The requirements for applying through the special competition are:
a) Specific conditions
b) Prerequisites

a) Specific conditions
i) Polytechnic Education

Students wishing to apply for a bachelor's degree program at a polytechnic institution, including polytechnic teaching units integrated into universities, are subject to the conditions set by the intended higher education institution.

ii) University Education

Applying for a bachelor's degree or integrated master's degree program at a university is subject to the following conditions:

1. To the carrying out of the national secondary education exams corresponding to the entrance exams required for admission to the study cycle in question through the general access and admission system regulated by Decree-Law No. 296-A/98, of September 25; and
2. Obtaining a grade in these exams that is not lower than the minimum grade set by the higher education institution, in accordance with Article 25 of Decree-Law No. 296-A/98 of September 25.

In the course index, students can check the entry requirements for the national entrance exam (public higher education) and institutional entrance exams (private higher education).

b) Prerequisites

For the purpose of assessing the capacity to attend higher education, higher education institutions may also establish entry prerequisites when they consider that physical, functional or vocational aptitudes are particularly relevant for admission to a specific course.

Therefore, whenever a student indicates in their application options, a pair or pairs of institutions/courses for which a prerequisite is required, in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 16 of Decree-Law no. 296-A/98, of September 25, it is necessary to specify it.

You can check here which institution/course pairs are subject to meeting the prerequisites.

The deadlines for registration, assessment, and fulfillment of prerequisites are set annually by the National Commission for Access to Higher Education (CNAES).,

Applications for institution/course pairings within the local competition are also subject to meeting the student's eligibility for higher education. Students should contact the respective higher education institution to obtain more information about the required criteria.

In the Course Index you can consult the higher education courses that are subject to local admission processes.

The Higher Education Institution (HEI) has the authority to determine, for each of its undergraduate and integrated master's degree programs, which technological specialization diplomas allow entry into those programs.

This determination can be made, exclusively or complementarily, by indicating the areas of education and training that allow application to each study cycle, and admission to the competition may depend on a case-by-case assessment of the suitability of the technological specialization course curriculum for entry into the study cycle in question.

Applying to higher education through special admission processes:

• It takes place annually, together with the Higher Education Institution (HEI) chosen by the student;
• It can be presented for access and admission to public or private higher education, with the exception of military or police higher education;
• It is intended for enrollment in undergraduate and integrated master's degree programs.

Within the framework of the special admission process, institutions are responsible for preparing and developing actions related to access and admission to their courses, in accordance with the legislation, establishing, in particular, the number of places available for each of their institution/course pairs and the respective ranking and tie-breaking criteria. The deadlines for carrying out the acts for access and admission to higher education, in each academic year, through special admission processes, are also set by the higher education institutions.
Applications for the special competition must be submitted according to the terms to be established by each higher education institution (HEI), in its own regulations, which include the documentation required for the respective processing of the application.

The deadlines for completing the procedures for access and admission to higher education, in each academic year, through special admission processes, are:

• Set annually by the Higher Education Institution (HEI);
• Published on the institution's website.

In the special admission process for medical school holders, the deadlines for completing all required actions are set by the organizational units of the higher education institutions offering the medical course, in their own regulations.

In the special admission process for international students, the deadlines for completing all required actions are set by the higher education institution.

The ranking criteria for this competition are set by each Higher Education Institution (HEI), and are therefore regulated by it, duly approved and published.

In the selection process, the placement of candidates in each institution/course pairing is done in descending order of the ranked list resulting from the application of the respective ranking criteria. It is the responsibility of the higher education institution (HEI) to establish the tie-breaking rules between candidates and to decide on applications for the special selection process.

The number of places available for each institution/course pair, for each of the special admission processes, are:
Set annually by the higher education institutions;
Published on the institution's website.

For admission in each academic year, vacancies can only be opened for a given institution/course pair under the special admission procedures when they have also been opened under the general admission system (national competition and institutional competitions).

In special access and admission processes, any restrictions are set by the higher education institutions in their own regulations.

Special admission processes are held for enrollment and registration in an academic year and are valid for the academic year to which they refer.

The recognition of previously acquired academic qualifications by students entering a study cycle through a special admission process is carried out in accordance with the terms set out in Articles 45 to 45-B of Decree-Law No. 74/2006, of March 24, as amended by Decree-Law No. 65/2018, of August 16.

Thus, within the scope of pursuing studies to obtain an academic degree or diploma, higher education institutions, under the terms of Article 45 of Decree-Law No. 74/2006, of March 24, amended and republished by Decree-Law No. 65/2018, of August 16, and republished therein in the annex:

a) They acknowledge the training undertaken within the framework of other higher education degree programs at national or foreign higher education institutions, whether obtained within the framework of the Bologna Process or obtained previously;

b) They credit training completed within the scope of higher professional technical courses up to a limit of 50% of the total credits of the study cycle;

c) Credit is given for successfully completed curricular units, in accordance with Article 46-A of the diploma, up to a limit of 50% of the total credits for the study cycle;

d) Credits may be awarded for training undertaken within the scope of non-degree courses at national or foreign higher education institutions, up to a limit of 50% of the total credits of the study cycle;

(e) They may credit training completed within the scope of technological specialization courses up to a limit of one third of the total credits of the study cycle;

f) They may receive credit for other training not covered by the preceding paragraphs up to a limit of one third of the total credits for the study cycle;

(g) Professional experience may be credited up to a limit of 50% of the total credits for higher professional technical courses in situations where the student has more than five years of duly proven professional experience;

h) They may credit duly proven professional experience up to a limit of one third of the total credits of the study cycle, without prejudice to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

The total credits awarded under points d) to h) cannot exceed two-thirds of the total credits for the study cycle.

The awarding of credits under points g) and e) may be wholly or partially conditional upon the completion of specific knowledge assessment procedures.

According to Article 45-A of the decree, each higher education institution approves its own regulations regarding the accreditation process, publishing them in the 2nd series of the Official Gazette and on its website, and the student must contact the institution of interest.

• Decree-Law No. 113/2014, of July 16

Modified By

• Decree-Law, No. 11/2020, of April 2, 2020
• Decree-Law No. 63/2016, of September 13