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University report · Braga

Getting into UMinho from abroad: route, exams, language and fees

Applicants without an EU or EEA passport enter the University of Minho through its international student contest, whose 2027/2028 dates UMinho has not published; in the 2026/2027 cycle, phase 2, open to all international students, ran from 13 to 24 April 2026. The bar is an application grade of at least 100 on the 0-200 scale for a handful of places per programme, and UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) says the annual undergraduate fee for international students can be set at up to €6.5 thousand.

Jakub AndreWritten byJakub AndreFounder, College Council
Verified 18 Oct 2026against official pages
Updated 18 Oct 202616 chapters + FAQ
23 official sourceslisted at the end
Phase 2, 2026/2027 13-24 AprMinimum grade 100/200Fee cap, undated €6.5 thousandLanguage B2

Can you get into UMinho?

Three answers, checked against UMinho rules and its admissions data.
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Contents
01

Universidade do Minho admission at a glance

If you count as an international student, the University of Minho (UMinho) admits you to a bachelor (licenciatura) or integrated master's through the Concurso Especial de Acesso e Ingresso do Estudante Internacional, and UMinho requires an application grade of at least 100 points on the Portuguese 0-200 scale. The latest published cycle is the 2026/2027 academic year: UMinho has not published the 2027/2028 contest yet, so the dates below are the 2026/2027 ones.

The UMinho international contest for 2026/2027 ran in phases. Phase 1 ran from 26 January to 13 February 2026 and was open only to holders of the ENEM taken in the last 4 years. Phase 2 ran from 13 to 24 April 2026. Both windows have closed, and UMinho has not published the 2027/2028 dates.

The UMinho bar is a gate, not a forecast. An application grade of 100 on the 0-200 scale only makes you eligible; places are then filled in order of grade, and UMinho does not publish the last admitted grade of the international contest.

Rules that catch international applicants out

  • Phase 1 of the UMinho contest is for ENEM holders only. Every other international applicant applies in phase 2.
  • Phase 2 assumes that you sit, at UMinho, the written exams that match the entrance exams (provas de ingresso) of your programme, unless your own final exams are accepted instead (see the entrance exams chapter).
  • The UMinho language rule asks for an independent command of Portuguese or English at B2 or above, proved by a document or by a written and/or oral exam.
  • UMinho offers few international places per programme: Economia had 10 places for 2026/2027.

The UMinho fee depends on your nationality and programme. UMinho states, without naming a year, that the annual fee of its degree programmes for international students can be set at up to €6.5 thousand; nationals of Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries pay less on several programmes, and Medicine is priced separately (see the tuition chapter).

Five facts about the UMinho international contest2026/2027 (latest published) unless marked
TopicWhat UMinho publishes
RouteConcurso Especial de Acesso e Ingresso do Estudante Internacional for licenciatura and integrated master's programmes (UMinho page, undated)
Phases, 2026/2027Phase 1 for ENEM holders only: 26 January to 13 February 2026. Phase 2: 13 to 24 April 2026
Minimum grade100 points on the 0-200 scale (undated)
LanguagePortuguese or English at B2 or above of the CEFR, 2026/2027 order
FeeUp to €6.5 thousand a year for international undergraduates (UMinho page, undated)
Source: UMinho international contest page, 2026/2027 contest order, sou.uminho.pt page for applicants from other countries
Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
02

Universidade do Minho: history, campuses, schools and rankings

The Universidade do Minho was founded in 1973, is a public university organised as a public foundation under private law, and teaches on three campuses: Gualtar in Braga, and Azurém and Couros in Guimarães. UMinho has 12 schools and institutes.

The two cities sit close together in the north of Portugal. Braga, the home of the Gualtar campus, is described by UMinho as the 3rd largest metropolitan area of Portugal, with about 200 thousand inhabitants. Guimarães, the home of Azurém and Couros, was European Capital of Culture in 2012 and has about 160 thousand inhabitants.

Where UMinho schools areundated
CampusCityWhat is taught there
GualtarBragaThe one UMinho campus in Braga
AzurémGuimarãesThe School of Engineering and almost all its programmes, the School of Architecture, and some programmes of the School of Sciences and the Institute of Social Sciences
CourosGuimarãesThe third UMinho campus
Source: UMinho campus description and sou.uminho.pt international pages

Your UMinho campus depends on your programme: after enrolment you only need to be in Braga or Guimarães, depending on the campus where your programme is taught, on the day classes start. At Azurém in Guimarães sit the School of Engineering and almost all its programmes, so check the school of your programme before you look for housing.

UMinho in the rankings

UMinho's pages for international applicants do not state a ranking position with a named edition. Any QS, Times Higher Education or other ranking figure for UMinho is the claim of its publisher, so check it on the publisher's own page, for the edition it names.

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
03

Who counts as an international student at UMinho, and the EU route

You count as an international student at the University of Minho only if you meet every condition of the Portuguese definition at once, among them no citizenship of an EU member state or of a state party to the EEA agreement, no Portuguese citizenship, and no uninterrupted legal residence in Portugal for more than 2 years on 1 January of the year of application. If you hold an EU or EEA passport, UMinho points you to the Concurso Nacional de Acesso run by the national directorate DGES instead.

The UMinho international students FAQ (as of October 2026) lists these conditions, which must all hold cumulatively:

UMinho states the residence cut-off date in two ways. The FAQ uses 1 January of the year of application, while the English undergraduate page for international students says more than 2 years as of 31 August of the year of application and the Portuguese undergraduate page says more than 2 years since 31 August of the year of application (both pages as of October 2026). The English page opens its list with you do not have Portuguese citizenship; you are not a citizen of a Member State of the European Union. If you have lived in Portugal close to two years, ask the UMinho admissions office which date it applies to your case before you choose a route.

Which UMinho route fits youundated
Your situationRouteWhat it asks
No EU or EEA citizenship and none of the exceptions aboveConcurso Especial de Acesso e Ingresso do Estudante InternacionalThe UMinho international contest (see How to apply)
EU or EEA citizen, or otherwise not internationalConcurso Nacional de Acesso (DGES)A secondary diploma or legal equivalent and the national exams for the entrance exams, sat that year or in the last four years
Brazilian and EU dual nationalNot the international contestAny EU or EEA citizenship rules out the international route
Source: UMinho international students FAQ and undergraduate page

The EU route: Concurso Nacional de Acesso

The Concurso Nacional de Acesso is the national contest for bachelor and integrated master's places at Portuguese public universities, organised by the DGES, not by UMinho. To enter it you need a secondary diploma or a legally equivalent qualification and the Portuguese national exams that match your programme's entrance exams, and you must not be covered by the international student status. UMinho also notes that ENEM papers are not equivalent to the Portuguese entrance exams required in the national contest.

Dual nationals and later changes of status

A UMinho applicant with Brazilian and EU nationality cannot use the international contest: UMinho states that Portuguese, EU or EEA citizenship makes an application as an international student impossible. A student admitted through the international contest keeps international status until the end of the programme first enrolled in. If you acquire a nationality that ends that status, the change takes effect in the academic year after the acquisition, from which you are treated as a national student. The fee gap exists because the Portuguese state subsidises the studies of Portuguese and EU students, but not of international students.

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
04

UMinho places for international students and selection results

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the latest published cycle, the University of Minho set only a handful of international-contest places per programme: 15 in Relações Internacionais, 12 in Engenharia Química e Biológica, 10 in Economia, 10 in Gestão and 10 in Medicina, and fewer elsewhere. UMinho does not publish applicant numbers, admission rates or last admitted grades for this contest.

The UMinho places come from Annex IV of the 2026/2027 contest order, under the heading Vagas EI 2026/27 (EI stands for estudante internacional). The annex notes that the way programmes run may change. The 2027/2028 places are not published yet.

International places at UMinho by programme2026/2027 (Annex IV, latest published)
ProgrammeInternational places, 2026/2027
Relações Internacionais15
Engenharia Química e Biológica12
Economia10
Gestão10
Medicina10
Engenharia Civil9
Línguas e Literaturas Europeias8
Direito6
Administração Pública5
Bioquímica5
Ciência Política5
Contabilidade5
Engenharia Informática5
Engenharia de Telecomunicações e Informática5
Línguas Aplicadas5
Ciências da Computação4
Ciências do Ambiente4
Negócios Internacionais4
Psicologia4
Biologia Aplicada3
Ciência de Dados3
Enfermagem3
Engenharia Eletrónica Industrial e Computadores3
Engenharia Mecânica3
Engenharia Têxtil3
Engenharia de Materiais3
Engenharia de Polímeros3
Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de Informação3
Estatística Aplicada3
Estudos Portugueses3
Filosofia3
Química3
Teatro3
Arquitetura2
Engenharia Aeroespacial2
Engenharia Física2
Engenharia e Gestão Industrial2
Estudos Culturais2
Estudos Orientais: Estudos Chineses e Japoneses2
Geografia e Planeamento2
Optometria e Ciências da Visão2
Arqueologia1
Artes Visuais1
Biologia e Geologia1
Ciências da Comunicação1
Criminologia e Justiça Criminal1
Design de Produto1
Direito (regime pós-laboral)1
Educação1
Educação (regime pós-laboral)1
Educação Básica1
Engenharia Biomédica1
História1
Matemática1
Música1
Proteção Civil e Gestão do Território1
Sociologia1
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order, Annex IV (places for international students)

How the UMinho places move between phases

Phase 1 of the UMinho contest is reserved for holders of the ENEM taken in the last 4 years. The UMinho list of places for phase 2 shows 7 places left in Economia, 5 in Relações Internacionais and 3 in Medicina; in the 2026/2027 calendar the phase 2 places were published on 10 April 2026.

The UMinho list for the 2026/2027 phase 3 shows 7 places in Economia and 5 in Medicina. Medicina has more places in phase 3 than in phase 2 as published; UMinho does not explain the difference. Read these lists as what was left at each stage of 2026/2027, not as a promise for 2027/2028.

Selection results

UMinho posts placement lists in each phase (in 2026/2027, the phase 2 lists on 12 June 2026), but it does not publish how many international applicants applied, what share was admitted or the grade of the last admitted applicant in this contest, so the places above are the only measure of competition for the international contest.

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
05

How to apply to UMinho as an international student: phases, dates and documents

You apply to the University of Minho in one of the phases of its international contest, choosing up to 3 programmes in order of preference and paying an application fee of €68. The latest published calendar is for the 2026/2027 academic year, and all its windows have closed; UMinho has not published a 2027/2028 calendar yet.

The three UMinho phases are not open to everyone in the same way. Phase 1 is reserved for holders of the ENEM taken in the last 4 years. Phase 2 is open to all international students and assumes you sit, at UMinho, the written exams that match your programme's entrance exams. Phase 3 is only for holders of the access qualification, so you must already hold it when you apply.

The UMinho international contest calendar
2026/2027, the latest published cycle; every date below is in 2026 and has passed
Phase 1 applications
ENEM holders only
Phase 1
Phase 1 enrolment
For those placed in phase 1
Phase 1
Phase 2 places published
Places left after phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 2 applications
All international students
Phase 2
Entrance exams at UMinho
Exams sat in person on campus
Phase 2
Phase 2 placement lists
Phase 2
Phase 2 enrolment
Phase 2
Phase 3 applications
Holders of the access qualification only
Phase 3
Medicine interviews
By videoconference
Phase 3
Phase 3 placement lists
Phase 3
Phase 3 enrolment
Phase 3
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order (calendar) and UMinho contest and enrolment pages

The UMinho phase 3 calendar also set prerequisites for the Licenciatura em Música on 03 and 04 September 2026. UMinho has not published the 2027/2028 calendar, so wait for the new order before you count on any date.

Choosing your UMinho programmes

In the UMinho application you select up to 3 programmes in order of preference. Each programme sets its own entrance exams and prerequisites (see the entrance exams chapter), so check every choice against them.

Documents for the UMinho application

UMinho application and enrolment fees

UMinho charges, under its current fee table for degree programmes, an application fee of €68, a matrícula fee of €10 and an inscrição fee of €26 that includes compulsory school insurance. A complaint against a selection list costs €22. Tuition comes on top (see the tuition chapter).

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
06

Entry requirements at UMinho by qualification: IB, A-levels, foreign secondary diplomas and ENEM

The University of Minho admits international students who hold a qualification giving access to higher education, or a Portuguese secondary diploma or legal equivalent, and under the 2026/2027 contest order, the latest published, it ranks them on an application grade made of 60% secondary school grade and 40% entrance exams, with a minimum of 100.00 points on the 0-200 scale. UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) names the IB and the A-Level as examples of courses whose final exams replace the entrance exams.

The diploma you upload must be issued by a competent authority, certify that you passed a secondary programme or equivalent, and give you the right to apply to and enter higher education in the country where you obtained it. The order also checks the teaching language (see the language chapter) and any prerequisites of your programme (see the entrance exams chapter).

How UMinho assesses each qualification

How UMinho checks the entrance exams, by qualification2026/2027 contest order (latest published)
Your qualificationWhat replaces the Portuguese entrance exams
Portuguese secondary diplomaYour grades in the subjects that match the entrance exams of Annex I
Brazilian ensino médio with ENEMENEM scores with the weights of Annex II
Foreign secondary course legally equivalent to the Portuguese one (IB and A-Level are named as examples)The final exams of that course, once validated by UMinho
Any other caseWritten exams matching the entrance exams, sat in person at UMinho
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order; sou.uminho.pt page for applicants from other countries

UMinho names the IB and the A-Level only as examples of foreign courses whose final exams can stand in for the entrance exams. UMinho does not publish a minimum IB score, A-Level grade set or other per-credential grade; the gate is the converted application grade. UMinho also excludes applicants who do not reach in the entrance exams the minimum UMinho requires in the general access regime, on the 0 to 200 scale.

Converting foreign grades to the UMinho 0-200 scale

If your country grades on another scale, UMinho converts each grade with the formula Y = 200*(Y1-Ymin)/(Ymax-Ymin), where Y1 is your grade, Ymax the top of your national scale and Ymin its bottom. The application grade then combines the converted secondary grade, weighted 60%, with the entrance exam grades, weighted 40%; with two entrance exams the formula is S x ps + P1 x pp1 + P2 x pp2. You need at least 100.00 points to be admitted or placed on the waiting list.

UMinho can also exempt you from the entrance exams if you present documentary proof of knowledge of the exam subjects that the school's Pedagogical Council accepts. If the Council does not set a grade for that proof, UMinho counts 100 on the 0 to 200 scale for each exam in the ranking.

The ENEM route at UMinho

UMinho's international students FAQ (as of October 2026) says it accepts holders of the Brazilian ensino médio diploma who sat the ENEM in the last 4 years. The 2026/2027 order weights the ENEM areas differently for each programme (table below), and the FAQ puts the cut-off on that weighted application grade at 500.

ENEM areas and weights by UMinho programme2026/2027 contest order, Annex II (latest published)
ProgrammeENEM areas and weights
Administração PúblicaRedação (30%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
ArqueologiaRedação (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (50%)
ArquiteturaRedação (20%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (40%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (40%)
Artes VisuaisRedação (20%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (40%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (40%)
Biologia AplicadaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (65%)
Biologia e GeologiaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (65%)
BioquímicaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (65%)
Ciência PolíticaRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
Ciências da ComunicaçãoRedação (50%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (50%); or Redação (50%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (50%); or Redação (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologia (50%)
Ciências da ComputaçãoLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (70%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (25%)
Ciência de DadosLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (10%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (80%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (10%)
Ciências do AmbienteLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (65%)
ContabilidadeRedação (30%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
Criminologia e Justiça CriminalRedação (40%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (40 %) + Nota Global do ENEM (20%)
Design de ProdutoRedação (20%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (40%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (40%)
Design e Marketing de ModaMatemática e suas Tecnologias (40%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (60%)
DireitoRedação (40%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (40 %) + Nota Global do ENEM (20%)
EducaçãoRedação (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (50%); or Redação (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
EnfermagemRedação (10%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (30%)
Engenharia BiomédicaMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Engenharia CivilMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Engenharia de MateriaisMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Engenharia FísicaMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Engenharia InformáticaMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Engenharia MecânicaMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Engenharia TêxtilMatemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Estatística AplicadaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (75%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (10%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (10%)
Estudos CulturaisRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
Estudos PortuguesesRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
FilosofiaRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
FísicaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (45%)
Geografia e PlaneamentoRedação (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (50%)
GeologiaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (10%)
GestãoRedação (30%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
HistóriaRedação (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (50%)
Línguas AplicadasRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
Línguas e Literaturas EuropeiasRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
MarketingRedação (30%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
MatemáticaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (10%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (80%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (10%)
MedicinaCiências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (50%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (50%)
MúsicaRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
Negócios InternacionaisRedação (30%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
PsicologiaRedação (10%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (45%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (45%)
QuímicaLinguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (5%) + Matemática e suas Tecnologias (30%) + Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias (65%)
Relações InternacionaisRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (70%); or Redação (30%) + Linguagem, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (70%)
SociologiaRedação (50%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (50%)
TeatroRedação (30%) + Ciências Humanas e suas Tecnologias (35%) + Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias (35%)
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order, Annex II (ENEM)

Valid exam years and legalised documents

For entry in the 2026/2027 academic year, UMinho accepted results of access exams taken in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. UMinho has not published the 2027/2028 order, so the valid years for autumn 2027 entry are not confirmed. The FAQ (as of October 2026) says your documents do not need the Hague apostille, as long as they are signed and stamped by the issuing body.

Last admitted grades in the national contest

UMinho's course guide (Guia de Cursos, as of October 2026) lists, for each programme, the grade of the last student admitted through the Concurso Nacional de Acesso, the national contest for Portuguese and EU applicants. These are statistics of that contest, not minimums, and not figures of the international contest; the table names no year.

Last admitted grade in the national contest (NUC), by UMinho programmeundated; national contest statistic
ProgrammeLast admitted grade (NUC)
Arqueologia140.2
Artes Visuais150.5
Biologia e Geologia144.2
Bioquímica153.8
Ciência Política158.8
Ciência de Dados146.0
Ciências da Computação148.6
Ciências da Comunicação169.0
Ciências do Ambiente137.0
Criminologia e Justiça Criminal168.8
Design e Marketing de Moda164.0
Economia167.6
Engenharia Aeroespacial188.6
Engenharia Civil140.6
Engenharia Eletrónica Industrial e Computadores114.8
Engenharia Física148.4
Engenharia Informática165.6
Engenharia Mecânica164.8
Engenharia Química e Biológica140.8
Engenharia Têxtil123.4
Engenharia de Materiais136.8
Engenharia de Polímeros127.4
Engenharia de Telecomunicações e Informática116.4
Engenharia e Gestão Industrial173.8
Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de Informação142.0
Engenheria Biomédica171.2
Estudos Culturais160.4
Estudos Orientais: Estudos Chineses e Japoneses152.2
Estudos Portugueses141.8
Filosofia142.4
Geografia e Planeamento139.0
Geologia132.8
Gestão171.8
História157.6
Línguas Aplicadas168.2
Marketing172.2
Matemática151.0
Medicina182.8
Negócios Internacionais160.0
Química132.0
Relações Internacionais162.2
Sociologia151.4
Source: UMinho course guide (Guia de Cursos), national contest figures
Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
07

UMinho provas de ingresso: the entrance exams each programme requires

Every University of Minho programme names its entrance exams (provas de ingresso) in Annex I of the contest order for the 2026/2027 academic year, the latest published, and most programmes accept one of several exam sets: engineering asks for Física e Química (07) and Matemática A (19), Economia and Gestão build every set on Matemática A (19), and Direito on Português (18) or História (11). As an international applicant you prove these exams with validated foreign final exams or by sitting matching exams at UMinho.

The table below follows Annex I for the 2026/2027 academic year, which lists the entrance exams and the prerequisites of each programme. UMinho has not published the 2027/2028 annex, so check the new order before you plan your exams for autumn 2027 entry.

Entrance exams at UMinho by programme2026/2027 (latest published), Annex I
ProgrammeEntrance exams (Portuguese exam code)Prerequisite
Administração PúblicaOne set of: Português (18); Economia (04); Economia (04) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17) + Português (18); Economia (04) + Português (18)None
ArqueologiaOne set of: História (11); Filosofia (06) + História (11); Geografia (09) + História (11); História (11) + Português (18); História (11) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + História (11); Matemática (16) + Português (18)Grupo F
ArquiteturaOne set of: Geometria Descritiva (10); Matemática (16); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática (16); Desenho (03) + Geometria Descritiva (10); Desenho (03) + História da Cultura e Artes (12)None
Artes VisuaisOne set of: História da Cultura e Artes (12); Desenho (03); Desenho (03) + Geometria Descritiva (10); Desenho (03) + História da Cultura e Artes (12); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + História da Cultura e Artes (12)None
Biologia AplicadaOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática A (19); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Biologia e GeologiaOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02); Física e Química (07); Física e Química (07) + Matemática (16); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16)None
Ciência PolíticaOne set of: Português (18); História (11); Economia (04) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + História (11); História (11) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Português (18); Economia (04) + Filosofia (06); Economia (04) + História (11)None
Ciência de DadosOne set of: Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19)None
Ciências da ComputaçãoOne set of: Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática A (19)None
Ciências da ComunicaçãoOne set of: Português (18); Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Português (18) + Biologia e Geologia (02); Português (18) + Economia (04); Português (18) + Filosofia (06); Português (18) + Geografia (09); Português (18) + História (11); Português (18) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17)None
Ciências do AmbienteOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02); Geografia (09); Geografia (09) + Matemática (16); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07)None
ContabilidadeOne set of: Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Economia (04) + Português (18); Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17) + Português (18); Geografia (09) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Inglês (13) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Socais (17); Economia (04) + Geografia (09); Economia (04) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17)None
Criminologia e Justiça CriminalOne set of: Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02); História (11) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Português (18); Matemática A (19) + Português (18)None
Design de ProdutoOne set of: Desenho (03); Geometria Descritiva (10); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática (16); Desenho (03) + Geometria Descritiva (10); Desenho (03) + História da Cultura e Artes (12); Geometria Descritiva (10) + História da Cultura e Artes (12)None
Design e Marketing de ModaOne set of: Desenho (03); Geometria Descritiva (10); Desenho (03) + Geometria Descritiva (10); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática (16); Matemática (16) + Desenho (03)None
DireitoOne set of: Português (18); História (11); História (11) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Português (18); Matemática A (19) + Português (18)None
EconomiaOne set of: Matemática A (19); Filosofia (06) + Matemática A (19); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Inglês (13) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Geografia (09) + Matemática A (19)None
EducaçãoOne set of: Português (18); História (11); História (11) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Português (18)None
Educação BásicaOne set of: Matemática (16) + Português (18); Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17) + Português (18); Matemática A (19) + Português (18)None
EnfermagemOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16)Grupo A
Engenharia AeroespacialFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia BiomédicaFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia CivilFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia Eletrónica Industrial e ComputadoresMatemática A (19) and one of: Economia (04), Português (18), Física e Química (07), Geometria Descritiva (10), Biologia e Geologia (02)None
Engenharia FísicaFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia InformáticaOne set of: Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia MecânicaFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia Química e BiológicaOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia TêxtilFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia de MateriaisFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia de PolímerosFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia de Telecomunicações e InformáticaOne set of: Física e Química (07) + Matemática (16); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática (16)None
Engenharia e Gestão IndustrialFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de InformaçãoOne set of: Matemática A (19); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática (16)None
Estatística AplicadaOne set of: Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática A (19); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Estudos CulturaisOne set of: Português (18); História da Cultura e Artes (12); Inglês (13) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Português (18); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + Português (18)None
Estudos Orientais: Estudos Chineses e JaponesesOne set of: Inglês (13); Português (18); Inglês (13) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Inglês (13); Inglês (13) + Mandarim (20)None
Estudos PortuguesesOne set of: Português (18); Literatura Portuguesa (15); Literatura Portuguesa (15) + Português (18); História (11) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Português (18)None
FilosofiaOne set of: Filosofia (06); História (11); Filosofia (06) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + História (11); Matemática (16) + Português (18); História (11) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Matemática (16); Filosofia (06) + Inglês (13)None
FísicaFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Geografia e PlaneamentoOne set of: Geografia (09); Português (18); Geografia (09) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Português (18); Economia (04) + Português (18); Economia (04) + Geografia (09); Geografia (09) + História (11); Matemática (16) + Português (18)None
GeologiaOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02); Geografia (09); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07); Geografia (09) + Matemática (16)None
GestãoOne set of: Matemática A (19); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Inglês (13) + Matemática A (19); Filosofia (06) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Geografia (09) + Matemática A (19)None
HistóriaOne set of: História (11); Filosofia (06) + História (11); Geografia (09) + História (11); História (11) + Português (18); História (11) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + História (11); Matemática (16) + Português (18)None
Línguas AplicadasOne set of: Português (18); Inglês (13); Alemão (01) + Português (18); Espanhol (05) + Português (18); Francês (08) + Português (18); Inglês (13) + Português (18)None
Línguas e Literaturas EuropeiasOne set of: Português (18); Inglês (13); Inglês (13) + Português (18); Francês (08) + Inglês (13); Espanhol (05) + Inglês (13); Alemão (01) + Inglês (13); Inglês (13) + Literatura Portuguesa (15); Francês (08) + Português (18)None
MarketingOne set of: Economia (04); Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Português (18) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Geografia (09) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Economia (04) + Geografia (09); Economia (04) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Economia (04) + Português (18)None
MatemáticaOne set of: Matemática A (19); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática A (19); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Geometria Descritiva (10) + Matemática A (19); Português (18) + Matemática A (19)None
MedicinaBiologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07) + Matemática (16)Grupo A
MúsicaOne set of: Português (18); Inglês (13); Inglês (13) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Matemática (16); História (11) + Português (18); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + Português (18); História (11) + Inglês (13)Vocational aptitude test (prova de aptidão vocacional)
Negócios InternacionaisOne set of: Matemática A (19); Filosofia (06) + Matemática A (19); Física e Química (07) + Matemática A (19); Geografia (09) + Matemática A (19); Economia (04) + Matemática A (19); Matemática A (19) + Português (18); Inglês (13) + Matemática A (19)None
Optometria e Ciências da VisãoOne set of: Biologia e Geologia (02) + Física e Química (07); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática A (19)None
Proteção Civil e Gestão do TerritórioOne set of: Geografia (09); Português (18); Geografia (09) + Matemática (16); Geografia (09) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Geografia (09); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Matemática (16); Matemática (16) + Português (18); Biologia e Geologia (02) + Economia (04)None
PsicologiaOne set of: Português (18) + Biologia e Geologia (02); Português (18) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Português (18) + Filosofia (06)None
QuímicaFísica e Química (07) + Matemática A (19)None
Relações InternacionaisOne set of: Português (18); História (11); Filosofia (06) + Português (18); Economia (04) + Filosofia (06); Economia (04) + História (11); Economia (04) + Português (18); Filosofia (06) + História (11); História (11) + Português (18)None
SociologiaOne set of: Português (18); História (11); Português (18) + Filosofia (06); Português (18) + Geografia (09); Português (18) + História (11); Português (18) + Matemática Aplicada às Ciências Sociais (17); Português (18) + Matemática (16)None
TeatroOne set of: Português (18); História da Cultura e Artes (12); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + Português (18); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + Inglês (13); Inglês (13) + Português (18); História da Cultura e Artes (12) + Literatura Portuguesa (15); História (11) + Inglês (13); Inglês (13) + Matemática (16)Grupo A
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order, Annex I (provas de ingresso and prerequisites)

The UMinho codes are those of the Portuguese national exams. They tell you which subjects your foreign final exams must cover: a Matemática A requirement, for example, means you need a validated final exam in mathematics, or you sit the UMinho written exam in mathematics in phase 2.

Prerequisites: Grupo A and the Música aptitude test

Some UMinho programmes add prerequisites on top of the exams. Medicina and Enfermagem require Grupo A, a health prerequisite: you submit the official form, certified and validated with a medical sticker (vinheta) by a doctor registered with the Ordem dos Médicos in Portugal. The Licenciatura em Música also requires the vocational aptitude test set for entry to that programme. UMinho states that prerequisites are valid only in the year they are taken, so a Grupo A form or aptitude test from an earlier year does not carry over.

Which foreign exams count as equivalents

UMinho does not list, for each country, which foreign final exams match its entrance exams. The contest order points foreign students to the national access commission instead: foreign students must consult the Comissão Nacional de Acesso ao Ensino Superior (CNAES) deliberations on the DGES site to identify which secondary-school final exams correspond to the Portuguese entrance exams. UMinho then validates your final exams for its own contest.

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Exams at UMinho, interviews and aptitude tests for international applicants

If you apply to the University of Minho in phase 2 without validated exams, you sit written entrance exams in person at UMinho: for the 2026/2027 cycle, the latest published, they ran from 11 to 22 May 2026. Medicina adds an interview by videoconference, Música an aptitude test, and UMinho does not name the SAT, the ACT or AP exams as accepted for its international contest.

The UMinho order states that candidates are selected through written, oral or other tests run by the UMinho schools. If you hold no exams UMinho can validate, the order's remaining route applies: written exams matching the entrance exams, sat in person at the University of Minho.

Three UMinho phase 2 written exams2026/2027 (latest published); all dates in 2026, all past
Source: UMinho calendar of phase 2 entrance exams 2026/2027

The UMinho exam calendar is set per cycle, so the 2027/2028 dates will come with the new order. Plan to be in Braga for the whole exam window if you depend on these exams, because the exams of one programme can fall on different days.

Who is exempt from the UMinho exams

UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) says that if you are already a higher-education student in your home country and prove it in the application, you may be exempted from the specific exams. Holders of validated foreign final exams and of documentary proof accepted by the school also skip the on-campus exams (see the entry requirements chapter).

Medicina interviews and the Música aptitude test

SAT, ACT and other international tests

UMinho does not name the SAT, the ACT, AP exams or any other international admission test in its rules for the international contest. What counts is your secondary diploma, the final exams of a course legally equivalent to Portuguese secondary education, the ENEM, or the UMinho written exams.

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Portuguese and English language requirements at UMinho

Under the 2026/2027 contest order, the latest published, the University of Minho asks you to prove an independent command of the programme's teaching language, Portuguese or English, at level B2 or above of the CEFR, by a document or by a written and/or oral exam. UMinho's page on Portuguese courses (as of October 2026) gives the international contest as a case where B2, or under certain conditions B1, must be proved, and most UMinho teaching is in Portuguese.

UMinho does not publish a list of accepted certificates or minimum scores per test: the order speaks of documentary proof or an exam that shows B2. UMinho's page on Portuguese courses also states that some specific areas are taught in English, but most course units are taught in Portuguese. UMinho does not publish a list of first-cycle programmes taught entirely in English.

Your language level and what UMinho lets you do
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order (latest published)

Applying to UMinho with B1 or below

A UMinho applicant with B1 must formally declare a commitment to attend an annual language course. If you have not reached B2, you cannot renew your UMinho enrolment until you prove B2. Below B1, the route is exceptional: you formally commit to an intensive language course.

Who is exempt from the UMinho Portuguese test

UMinho exempts from the Portuguese test holders of a course obtained in a country with Portuguese as an official language who apply to programmes taught in Portuguese. Medicina has its own rule: an independent command of Portuguese at B1 or of English at B2 (see the medicine chapter).

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Medicine at UMinho for international students: exams, interview and language

The University of Minho set 10 international places in its integrated master in Medicine (Mestrado Integrado em Medicina) for 2026/2027, the latest published cycle, and asks for Biologia e Geologia (02), Física e Química (07) and Matemática (16), the Grupo A prerequisite and an interview. UMinho states the international fee for Medicine as €18 thousand a year with no reduction, without naming the year.

UMinho checks the Medicine exams in one of three ways. With a Portuguese secondary diploma, it uses your grades in the subjects matching the entrance exams of Annex I. With another course, you must document that you passed final exams or curricular components covering the required knowledge. In all other cases UMinho uses your grades in Física e Química, Matemática and Biologia-Geologia exams sat in person at UMinho. You are excluded if you score below 100 on the 0 to 200 scale in the entrance exams.

How UMinho computes the Medicine grade

The UMinho Medicine ranking formula2026/2027 contest order (latest published)
StepFormula or rule
Intermediate grade (CI), 0 to 200CI = 0,5 x S + 0,5 x P, where S is the secondary grade and P the entrance exams
Interview (E), 0 to 200Interest and motivation 40%, communication and critical analysis 40%, knowledge of the profession 20%
Final grade (CF)CF = 0,7 x CI + 0,3 x E
Minimum final grade100.00 points on the 0-200 scale
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order, Medicina rules

The UMinho formula gives the secondary grade and the exams equal weight in the intermediate grade, then gives that grade most of the weight in the final one. Not everyone reaches the interview: in phase 1 UMinho interviews the 20 candidates with the highest CI, and in later phases the highest CI candidates up to 2 times the number of places left. In 2026/2027 the phase 2 interviews were set by videoconference.

UMinho Medicine places by phase

Of the 10 Medicine places set for 2026/2027, the UMinho phase 2 list showed 3 still open, and the phase 3 list showed 5. Medicina has more places in phase 3 than in phase 2 as published; UMinho does not explain the difference.

Language and the Grupo A prerequisite for Medicine

Medicine at UMinho has a lighter Portuguese rule than other programmes: you need an independent command of Portuguese at B1 or of English at B2 of the CEFR. For the Grupo A prerequisite you submit the official form, certified and validated with a medical sticker (vinheta) by a doctor registered with the Ordem dos Médicos in Portugal.

What Medicine costs at UMinho

The UMinho page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) says the annual fee for international students in Medicine is set at €18 thousand and has no reduction, without naming the year. Confirm the Medicine fee for your year with UMinho before you commit.

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UMinho bachelor and integrated master programmes open to international students

The University of Minho opens to international students every bachelor (licenciatura) and integrated master listed in Annex IV of the 2026/2027 contest order, such as Administração Pública with 5 places and Relações Internacionais with 15, and UMinho states that bachelors last 3 to 4 years and integrated masters 5 to 6 years. Most teaching is in Portuguese.

UMinho first-cycle programme typesundated
TypeLengthExamples with international places in 2026/2027
Licenciatura (bachelor)3 to 4 curricular yearsEconomia, Gestão, Direito, Engenharia Informática, Psicologia, Enfermagem
Mestrado integrado (integrated master)5 to 6 curricular yearsMedicina, Arquitetura
Source: UMinho international students FAQ; 2026/2027 contest order, Annex IV

The UMinho list of international places changes each year with the contest order; the 2027/2028 list is not published yet. The places chapter shows the 2026/2027 numbers for popular programmes, and the entrance exams chapter shows which exams each one asks for.

Teaching language at UMinho

UMinho states that some specific areas of study are taught in English, but most course units are taught in Portuguese. UMinho does not publish a list of first-cycle programmes taught entirely in English, so plan for Portuguese unless the programme page of your course says otherwise, and read the language chapter for the B2 rule and the B1 route.

The UMinho academic year and enrolment

At UMinho the academic year starts in September and ends in July for bachelor and integrated master programmes. Enrolment is valid for the whole academic year, and you renew it only at the start of the next one. After you enrol, you only need to be in Braga or Guimarães, depending on the campus of your programme, on the day classes start.

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UMinho tuition for international students and other costs

UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) says the annual fee of its undergraduate programmes for international students can be set at up to €6.5 thousand, that several programmes have applied a reduction for international students who are nationals of CPLP countries, and that Medicine is set at €18 thousand a year with no reduction. The fee is set each year by a rector's order and paid in 10 instalments, so check the UMinho fee order for your year of entry before you budget for autumn 2027.

None of these amounts names an academic year, so treat them as the page's current statement, not as the confirmed fee for autumn 2027 entry.

UMinho tuition for international students, as its page states itundated; page as of October 2026
WhoAnnual fee
International students, licenciatura and integrated masterUp to €6.5 thousand
International students who are CPLP nationalsA reduction on several programmes
International students in Medicina (integrated master)€18 thousand, no reduction
Source: UMinho page for applicants from other countries (sou.uminho.pt), undated

The UMinho Medicine fee

UMinho presents Medicine as the exception: the international fee is set at €18 thousand a year with no reduction, without naming the year. Confirm the Medicine fee for your year with UMinho.

Why national and EU students pay less

Tuition at UMinho is not free for anyone: all students pay tuition at Portuguese public universities, Portuguese and EU nationals included. National and EU students pay less because the Portuguese state subsidises their studies, which it does not do for international students.

Paying UMinho tuition

UMinho splits tuition into 10 instalments. You pay by credit card from anywhere in the world, or by Multibanco reference and MB Way once in Portugal.

Other UMinho fees

  • Application fee: €68.
  • Matrícula (registration) fee: €10.
  • Inscrição (enrolment) fee, including compulsory school insurance: €26.
  • Complaint against a selection list: €22.
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Scholarships and tuition reductions for international students at UMinho

As an international student at the University of Minho you cannot receive study grants or other cash support, as the UMinho FAQ explains, except under the student status for humanitarian emergencies. UMinho also describes merit and excellence scholarships, and several programmes apply a reduction for international students who are nationals of CPLP countries.

The UMinho merit scholarship rewards your results once you study, so it cannot fund your first year; the excellence scholarship can also reward a top entry grade. UMinho does not state on these scholarship pages whether international students qualify, so ask UMinho before you count on one.

UMinho merit and excellence scholarshipsundated
Source: UMinho scholarships and prizes pages (sou.uminho.pt and www.uminho.pt)

The UMinho Excellence scholarship, awarded each year by the University of Minho to bachelor and integrated master students, goes among others to the student whose application grade to the programme was the highest. The merit bar is a weighted average of 16 valores; the excellence bar is 17 valores.

Lower fees for CPLP nationals

UMinho states that a reduction has been applied in several programmes for international students who are nationals of CPLP countries. It is a fee reduction tied to nationality, not a scholarship.

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Housing at UMinho: SASUM residences and prices

The University of Minho social services (SASUM) run residences in Braga and Guimarães with 1399 beds, 845 in Braga and 554 in Guimarães, and in 2026/2027, the latest published year, a student without a social grant, national or foreign, paid from €165 a month for a bed in a double room to €195 for a single room with a private bathroom. In 2026/2027, first-year students could apply only after enrolment.

UMinho gives two sets of figures for its residences. SASUM counts 5 residences in its 2024/2025 figures and 1399 beds, while the UMinho FAQ speaks of 4 residences and the English student-life page of 1389 beds, 847 in Braga and 542 in Guimarães. SASUM also announced the Fábrica Confiança residence in Braga, planned from the 2026/2027 academic year, adding 786 beds.

Monthly residence prices for students without a social grant2026/2027 (latest published)
Residence and roomPrice per month
Santa Tecla, Braga, shared bathroom: single room€190
Santa Tecla, Braga, shared bathroom: double room, per bed€165
Santa Tecla, Braga, private bathroom: single room€195
Santa Tecla, Braga, private bathroom: double room, per bed€170
Combatentes, Guimarães, shared bathroom: double room, per bed€165
Source: SASUM residence prices per month, 2026/2027 academic year

The SASUM prices for the 2026-2027 academic year were approved by the SASUM management board; the 2027/2028 prices are not published yet. The FAQ adds that the residences provide bed linen and towels, self-service laundries and free wi-fi.

Who gets a UMinho residence place first

UMinho residences are for students, but priority goes to students with direct social-support grants. International students cannot receive those grants (see the scholarships chapter), so you compete for the places left; UMinho still encourages you to apply if you prefer a residence.

When to apply for a UMinho residence

For 2026/2027, a student entering UMinho for the first time could apply only after enrolment, in a new application period from 24 August 2026. The 2027/2028 dates will come with the next SASUM notice, so have a private housing option ready for your first weeks.

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
15

Student visa, arrival and work rights for UMinho students

If you are not an EU citizen and will stay in Portugal for more than 90 days, you need a long-stay visa, and UMinho's visa page says the request is made at the consulate of your country of habitual residence and must match its real purpose, a higher-education student visa. Placement and enrolment come late in the UMinho calendar, so plan the visa step for the summer before classes.

Enrolment comes late in the UMinho cycle: in 2026/2027, phase 2 enrolment ran from 23 to 30 June 2026 and phase 3 enrolment from 16 to 18 September 2026, while the academic year starts in September.

From UMinho placement to a student visa
Order of steps; dates are the 2026/2027 phase 2 ones, the latest published
12 June 2026
Placement list
You see your UMinho placement
Admission
Enrol
Phase 2 matrícula and inscrição
Enrolment
Before classes
Visa application
At the Portuguese consulate for your country of habitual residence
Visa
Classes start
Be in Braga or Guimarães
Arrival
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order, enrolment page and visa page

Who needs a visa to study at UMinho

UMinho's visa page says a long-stay visa is required of all third-country nationals who want to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days, and that this does not apply to nationals of an EU member state, among other exceptions. Apply for the right visa from the start: UMinho explains that the request is made at the consulate of your country of habitual residence and must match its real purpose, a higher-education student visa, so do not plan to enter as a tourist and switch later.

Working while you study at UMinho

Higher-education students in Portugal may work as employees or self-employed, as long as they notify the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA). Do not count on a job to pay UMinho tuition and rent; treat it as extra income.

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
16

Who is UMinho for? Summary and next steps

The University of Minho suits a non-EU applicant who is ready to study mostly in Portuguese at B2, wants a public university in Braga or Guimarães, and can pay tuition that UMinho's international page (as of October 2026) says can be set at up to €6.5 thousand a year. UMinho suits less well an applicant who needs a bachelor taught fully in English, because UMinho does not publish a list of such first-cycle programmes.

UMinho states that most course units are taught in Portuguese, and the international places are few: the largest 2026/2027 quota was 15 places, in Relações Internacionais. A strong secondary record matters, because the application grade decides who gets those places.

Your UMinho timeline2026/2027 dates (latest published); 2027/2028 not published
StepDate in the 2026/2027 cycleFor 2027/2028 entry
Phase 2 places published10 April 2026Not published
Phase 2 applications, open to all international students13 to 24 April 2026Not published
Phase 3 applications, holders of the access qualification only05 to 19 August 2026Not published
Source: UMinho 2026/2027 contest order and contest page

Next steps for autumn 2027 entry

  • Check that you count as an international student under the Portuguese definition (see the status chapter); with an EU passport, your route is the national contest run by the DGES.
  • Start Portuguese early if your programme is taught in Portuguese, and get a B2 certificate before you apply.
  • Match your final exams to your programme's entrance exams, or prepare to sit the UMinho exams on campus, which ran in May in 2026.
  • Watch the UMinho international contest page for the 2027/2028 order: the 2026/2027 calendar is the latest published, and none of its dates carries over automatically.

Budget with the published figures: UMinho's page (as of October 2026) puts the international undergraduate fee at up to €6.5 thousand a year without naming the year, and a residence bed in 2026/2027 cost from €165 a month for a student without a social grant.

Verified 18 Oct 2026Every number links to its official source.
17

UMinho: frequently asked questions

What is the University of Minho acceptance rate for international students?

UMinho does not publish an acceptance rate, applicant numbers or the last admitted grade for its international contest. It publishes the places: for 2026/2027, the latest published cycle, the largest international quota was 15 places in Relações Internacionais, with 10 in Economia and 10 in Medicina. Places go in order of application grade, and the minimum of 100 on the 0-200 scale is a gate, not the grade of those admitted.

15largest international quota in 2026/2027

When is the UMinho application deadline for 2027 entry?

UMinho has not published the 2027/2028 calendar of its international contest. In the 2026/2027 cycle, phase 1, for ENEM holders only, ran from 26 January to 13 February 2026; phase 2, open to all international students, from 13 to 24 April 2026; and phase 3, for holders of the access qualification, from 05 to 19 August 2026. Confirm every date in the new UMinho order before you plan.

13-24 Aprphase 2 window in 2026

What grades do I need to get into UMinho?

Under the 2026/2027 contest order, UMinho ranks international applicants on an application grade made of 60% secondary school grade and 40% entrance exams, and you need at least 100.00 points on the 0-200 scale. Foreign grades are converted with Y = 200*(Y1-Ymin)/(Ymax-Ymin), and for ENEM holders the cut-off on the weighted ENEM grade is 500. UMinho does not publish a minimum IB score or A-Level grades.

100/200minimum application grade

Does UMinho accept the SAT, the IB or A-Levels?

UMinho does not name the SAT, the ACT or AP exams in the rules of its international contest. Its page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) names the IB and the A-Level as examples of foreign courses whose final exams can replace the Portuguese entrance exams, once UMinho validates them. Without validated exams you sit written exams at UMinho in phase 2; in the 2026/2027 cycle they ran from 11 to 22 May 2026.

IB, A-Levelnamed as examples, not SAT

How much is UMinho tuition for international students?

UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) says the annual fee of undergraduate programmes for international students can be set at up to €6.5 thousand, that several programmes have applied a reduction for CPLP nationals, and that Medicine costs €18 thousand a year with no reduction. None of these amounts names a year, and the fee is set each year by a rector's order, so check the order for your year of entry.

€6.5ka year at most, undated page

Can international students get scholarships at UMinho?

International students cannot receive study grants or other cash support, except under the student status for humanitarian emergencies. UMinho describes a merit scholarship that asks for a weighted average of 16 valores in a year of study and an excellence scholarship with a bar of 17 valores, but it does not state on those pages whether international students qualify. Nationals of CPLP countries get a fee reduction on several programmes.

16valores for a merit scholarship

Are UMinho bachelor programmes taught in English?

UMinho states that some specific areas are taught in English, but most course units are taught in Portuguese, and it does not publish a list of first-cycle programmes taught entirely in English. Under the 2026/2027 contest order you prove the teaching language of your programme, Portuguese or English, at B2 or above of the CEFR. With B1 only, you can apply if you commit to an annual language course.

B2Portuguese or English, CEFR level

Do I need a student visa to study at UMinho?

Yes, if you are not an EU citizen and will stay in Portugal for more than 90 days: you need a long-stay visa, requested at the consulate of your country of habitual residence for its real purpose, a higher-education student visa. In the 2026/2027 cycle, phase 2 enrolment ran from 23 to 30 June 2026, so the visa step falls in the summer.

90 daysstay that requires a visa

Can I apply to UMinho as an international student with an EU passport?

No. UMinho states that Portuguese, EU or EEA citizenship makes an application as an international student impossible, also for dual nationals. EU and EEA citizens apply through the Concurso Nacional de Acesso, run by the DGES, with the Portuguese national exams for their programme, sat that year or in the last four years.

NoEU citizens use DGES contest

How much does student housing cost at UMinho?

In 2026/2027, a student without a social grant, national or foreign, paid from €165 a month for a bed in a double room to €195 for a single room with a private bathroom in the SASUM residences. Priority goes to students with direct social-support grants, which international students cannot receive, and in that cycle first-year students could apply only after enrolment, from 24 August 2026. Have a private housing option ready for your first weeks.

€165a month, residence bed 2026/2027

How do I get into Medicine at UMinho as an international student?

UMinho set 10 international places in its integrated master in Medicine for 2026/2027, the latest published cycle. You need Biologia e Geologia, Física e Química and Matemática as entrance exams, the Grupo A prerequisite, an interview and Portuguese at B1 or English at B2. UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) states the international fee as €18 thousand a year with no reduction, without naming the year.

10international Medicine places in 2026/2027
18

Where these numbers come from

Verified 18 Oct 2026, value by value, on official pages

Official pages of University of Minho (Universidade do Minho), UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

Graduação · Gabinete do Reitor · Concurso Especial de Acesso e Ingresso do Estudante Internacional · PREÇOS/ MÊS - ANO LETIVO 2026/2027 - SASUM · Cursos de português · Estudantes Internacionais · Descrição · Bachelor’s and Integrated Master’s Degrees · Cursos de Licenciaturas e Mestrados Integrados · Serviço de Gestão Académica · Serviço de Gestão Académica · Concurso Especial de Acesso e Ingresso do Estudante Internacional · https://www.uminho.pt/PT/ensino/oferta-educativa/Documents/NUCs-SET-23-Tabela.pdf · Gabinete do Reitor · Serviço de Gestão Académica · Emolumentos · Prémios e bolsas · Bolsas de Excelência · Bolsas de Mérito Académico · ALOJAMENTO - SASUM · Accommodation · CANDIDATURA A ALOJAMENTO NAS RESIDÊNCIAS DA UMINHO - SASUM · Vistos

Photos: Biblioteca Geral da UM: photo Mind Booster Noori, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Can you get into UMinho?

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When is the UMinho deadline for 2027 entry?
College Council · from chapter 05, How to apply to UMinho as an international student: phases, dates and documents

You apply to the University of Minho in one of the phases of its international contest, choosing up to 3 programmes in order of preference and paying an application fee of €68. The latest published calendar is for the 2026/2027 academic year, and all its windows have closed; UMinho has not published a 2027/2028 calendar yet.

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College Council · from chapter 12, UMinho tuition for international students and other costs

UMinho's page for applicants from other countries (as of October 2026) says the annual fee of its undergraduate programmes for international students can be set at up to €6.5 thousand, that several programmes have applied a reduction for international students who are nationals of CPLP countries, and that Medicine is set at €18 thousand a year with no reduction. The fee is set each year by a rector's order and paid in 10 instalments, so check the UMinho fee order for your year of entry before you budget for autumn 2027.

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College Council · from chapter 04, UMinho places for international students and selection results

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the latest published cycle, the University of Minho set only a handful of international-contest places per programme: 15 in Relações Internacionais, 12 in Engenharia Química e Biológica, 10 in Economia, 10 in Gestão and 10 in Medicina, and fewer elsewhere. UMinho does not publish applicant numbers, admission rates or last admitted grades for this contest.

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When is the UMinho deadline for 2027 entry?
From the UMinho report · 05 How to apply to UMinho as an international student: phases, dates and documents

You apply to the University of Minho in one of the phases of its international contest, choosing up to 3 programmes in order of preference and paying an application fee of €68. The latest published calendar is for the 2026/2027 academic year, and all its windows have closed; UMinho has not published a 2027/2028 calendar yet.