-brazilian-students-pay-less-at-portuguese-universities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do Brazilian students pay less at Portuguese universities?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>At some universities, yes, if they end up as international students.<\/strong> In 2026\/27 the University of Minho charges CPLP nationals \u20ac1,100 to \u20ac2,500 instead of \u20ac6,500, and the University of Porto gives CPLP nationals up to 45% off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"sources-and-how-we-checked\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources and how we checked<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"source-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/diariodarepublica.pt\/dr\/legislacao-consolidada\/decreto-lei\/2014-115919453\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Decreto-Lei 36\/2014, consolidated text<\/a>, Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica. Read in full on 3 November 2026: article 2 (scope), article 3 (who is an international student, as amended on 18 March 2025), article 4 (the international contest), article 9 (fees at public institutions) and article 14 (each institution&#8217;s own regulation).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/diariodarepublica.pt\/dr\/detalhe\/decreto-lei\/20-2025-911303062\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Decreto-Lei 20\/2025, 18 March 2025<\/a>, Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica. The new wording of article 3, the study-permit rule, and which applications it applies to.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/diariodarepublica.pt\/dr\/legislacao-consolidada\/lei\/2007-67564445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lei 23\/2007, consolidated text<\/a>, Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica, article 3 v): a legal resident is a holder of a residence title valid for a year or more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-4\"><strong>University of Lisbon:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulisboa.pt\/estudante-internacional\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">international student page<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulisboa.pt\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/page\/2026\/deliberacaocgpropinas2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fee deliberation for 2026\/27 and 2027\/28<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulisboa.pt\/en\/info\/tuition-fees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tuition fees page in English<\/a>, and the IGOT declaration of honour for international applicants (2026), which carries the legal-resident definition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-5\"><strong>University of Minho:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ie.uminho.pt\/pt\/Documents\/Despacho_RT-91_2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Despacho RT-91\/2026, 19 May 2026<\/a>, fees for 2026\/27, annex 1.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-6\"><strong>University of Porto:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/up.pt\/portal\/en\/study\/international-students\/special-call-for-applications\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">special call for international students 2026\/27<\/a>, fee range and the student-visa sentence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-7\"><strong>CNAES:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/autonoma.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/Deliberacao-no-414_2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Delibera\u00e7\u00e3o 414\/2023<\/a>, Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica, 2.\u00aa s\u00e9rie, n.\u00ba 76, 18 April 2023, on foreign exams replacing Portuguese entrance exams.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both decree-laws were read on the Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica site, and the translation of the quoted sentence is ours. Every fee figure comes from the university&#8217;s own fee document for 2026\/27, with the course and faculty named. Nothing here is legal advice for your family&#8217;s case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\n.entry-content sup.nm-fnref{font-size:.72em;line-height:0;vertical-align:super;margin-left:2px;}\n.entry-content sup.nm-fnref a{color:#1a5fb4;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;}\n.entry-content sup.nm-fnref a:hover{text-decoration:underline;}\n.entry-content li[id^=\"source-\"]{scroll-margin-top:110px;}\n.entry-content li[id^=\"source-\"]:target{background:#FFFBF0;}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do residents' children pay international student fees in Portugal?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No, if two things are true. You've lived in Portugal legally for more than two years, without a break, by 1 January of the year your child starts. And your child lives here legally with you. Then your child pays the national fee.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How much is the national university fee in Portugal?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"\u20ac697 a year at the University of Lisbon and the University of Minho in 2026\/27, for every licenciatura and integrated master's. Universities set their fees year by year, so check the current table.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does my child need their own residence permit for two years?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. Your two years can cover your child, as long as your child lives in Portugal legally with you. 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In 2026\/27 the University of Minho charges CPLP nationals \u20ac1,100 to \u20ac2,500 instead of \u20ac6,500, and the University of Porto gives CPLP nationals up to 45% off.\"}}]}\n<\/script>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More than 2 years of legal residence on 1 January and your child pays Portugal&#8217;s national fee: \u20ac697 a year at ULisboa for 2026\/27 instead of up to \u20ac18,000.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14764\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}