Portugal Government Scholarships 2025

Undergraduate Scholarships Partial Funding

Portugal Government Scholarships 2025

Aug 26, 2025

20 mins to read

That "€15,000 Portugal Government Scholarship" you've seen everywhere? It doesn't exist. Here’s what DOES. Stop scrolling! Before you apply for that Portugal scholarship, you need to read this crucial correction.

The original article has a lot of wrong information and gives a false picture There is no one Portugal Government Scholarship that gives all overseas students €15000 a year for any degree level Portugal does offer financial help mostly through its DGES Direção Geral do Ensino Superior Grants for international students To control expectations and apply effectively for a scholarship it is very important to know the right information

Scholarship Summary

Detail	Information
Host Country	Portugal
Administering Body	Direção Geral do Ensino Superior DGES
Eligible Nationalities	Mainly for Portuguese people and people from CPLP Countries that speak Portuguese as their first language Eligibility for other nationalities is very restricted and contingent upon particular bilateral agreements
Study Level	Undergraduate Masters or PhD although there are tight rules about who can apply
Funding Type	Partially Funded Not Fully Funded
Benefits	Tuition fee waiver and a monthly stipend often between €200 and €500 a month
Language Requirement	Most of the time you need to be good at Portuguese The assertion No IELTS Required is misleading because you will need to show that you can speak the language of instruction which is Portuguese for most public colleges
Application Deadline	The major DGES application time is usually in the spring for the next school year but it can change A deadline of September 30 2025 can be for some programs

A Reality Check on Detailed Scholarship Information

The DGES grant system is the main way that students in Portugal acquire help It is vital to highlight

Primary Target This method is mostly for people who are Portuguese citizens or legal residents
Who Can Be an International Student International students are usually only eligible for DGES help if they are People from a CPLP member country like Angola Brazil Cape Verde Mozambique and other countries must meet certain requirements Covered by a specific international bilateral agreement between Portugal and their native country Refugees or stateless persons
How much help The grant doesnt have all the money it needs It has A tuition fee waiver that is already rather modest in Portugal usually between €700 and €1500 a year for overseas students A monthly payment to aid with living costs The number is not €1250 it is based on a complicated calculation The maximum base value for the scholarship in 2023 2024 for example was €48623 a month for a maximum of 10 months €486230 a year Most pupils dont get the most they can get

Eligibility Requirements Correct Criteria

To be able to get a DGES grant you usually need to

Requirement	Details
Nationality	Be a Portuguese citizen of a CPLP country or meet the requirements of a specific bilateral agreement
Financial Need	Show that you dont have a lot of money The grant is depending on how much money your household has
Academic Progress	You must be enrolled in a degree program that has been approved by the Portuguese Ministry of Education and demonstrate sufficient academic progress
No Prior Degree	In most cases you cant get a grant for a degree that is the same as one you already have
Language Skills	Be able to speak Portuguese well enough to take university level courses

Advantages Expectations that are realistic

The real benefits of a DGES grant are

Not having to pay tuition at public colleges and universities
A monthly cash allowance to help with living costs The amount changes based on your needs however it is not €1250 per month A reasonable range is €200 to €486 a month for up to 10 months a year It usually doesnt cover the full cost of living flights or insurance

How to Follow the Right Steps

You can apply online through the official DGES portal

Check to see whether you qualify First and foremost check to see if your nationality and situation make you eligible for a DGES award This is the most important phase
Get your Portuguese tax number NIF To apply you will need a Portuguese tax ID number
Make an Account Go to the DGES Bolhas de Estudo Grants Portal
Fill out the full online application During the open application period which is normally from April to June fill out the application form for the next school year
Upload the documents you need This will have Identification Document Portuguese Fiscal Number NIF Proof of Residence Financial Information and IRS tax paperwork from your family in your home country that have been translated and certified Proof that you are enrolled or accepted into a Portuguese college or university
Send in by the deadline Make sure you send in your application during the official application period

Official Application Link Important Choices

The only official place to apply for DGES grants is in Portuguese at Portal das Bolhas de Estudo DGES

Important Note Because the DGES funds are so limited international students in Portugal should think about these other ways to pay for school

University Specific Scholarships A lot of Portuguese universities like the University of Lisbon and the University of Porto offer its own merit based or international student scholarships Always verify the international office page of the university you want to attend
The FCT is the major place in Portugal where people of all nationalities can get fully supported PhD scholarships These research awards are quite competitive and come with a complete stipend and tuition The website is https://www.fct.pt
The CAMÕES Institute offers scholarships for studying Portuguese language and culture
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees For masters students these EU funded programs are a great way to study in Portugal with full scholarship

Conclusion

Portugal is a great place to study that doesnt cost much but the idea of a universal fully funded government scholarship for all international students is wrong
Concentrate your efforts on confirming your eligibility for the DGES system or more realistically on university specific scholarships and the FCT for PhD study Always put information from official pt websites first