The University of Coimbra (Universidade de Coimbra, or UC) was founded in 1290, which makes it Portugal’s oldest university and one of the oldest in the world, and its historic buildings are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has eight faculties and a College of Arts. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 342nd in the world, up five places to its highest-ever position, and the fourth-highest-ranked university in Portugal. It’s known for law, medicine, pharmacy, the sciences and technology, and the humanities.
Most of UC’s bachelor’s programmes are taught in Portuguese, but it runs a special contest for international students and a Zero Year to help you learn Portuguese first. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on the University of Coimbra’s own guidance and official Portuguese information.
1. Check whether you’re an international student
Portugal’s International Student Statute (Estatuto do Estudante Internacional) gives students who aren’t Portuguese or EU/EEA citizens their own “special contest” for bachelor’s and integrated master’s places, with separate places, dates and fees. You can’t use it if you’re a family member of a Portuguese or EU citizen, if you’ve lived legally in Portugal for more than two years by 1 January of the year you apply (time on a student visa usually doesn’t count), or if you benefit from the Statute of Equal Rights and Duties for Brazilian citizens. If you can’t use it, you apply through the national access system like Portuguese students. At UC, the Special Contest for International Students covers bachelor’s and integrated master’s degree courses, and a special quota of up to 30% of the places is reserved for applicants from partner schools in Brazil and for those who’ve taken part in some UC programmes for international students.
2. Learn Portuguese, or start with the Zero Year
Because most bachelor’s and integrated master’s courses are taught in Portuguese, you’ll need to show that you can study in Portuguese. If your Portuguese isn’t good enough yet, UC offers a Zero Year in Portuguese Language, a preparatory year that costs €7,000, to help you reach the level you need before you start your degree. Some master’s courses are taught in English, so check the language of instruction on each course page.
3. Apply in the first call, from mid-December
UC’s special contest has several calls. For 2026-27, the first call ran from 15 December 2025 to 26 January 2026, the second from 16 February to 15 April 2026, the third from 20 May to 17 July 2026 and an extra call from 7 to 14 August 2026. Places are first offered in the first call, and later calls only fill the places that are left, so for 2027-28 look out for the first call opening in December 2026. If you’re not placed in one phase, you can carry your application over to the next one at no extra cost.
4. Apply online through InforEstudante
You apply through UC’s InforEstudante platform, where you fill in your details, upload your documents, pay the fee, check your results and enrol. After you submit, you must “seal” your application, and you then have to pay a non-refundable €50 application fee by the deadline or your application won’t be considered. You’ll see a provisional list of results first, and you can submit a reasoned complaint before the final list is published. University of Coimbra: how to apply.
5. Get your documents translated and authenticated
To apply for a bachelor’s, you need a Portuguese secondary school diploma or equivalent, or a foreign diploma that gives you access to higher education in your country. Documents in languages other than English, French or Spanish must be translated into Portuguese by a translator recognised by the Portuguese diplomatic representation. If you’re admitted, you must also submit the authenticated originals of your documents when you enrol, so start the authentication process early. Once your application has been validated, you can’t add or replace documents in the same phase.
6. Apply for a master’s in spring
Applications for most of UC’s master’s courses open in March, and each faculty publishes its own application calendar, number of places and ranking criteria. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, and you apply through InforEstudante in the same way as for bachelor’s courses. Check your faculty’s page early.
7. Prove your English for English-taught courses
English-taught programmes ask you to prove your English, usually with IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT or a Cambridge English qualification, although applicants who studied in English may be exempt. Minimum scores are set by each programme, so check yours, and book your test early so your results are ready when you apply. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
8. Understand the fees
International students admitted through the special contest pay €7,000 a year for bachelor’s and integrated master’s courses, except Medicine, which costs €18,000 a year. Your first enrolment is only confirmed once you pay 25% of the year’s tuition fee plus the €20 registration fee in a single payment. Fees for master’s courses are set separately for each course. Portugal has few large scholarships for international students, but look at the Camões Institute (for students from some Portuguese-speaking countries), the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for doctoral studentships, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Santander Universities, as well as funding from your own government.
9. Apply for your student visa, then your residence permit
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a visa, but if they stay longer than three months they must get a registration certificate from their local town hall. If you’re from outside the EU/EEA, you first apply for a residence visa for higher education at the Portuguese embassy or consulate in your country once the University of Coimbra has accepted you, and you must show that you have enough money to live on, health or travel insurance and a criminal record certificate. The amount is based on Portugal’s monthly minimum wage, which is €920 in 2026. The visa lets you enter Portugal, where you book an appointment with AIMA, Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, to apply for your residence permit with proof of enrolment, tuition payment, accommodation and means of subsistence. Under current rules, the residence permit for higher education students is valid for three years, or for the length of your course if it’s shorter. If you arrive from another Schengen country and don’t pass Portuguese border control, you must declare your entry to AIMA or the police within three working days. AIMA appointments can take time, so apply for your visa as soon as you’re admitted. AIMA: residence permit for higher education students.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
With a residence permit for study, you can work as an employee or be self-employed alongside your studies, as long as your studies remain your main activity, and you’ll need to register with Portuguese social security and get a tax number (NIF). Most part-time jobs need Portuguese, so don’t count on them to pay your tuition or living costs. After you graduate, you’ll need to switch to a residence permit that allows you to work, for example once you’ve found a job, so check the current options with AIMA before your student permit runs out. The University of Coimbra’s career services can help you find internships and jobs. AIMA: residence permit for higher education students.
Applying for a PhD at the University of Coimbra?
UC’s doctoral programmes are run by its faculties, each with its own application calendar. You’ll usually need a master’s degree and a research project, and many doctoral students in Portugal are funded through studentships from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) or research projects. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to the University of Lisbon, the University of Porto, NOVA University Lisbon and the University of Aveiro. Our guide to studying in Portugal explains how the Portuguese system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from the University of Coimbra’s official admissions pages and 2026-27 notices of opening, AIMA and other Portuguese government sources and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on the University of Coimbra’s applications website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with the University of Coimbra.