The report is available. Annual Education Report 2026, a study developed by EDULOG (the think tank from the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation) which had the institutional support of Institute for Higher Education (IES, IP) and the DGEEC in data sharing and processing.
In the context of Higher Education, the report dedicates an in-depth analysis to the recent evolution of demand and student trajectories, highlighting crucial themes such as:
– The magnitude of the unprecedented drop in the number of applicants to the National Access Competition in the 2025/26 academic year;
– The demographic impact and changes to admission rules (such as the requirement of two entrance exams) on course selection;
– The growing role of CTeSP (Professional Higher Technical Courses) and the differentiation between the university and polytechnic subsystems;
The transition of graduates to master's programs and social stratification in the education system.
The main conclusions reveal, in a very summarized way, that although Portugal has achieved enormous success in massifying the sector — with 431% of young people aged 23 to 27 completing higher education — the system is now facing an unprecedented drop in demand driven by demographic contraction and new requirements in entrance exams.
The report indicates that the main focus of inequality has shifted from access to the pathway within institutions, with a growing disparity in the transition to master's degrees, where students with parents who hold degrees have a substantially higher rate of continuing their studies.
Finally, the job market is becoming increasingly selective, rewarding young people who achieve a master's degree in areas of high cognitive and mathematical demand, such as engineering, technology, and management, with higher salaries, while graduates face greater stagnation and technological vulnerability.
Publicado em Jun 30, 2026 | Atualizado em June 30, 2026
