Student Visa

Heading to Portugal to study? If your course lasts longer than 90 days, you’ll need a visa for educational purposes. This visa allows you to stay in Portugal for the duration of your studies, whether you’re pursuing a degree or taking part in an exchange program.

portugal - student
Do I need a visa to study in Portugal?

Do I need a visa to study in Portugal?

Portugal offers top-quality education in a range of disciplines at universities that welcome international students.

If you plan to study in Portugal, whether you need a visa depends on the duration of your course and your nationality.

Planning to study in Portugal for more than 90 days?

Planning to study in Portugal for more than 90 days?

  • Non-EU/EEA/Swiss Citizens: You will need a student visa and a residence permit.
  • EU/EEA/Swiss Citizens: No student visa is required, but you must register with local authorities.
Planning to study in Portugal for less than 90 days?

Planning to study in Portugal for less than 90 days?

  • on-EU/EEA/Swiss Citizens: A student visa is needed only if your nationality typically requires a Schengen Visa. Citizens from countries like the US, Australia, and Canada can enter with just their passport for up to three months.
  • EU/EEA/Swiss Citizens: No visa is required
Temporary stay visas are available for many types of studies such as:

Temporary stay visas are available for many types of studies such as:

  • For Secondary Education students staying for more than 3 months, there's a temporary stay visa for study programs, student exchanges, training, unpaid internships, volunteer work, and commitments under international agreements.
  • Bachelor’s students can get a temporary stay visa for their studies.
  • Master’s students are eligible for a temporary stay visa for the duration of their program.
  • PhD candidates can apply for a temporary stay visa to pursue their doctoral studies.
  • Post-Doc researchers have a temporary stay visa available for their postdoctoral work.
  • Participants in a Mobility program/Exchange program can get a temporary stay visa for the duration of their exchange or mobility studies.

What type of visa will I need? 

Choosing the right visa for you can be overwhelming sometimes and we want to give you as much student visa guidance as possible. When you’re applying to study in Germany, there are a few different options.

If you’re an international student and have been accepted at an official university in Germany, you can apply for a German National visa. This will let you study a university programme for 3 months. 

There are other types of student visas you can choose from, such as the:

German Student Applicant Visa

which you’ll need if you’ll have to apply for university in person. You can’t actually study in Germany with this visa - it’s only valid for the university application process.

German Language Course Visa

which you can apply for if you want to study a German language course in Germany.

Destinations

Embark on unforgettable travel adventures and discover diverse cultures with our travel tips and useful information on what's on, where you can go and what you can see.

Last updated 7 October 2024