The Law on the
Education System (Law n º 46/86 of 14 October, subsequently changed some of its
pleadings by Laws Nos 115/97, of 19 September, and 49/2005, of 30 August,
republished and renumbered attached to the last), provides the general
framework of the educational system.
School education in three
levels: both primary, secondary and tertiary.
The pre-school
education is voluntary and is intended for children aged three years and the
age of entry into primary school.
The education is
universal, compulsory and free and involves three sequential cycles, the first
four years, the second two and the third of three.
Secondary education is
compulsory and comprises a three-year cycle (10., 11. And 12. º years of
schooling).
Organization of higher
education
In 2005 the first steps
to reform the higher education system, with the introduction of a new system of
credits (ECTS) for courses of study, mobility mechanisms, Diploma Supplement,
among others. Changes were made to the Law on the Education System in order to
implement the Bologna Process.
The new structure
organized into three cycles of study was introduced in 2006 and fully
implemented in Portugal, from the academic year 2009/2010. The generic
qualification descriptors were also established for each course, based on
acquired skills, as well as the definition of ECTS intervals for the first and
second cycle.
The Portuguese higher
education includes university and polytechnic education. University education
is taught in public and private universities and polytechnic education in
institutions of higher education is not public and private university. The
private schools get recognized by Ministry of Education and Science. The
network of higher education also includes an educational institution concordat.
Bachelor's degree
The university and
polytechnic institutions confer the degree.
The course of study
leading to the bachelor's degree in polytechnic education lasts for six
semesters of students' work corresponding to 180 credits, or exceptionally, in
cases covered by the provisions of national or EU, normally lasts up to seven
or eight semesters of work and training of up to 240 credits.
The course of study
leading to the bachelor's degree in university has 180 or 240 credits and a
normal length between six and eight semesters of students' work. In the first
cycle of studies at university or polytechnic Master's degree is awarded to
those who, by passing all the courses that integrate the curriculum of the
degree course, have obtained the number of credits.
Degree of Master
The university and
polytechnic institutions confer the degree of master.
The course of study
leading to a Master's degree 90 to 120 credits and a normal duration of three
to four semesters of students' work or, exceptionally, in consequence of a
stable and consolidated practice internationally, 60 credits and a two-
semesters.
In polytechnic
education, the cycle of studies leading to a master's degree must ensure that
the acquisition of a professional specialization. In university education, the
cycle of studies leading to a master's degree must ensure that the acquisition
of a specialization of academic nature using the research activity or improving
professional skills.
In university
education, a master's degree may also be awarded after an integrated study
cycle, with 300 to 360 credits and a normal length between 10 and 12 semesters
of work in cases where the duration for access to the practice of a particular
professional activity is stipulated by legal regulations of the European Union
or the result of a stable and consolidated practice in the European Union. This
course of study is awarded to an undergraduate degree who have completed 180
credits corresponding to the first six semesters of work.
In the second cycle of
studies, university or polytechnic master's degree is awarded to those who pass
in all courses that comprise the curriculum of the Master's degree and passing
the act of public defense of the dissertation, the work of project or
internship report, have obtained the number of credits.
Degree of Doctor
The PhD degree is
awarded by universities and institutes to university who have passed courses in
the doctoral program if any, and the act of public defense of the thesis.
Conditions of Access
General system of
access to higher education
To apply for the first
cycle of studies leading to a Bachelor's degree or course of study leading to
the master's integrated master's degree through the general scheme, national
and foreign students must meet the following conditions:
- Have successfully
completed a secondary education course or a national or foreign equivalent;
- Have completed the
necessary entrance exams for the course you are applying with a rating equal to
or greater than the minimum fixed (there are higher education institutions that
accept foreign tests or exams);
- Meet the
pre-requisites (if applicable) for the course you are applying.
Special access regimes
Apart from the general
schemes exist special access to higher education for elite athletes, Portuguese
citizens abroad on official business, national officials and foreign diplomatic
mission, Portuguese Forces officers and grantees under the cooperation
agreements signed by the State Portuguese.
Special Competitions
Apart from the general
and special schemes for special competitions for candidates that certain
specific qualifications enabling access to higher education to new audiences in
a logic of lifelong learning:
- Adults aged 23 and
over who have passed on specially designed tests to assess the ability to enter
higher education;
- Holders of a
technological specialization course (course post-secondary non-tertiary).
Entrance to each higher
education institution is subject to numerus clausus.
Joining the second
cycle
May apply for admission
to the second cycle of studies leading to the degree of Master:
- Holders of a degree
or legal equivalent;
- Holders of a foreign
academic degree, which is recognized as meeting the objectives of a degree by
the competent scientific body of the higher education institution where they
wish to be admitted;
- The holders of an
academic, scientific or professional that is recognized as attesting the
capacity to carry out this cycle of studies by the competent scientific body of
the higher education institution where they intend to be admitted.
Join the third cycle
May apply for admission
to the third cycle of studies leading to a doctoral degree:
- Holders of master's
degree or legal equivalent;
- Holders of bachelor's
degree holders of an academic or scientific material that is recognized as
attesting the capacity to carry out this cycle of studies by the statutorily
competent scientific university where they intend to be admitted;
- The holders of an
academic, scientific or professional that is recognized as attesting the
capacity to carry out this cycle of studies by the statutorily competent
scientific university where they intend to be admitted.
Classification system
At the bachelor's
degree and master is assigned a final classification in the range 10-20 on a
numerical scale from 0 to 20, as well as its equivalent in the European scale
of comparability of ratings.
The academic degree of
Doctor is given a final qualification under the regulating standards approved
by the university that confers it.
