Students for whom the special competition is intended

The special competition covers students who cumulatively:

• They do not have Portuguese nationality, except for:

1.  Nationals of a Member State of the European Union or nationals of a State Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area;
2. Family members of Portuguese nationals, nationals of other Member States of the European Union, or nationals of a State Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, regardless of their nationality;
3.  Those who, not being nationals of a Member State of the European Union, nor of a State Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), have legally resided in Portugal for more than two years, uninterruptedly, on January 1st of the year in which they intend to enter higher education, as well as their children residing with them – the time of residence with a residence permit for study is only relevant during the period in which the student is attending secondary education in Portugal;
4. Those who, on January 1st of the year in which they intend to enter higher education, are entitled to equal rights and duties under an international treaty signed between the Portuguese State and the State of which they are nationals;
5. Those who require admission to higher education through the special access and admission schemes regulated by Decree-Law No. 64-A/2023, of July 31.

• Be holders of:

1. A qualification that grants access to higher education, understood as any diploma or certificate issued by a competent authority that attests to the successful completion of an educational program and confers the right to apply for and be admitted to higher education in the country where it was awarded; or
2. Diploma from Portuguese secondary education or legally equivalent qualification.

Also not considered an international student is a foreign student who is attending a Portuguese higher education institution as part of an international mobility program to complete part of a study cycle at a foreign higher education institution with which the Portuguese institution has established an exchange agreement for that purpose.

All students who enter higher education with international student status retain their international student status until the end of the study cycle in which they initially enrolled or to which they transfer, even if, during the course of any of these study cycles, they are granted equal rights and duties under a treaty or international agreement concluded between the Portuguese State and the State of which they are nationals.

The cessation of the application of international student status can only be requested by international students who, after entering the study cycle, acquire Portuguese nationality, the nationality of another Member State of the European Union, or the nationality of a State Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. This will only take effect in the academic year following the date of acquisition of nationality.

Family members of Portuguese citizens or nationals of a member state of the European Union are understood to be, regardless of their nationality:

1. The spouse of a Union citizen;
2. The partner with whom a Union citizen lives in a de facto union, established in accordance with the law, or with whom the Union citizen maintains a permanent relationship duly certified by the competent authority of the Member State where they reside;
3. The direct descendant under 21 years of age or dependent on a Union citizen, as well as the descendant of the spouse or partner within the meaning of the preceding subparagraph;
4. The direct ascendant who is dependent on a Union citizen, as well as that of the spouse or partner within the meaning of subparagraph ii).

"Legal resident" means a foreign citizen holding a residence permit in Portugal, valid for one year or more, in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph v) of Article 3 of Law No. 23/2007, of July 4, as amended, which approves the legal regime for the entry, stay, exit and removal of foreigners from the national territory.