Portugal

Information for all students

Students should ensure that their passports are signed and stamped when entering and exiting Border Control. These stamps will prove the duration of your visit and, more importantly, prove to the visa official that you have not overstayed your 90-day visit.

It is important to understand the Schengen 90/180 rule. You are allocated 90 visa-free days to use within the Schengen Zone, however you must remember these are rolling days and are added onto a cumulative total of days in the Schengen region. Leaving and entering does not reset your calculator – only leaving for a period of 90 days in a non-Schengen country will reset your Visa-free 90-day allowance.

Read more about the Schengen rules

Studying for less than 3 months

Depending upon nationality, students who wish to study in Portugal for 90 days or less can do so without the need for a visa. To determine if you can travel to Portugal without a visa please see the list of non-visa required countries on the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

EU/EEA students do not need a visa to study, work or reside in Portugal.

UK students do not require a visa to enter and study in Portugal for a duration of 90 days.

If you are from a non-EU/non-EEA country and you are not visa exempt, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa to study in Portugal for a duration of 90 days.

Gather your documents

To apply for a short-stay Schengen visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Portuguese visa application form
• 2 passport photos
• Valid passport (original and a photocopy)
• Copies of your previous visas (if you have ever held a visa issued by any world country, submit copies of them)
• Portugal travel health insurance (confirmation that you have travel insurance for Portugal and the Schengen area, with a minimum 30,000€ coverage for medical emergencies)
• Round-trip flight itinerary
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay in Portugal
• A cover letter, explaining why you are applying to visit Portugal, how long you plan to stay, when will you leave and other details

Your valid passport must:

• Have 2 blank page to affix your visa
• Be less than 10 years old
• Have a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date you plan to leave Portugal/the Schengen region

Discover the full list of documents.

How to apply

Once you have all the necessary documents, you should submit your student Schengen visa application at the main Schengen destination in your region. According to how the Portuguese authorities in your country of residence have regulated visa submission, you may have to apply at one of the following:

• The Portuguese Embassy
• A Portuguese consulate
• A Visa Application Centre to which Portugal has outsourced visa submission

The Embassy/Consulate of another Schengen country to which Portugal has outsourced visa submission.

Studying for 3–6 months

EU/EEA students do not need to apply for a visa to study over 90 days. However, you will need to register your presence at the local immigration office.

If you are a UK student studying for a duration of more than 3 months, you will need to apply for a temporary-stay (short-stay) visa.

The temporary-stay visa will allow you to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days, up to a maximum of 180 days.

You can complete the following activities under a temporary-stay visa:

• Study Program (up to 6 months)
• Student exchange (up to 6 months)
• Training
• Unpaid professional internship
• Volunteering
• Commitments rising from international conventions and agreements

Gather your documents

To apply for temporary-stay (short-stay) visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa application form
• Passport or other travel document, valid for 3 more months beyond the expected duration of stay
• 2 identical passport-type photographs identifying the applicant (must be up-to-date and in good condition)
• Transport ticket that ensures your return
• Proof of legal status (if you are of a nationality other than the country where you apply for a visa)
• Valid travel insurance, covering expenses necessary for medical reasons, including urgent medical assistance and eventual repatriation
• Request for consultation of the Portuguese criminal record by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF)
• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or from the country where the applicant has resided for more than one year (children under 16 are exempt from submitting documents relating to criminal records)
• Proof of accommodation (if staying with a family member, proof of family relationship is required)
• Proof that you can support yourself financially during their stay in Portugal (e.g., bank statements or scholarship confirmation)
• Proof of acceptance to a study programme/student exchange programme with a duration equal to/less than one year in an educational establishment

Your proof of acceptance to a study programme/student exchange programme must include:

• Declaration proving reception by family or proof of accommodation
• Proof of means of subsistence (can be obtained by submitting a statement of responsibility to the organisation responsible for student exchange programs)

Discover the full list of documents.

How to apply

Students need to apply for their Portuguese Visa at the home consulate.

Studying for more than 6 months

Upon arrival in Portugal, UK students must apply for a long-term Portuguese student visa (Schengen visa D). This visa covers stays of 6 months to 1 year.

The visa for obtaining a Residence Permit is valid for two entries within four months, during which time the holder must apply to the Aliens and Borders Service for a Residence Permit.

Depending on the duration of your stay, UK students may be required to apply for a temporary visa or long-stay visa, with a view to applying for a Residence Permit upon arrival in Portugal.

You can complete the following activities under a long-stay Portuguese student visa (Schengen visa D):

• Research
• Study
• Exchange (secondary school students)
• Internship
• Volunteering

Gather your documents

To apply for a long-term Portuguese student visa (Schengen visa D) you will need to gather the following documents:

• Passport or other travel document, valid for 3 months beyond the expected duration of stay
• 2 identical passport-type photographs identifying the applicant (must be up-to-date and in good condition)
• Valid travel insurance, covering expenses necessary for medical reasons, including urgent medical assistance and eventual repatriation
• Proof of legal status (if you are of a nationality other than the country where you apply for a visa)
• Request for consultation of the Portuguese criminal record by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF)
• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or from the country where the applicant has resided for more than one year (children under 16 are exempt from submitting documents relating to criminal records)
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof that you can support yourself financially for the duration of your stay (e.g., bank statements or scholarship confirmation)

Study-specific documentation:

• Proof that you fulfil the admission conditions/have been accepted onto a study programme at a higher education institution
• Proof of sufficient resources for the duration of your study programme
• Documentation issued by the educational institution that you are set to attend/of which you fulfil the admissions conditions (this document is waived in the case of a beneficiary of a scholarship)

Please note, higher education students from an officially recognised higher education institution under the terms of the legislation in force are exempt from presenting:

• Health insurance or equivalent
• Proof of admission conditions or how they were accepted into a higher education institution
• Travel insurance
• Means of subsistence

For the purposes of proof of livelihood, the means from grants or scholarships must be taken into account.

Students benefiting from a scholarship, as well as third-country nationals whose official language is Portuguese, are exempt from providing proof of sufficient means of subsistence.

Discover the full list of documents.

Please be aware that some documents may need to be translated and legalised.

Volunteering in Portugal

Student who wish to volunteer in Portugal should consult the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information.

To volunteer in portugal you need the following:

• Proof of a contract with your host who is responsible for the volunteer programme (must contain description of the content and duration of the programme) 
• A guaranteed coverage of food and accommodation expenses 
• Civil liability insurance taken out by the host

 

Working in Portugal

EU/EEA students do not require additional paperwork beyond a passport/national ID card. You will need to find a job and apply for a Residency Card (Cartão de Residência) within 6 months of arriving in Portugal.

UK/NON-EU/EEA students who have secured employment must have their employment contract or work permit approved before beginning work. (Autorizacao de Trabalho).

Working for less than 3 months

For stays of up to 90 days, if you are the holder of a British passport, you do not need to obtain a visa.

UK students can complete an unpaid internship/training/vocational course under a duration of 90 days in Portugal. You will need to check with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) for the latest visa requirements and documentation.

Regardless of the length of your work placement in Portugal, you will be subject to authorisation from the SEF.

Students of all other nationalities must obtain a E6 temporary-stay visa.

Gather your documents

To apply for an E6 Temporary visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa application form (attached, filled out and duly signed)
• Authorisation statement (attached, filled out and duly signed)
• UK criminal record check (ACRO or DBS)
• Rental agreement of property in Portugal (can be Airbnb for the duration of your first month in Portugal)
• Signed personal statement, explaining the reason(s) you are applying for a temporary-stay visa
• Visa in Portugal (including the full address and postcode of the property you will be living in)
• Travel insurance (providing cover for the duration of your work placement)
• Return flight tickets
• Letter of invitation from PT University
• Proof of current studies in the UK (e.g.: enrolment in UK university)
• Proof of means of subsistence
• Erasmus funding letter/student finance letter/parental letter confirming sponsorship for the duration of studies in Portugal

Please note if your parents are sponsoring your stay in Portugal, their confirmation letter must contain their bank statements going back at least 3 months.

How to apply

Students should submit a temporary-stay visa application at the nearest Portuguese Consulate.

 

Working for more than 3 months

UK/Non-EU/Non-EEA students can only apply for a E6 temporary stay visa for more than 90 days once confirmation of the work placement authorisation is received.

Gather your documents

• Visa application form (attached, filled out and duly signed)
• Authorization statement (attached, filled out and duly signed)
• UK criminal record check (ACRO or DBS)
• Long-term rental agreement of property in Portugal (can be Airbnb for the duration of your first month in Portugal)
• Signed personal statement, explaining the reasons(s) you are applying for a temporary-stay visa
• Visa in Portugal (including the full address and postcode of the property you will be living in)
• Travel insurance (covering the duration of studies)
• Return flight tickets
• Letter of invitation from PT University
• Proof of current studies in the UK (e.g.: enrolment in UK university)
• Proof of means of subsistence
• Scholarship funding letter/student finance letter/parental letter confirming sponsorship for the duration of studies in Portugal

Please note if your parents are sponsoring your stay in Portugal, their confirmation letter must contain their bank statements going back at least 3 months.

How to apply

You will need to apply for your temporary-stay visa at the embassy or consulate in your home country.

Students should gather all documents, scan them and send them as PDF files to the nearest Portugese Consulate.