Strongest low-tuition public options when Portuguese is acceptable (often B2). These routes are usually Portuguese-taught, not complete English degrees.
Good price
Setúbal, Portugal
Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (IPS) offers among the lowest confirmed public tuition in the research — ideal for Portuguese B2 speakers on a tight budget.
Approximate research figures, not an official quote. Always confirm the current university notice before paying.
Tuition, teaching language, vacancies and deadlines vary by programme and year. Always reconfirm details on the official programme notice before applying.
A student-friendly comparison of annual tuition and application costs for non-EU international students.
Reference: 2026/27 research snapshot. Prices vary by programme, nationality category and faculty. Always confirm the selected course before payment.
Choose the degree level first, then the price tier. Each line shows what you need for an initial decision: location, annual tuition, application cost, likely first-year university cost and one important note.
Special health degrees (Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary) can cost far more than a university’s normal price. They are flagged separately so students are not misled.
EU/EEA students at public universities usually pay the national propina cap (about €697/year). Non-EU students pay a differentiated international fee set by each institution — typically €1,200–€7,000+ for normal programmes, and far more for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine. This guide is built for the non-EU international fee track.
Interior cities (Covilhã, Évora, Vila Real, Beja, Bragança) often cost €450–€700/month for a student budget. Lisbon and Porto are higher. A mid-fee university in Covilhã can still beat a cheaper tuition figure in Lisbon once rent is included.
Tiers use the normal annual tuition for non-EU international students. Where a university charges different prices by subject, the range is shown.
| University | District / city | Annual tuition | Application + registration | Approx. first-year university cost | Simple note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universidade Aberta | Lisbon / Online | About €696.60 for 60 ECTS | Application €40–€60; matriculation €80; insurance ~€2 | About €819–€839 | Cheapest verified option; distance-learning university. |
| University of Madeira | Madeira / Funchal | Latest verified baseline: €2,000 | Application €30; registration incl. insurance €20 | About €2,050 | Very affordable; confirm the final 2026/27 international notice. |
| University of Évora | Évora | €2,500 | Application €50; international matriculation €100 | About €2,650 plus insurance | Strong low-cost public university with many fields; Merit/Cooperation scholarships may reduce fees. |
| University of the Azores — Social Sciences & Humanities | Azores / Ponta Delgada & Angra | €2,500 | Application €50; matriculation €20; insurance ~€3.25 | About €2,573.25 | Affordable humanities/social-science option; Portuguese normally required. |
| University | District / city | Annual tuition | Application + registration | Approx. first-year university cost | Simple note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Azores — Science & Technology | Azores | €3,000 | Application €50; matriculation €20; insurance ~€3.25 | About €3,073.25 | Good value for science, environment and agriculture. |
| University of the Azores — Health | Azores | €3,500 | Application €50; matriculation €20; insurance ~€3.25 | About €3,573.25 | Health studies cost more than other Azores subjects. |
| University of Beira Interior — CPLP/OEI rate | Castelo Branco / Covilhã | €3,000 | Application €50; matriculation €25 | About €3,075 | Reduced rate for eligible CPLP/OEI students. |
| Instituto Superior Miguel Torga | Coimbra | About €3,816 | Application ~€85–€95; matriculation €210; insurance €15 | About €4,126–€4,136 | Private medium-price option. |
| Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama — non-veterinary | Coimbra | About €3,960–€4,800 | Application €150; matriculation €400; insurance €40 | About €4,550–€5,390 | Mainly life-science and animal-related programmes. |
| Universidade Portucalense — Portuguese programmes | Porto | About €4,542 | Application €200; matriculation €375; registration €215 | About €5,332 plus insurance | Clear fee structure; English programmes cost more. |
| ISPA — Instituto Universitário | Lisbon | Example around €4,652 | Application around €80; other initial fees vary | From about €4,732 | Strong in psychology and behavioural sciences. |
| University of Beira Interior — standard Bachelor’s | Castelo Branco / Covilhã | €5,000 | Application €50; matriculation €25 | About €5,075 | Upper end of the mid-range tier; interior living costs help overall budget. |
| University | District / city | Annual tuition | Application + registration | Approx. first-year university cost | Simple note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Coimbra | Coimbra | €7,000 | Application €50; registration ~€20; initial tuition payment 25% | First payment ~€1,820; annual university cost ~€7,070 | High tuition, strong reputation. |
| NOVA School of Science and Technology | Setúbal / Caparica | Around €7,000 | Application often ~€51; registration varies | Around €7,051 plus registration | Engineering and science; fee is programme-specific. |
| Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa | Lisbon | Example around €7,155 | Application €325; matriculation €300; registration €325; insurance €50 | About €8,155 | High initial charges as well as high tuition. |
| Atlântica — Instituto Universitário | Lisbon district | About €6,000–€7,000 | Application around €150; registration varies | From about €6,150 plus registration | Private high-cost option. |
| Centro Universitário Lusófona — Porto/Lisbon | Porto or Lisbon | Often medium to high; course-specific | International application ~€425; registration ~€370 | Depends heavily on programme | Large private network; verify exact annual tuition. |
| CESPU — University Institute of Health Sciences | Porto district | About €6,550–€12,842 | Application and initial fees vary by health programme | High; programme-specific | Health-focused; some courses are very expensive. |
Special high-cost health examples: UBI Medicine about €18,000/year; Vasco da Gama Veterinary Medicine about €8,700/year. Compare these separately from ordinary Bachelor’s degrees.
Master’s prices can differ sharply from Bachelor’s prices at the same university. This separate ranking prevents misleading comparisons.
| University | District / city | Annual tuition | Application + registration | Approx. first-year university cost | Simple note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Beira Interior — CPLP/OEI | Castelo Branco / Covilhã | €1,200 | Application €15; matriculation €25 | About €1,240 | One of the cheapest verified Master’s options. |
| University of Beira Interior — standard international | Castelo Branco / Covilhã | €1,500 | Application €15; matriculation €25 | About €1,540 | Excellent value for most normal Master’s programmes. |
| University of the Azores — selected science/environment Master’s | Azores | About €1,430–€1,500 | Application and registration are programme-specific | From about €1,500 plus process fees | Best value in oceans, agriculture, environment and volcanology. |
| University of Évora — most standard Master’s | Évora | €2,500 | Application €50; matriculation €100 | About €2,650 plus insurance | Simple, consistent public-university price. |
| Universidade Aberta — many Master’s | Online / Lisbon | Often about €2,500 total or programme fee | Application €45; matriculation €250; insurance ~€2 | About €2,797 where €2,500 applies | Flexible distance-learning option. |
| University | District / city | Annual tuition | Application + registration | Approx. first-year university cost | Simple note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Azores — Business / Tourism | Azores | About €2,750–€3,750 | Programme-specific | About €2,800–€3,800 plus process fees | More expensive than its science Master’s programmes. |
| Instituto Superior Miguel Torga | Coimbra | About €3,636 | Application €100; matriculation €260; insurance €15 | About €4,011 | Private medium-price Master’s option. |
| Universidade Aberta — selected management programmes | Online / Lisbon | Up to about €4,000 | Application €45; matriculation €250; insurance ~€2 | About €4,297 | Still flexible, but not as cheap as its standard Master’s. |
| Universidade Portucalense — Portuguese programmes | Porto | About €4,542 | Application €200; matriculation €375; registration €215 | About €5,332 plus insurance | English-taught options can cost more. |
| University | District / city | Annual tuition | Application + registration | Approx. first-year university cost | Simple note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Coimbra | Coimbra | Many programmes around €7,000 | Application €50; registration ~€20; initial tuition payment 25% | Annual university cost about €7,070 | High tuition; check each Master’s notice. |
| NOVA University Lisbon — selected schools | Lisbon / Setúbal | Often €3,500–€7,000+ | Application commonly ~€51; registration varies | Programme-specific | Some programmes are medium; science and law can be high. |
| Universidade Portucalense — English programmes | Porto | About €5,980 | Application €200; matriculation €375; registration €215 | About €6,770 plus insurance | Higher price for English delivery. |
| Private health and specialist institutions | Lisbon / Porto / Coimbra | Often above €5,000 | Application and enrolment can be substantial | High and programme-specific | Always verify the exact course before applying. |
| Student situation | Best starting options |
|---|---|
| Budget under €2,500/year | Universidade Aberta; University of Madeira; University of Évora; University of the Azores humanities; UBI and Azores selected Master’s; IPS Setúbal (polytechnic, Portuguese B2) |
| Budget €2,500–€5,000/year | Azores science/health; UBI CPLP or standard Bachelor’s; ISMT; Portucalense Portuguese programmes; ISPA |
| Budget above €5,000/year | University of Coimbra; NOVA FCT; Autónoma; Atlântica; CESPU and specialised health programmes |
| Need the cheapest Bachelor’s | Universidade Aberta, if online study is acceptable |
| Need the cheapest campus Bachelor’s | University of Madeira, University of Évora, University of the Azores, or low-fee polytechnics such as IPS Setúbal |
| Need the cheapest Master’s | University of Beira Interior or selected University of the Azores programmes |
These are real options, but they should not sit confidently in one student price tier until the selected 2026/27 programme tuition and application fees are confirmed.
| Institution | Location | Why it is not placed in one simple tier yet |
|---|---|---|
| Universidade Católica Portuguesa | Braga, Porto, Lisbon, Viseu | Prices differ greatly by faculty; health programmes are usually expensive. |
| Universidade Lusíada | Lisbon, Porto, Famalicão | Course-specific fee tables. |
| Universidade Europeia | Lisbon | Often provides programme quotations rather than one transparent annual rate. |
| Universidade da Maia | Porto district | Application fee known; annual tuition still needs course verification. |
| ISEIT | Almada and Viseu | Current international tuition needs confirmation. |
| Egas Moniz University Institute | Setúbal district | Health programmes have course-specific prices and extra selection fees. |
| ISMAT | Faro / Portimão | Programme-level international price needs confirmation. |
| UTAD | Vila Real | 2026/27 tuition maintained from prior year; exact international course rates need extraction. Strong interior living-cost advantage. |
| University of Lisbon | Lisbon | Very wide faculty range, from lower-cost programmes to health degrees near €18,000. |
Correct student workflow: choose degree level → choose budget tier → choose subject → verify the exact programme price and application deadline. Do not begin with a long district list.
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