Depending upon their nationality, Students who wish to study in Portugal for 90 days or less can do so without the need for a visa. To determine if you can travel to Portugal without a visa please see the list of non-visa required countries on the Portuguese website.

EU /EEA students do not need a visa to study, work or reside in Portugal.

UK Student are exempt from requiring a Visa to enter and study in Portugal for a duration of 90 days.

If you are from a non-EU/EEA country and you are not visa exempt you will need to apply for a Schengen Visa for a duration of 90 days to study in Portugal.

Gather your documents:

To apply for a Short-Stay Schengen Visa you will need to gather the following documents:

•  Portuguese visa application form
• Two passport photos.
• Your valid passport.
  • Two blank pages in order to affix the visa
  • Is not older than 10 years,
  • Has a validity of at least three more months beyond the date you plan to leave Portugal and the whole territory of Schengen.
• Copies of your previous visas. If you have ever held a visa issued by any world country, submit copies of them.
• Portugal Travel Health Insurance. Confirmation that you have travel insurance for Portugal and the whole territory of Schengen, with a minimum 30,000 € coverage of medical emergencies
• Round-trip Flight Itinerary. Proof of accommodation. I.e. a hotel reservation.
• Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay in Portugal
• A cover letter. A personal letter in which you explain why you are applying to visit Portugal, how long you plan to stay, when will you leave and other details.
• Proof of civil status. This could be a marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, etc.

For an in-depth list of documents Students should visit: https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/short-stay-visas-schengen/required-documentation/short-stay-visa

A full list of documents required can be found here.

How to apply?

Once you have all the necessary documents, you should submit the Student Schengen Visa Application at the main Schengen destination in According to how the Portuguese authorities in your country of residence have regulated visa submission, you may have to apply at one of the following:

• The Portuguese Embassy
• A Portuguese consulate
• A Visa Application Centre to which Portugal has outsourced visa submission
• The Embassy / Consulate of another Schengen country to which Portugal has outsourced visa submission

 Further information on How to Apply for a Student Schengen can be found here.

EU/EEA Students do not need to apply for a Visa to study over 90 days. However, you will need to register your presence at the local immigration office.

If you are a UK Students for studies over a duration of 3 months you will need to apply for a temporary stay visa (Short Stay) visa.

The temporary stay visa (Short Stay) visa which you will use to enter Portugal if you need a visa for more than 90 days but up to a maximum of 180 days.

You can complete the following activities under this visa:

• Study Program (up to 6 months)
• Student exchange (up to 6 months)
• Training
• Unpaid professional internship
• Volunteering
• Commitments rising from international conventions and agreements

Further information about the Temporary Visa can be found here.

Gather Your Documents              

To apply for temporary stay visa (Short Stay) visa you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa Application form
• Passport or other travel document valid for 3 more months beyond the expected duration of stay
• Two identical passport-type photographs, up-to-date and in good condition, identifying the applicant
• Transport ticket that ensures your return
• Proof of legal status if you are of a nationality other than the country where you apply for a visa
• Valid travel insurance, covering expenses necessary for medical reasons, including urgent medical assistance and eventual repatriation
• Request for consultation of the Portuguese criminal record by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF)
• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or from the country where the applicant has resided for more than one year (children under 16 are exempt from submitting documents relating to criminal records)
• Proof of accommodation conditions
• Proof of the existence of means of subsistence as defined by decree of the competent members of the Government
• Proof of possession of means of subsistence
• Proof of the exceptional situation or,
• To attend study programs with a duration equal to or less than one year in an educational establishment, or as part of a student exchange program of the same duration:
  • Document issued by the educational establishment, proof of acceptance;
  • Declaration proving reception by family or
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Proof of means of subsistence can be done by submitting a statement of responsibility by the organization responsible for student exchange programs.

 For a full list of documentation and further information please click here.

 How to Apply

Students need to apply for their Portuguese Visa at the home consulate.

Upon Arrival in Portugal UK Students need to apply for a long-term Portuguese Student Visa (Schengen Visa D) for durations longer than 6 months to 1 year.

The visa for obtaining a residence permit is valid for two entries and for four months, during which time the holder must apply to the Aliens and Borders Service for a residence permit.

Depending on the duration of your stay UK Students will be required to apply for a Temporary Visa or Long Stay Visa with a view to applying for a Residence Permit upon Arrival in Portugal.

You can complete the following activities via a Long Stay Portuguese Student Visa (Schengen Visa D):

• Research
• Study
• Exchange of secondary school students
• Internship
• Volunteering

Gather your Documents:

To apply for long-term Portuguese Student Visa (Schengen Visa D) you will need to gather the following documents:

• Passport or other travel document valid for 3 more months beyond the expected duration of stay
• Two identical passport-type photographs, up-to-date and in good condition, identifying the applicant
• Valid travel insurance, covering expenses necessary for medical reasons, including urgent medical assistance and eventual repatriation 
• Proof of legal status if you are of a nationality other than the country where you apply for a visa
• Request for consultation of the Portuguese criminal record by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) 
• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or from the country where the applicant has resided for more than one year (children under 16 are exempt from submitting documents relating to criminal records)
• Proof of accommodation conditions
• Proof of the existence of means of subsistence

 Study Specific documentation

• Proof that you fulfill the admission conditions or have been accepted at a higher education institution to attend a study program and that you have sufficient resources for the respective frequency.
• Higher education students from an officially recognized higher education institution under the terms of the legislation in force are exempt from presenting health insurance or equivalent, from proving admission conditions or how they were accepted in a higher education institution, travel insurance or means of subsistence.
• Document issued by an educational institution in which you were admitted or fulfills admission conditions. This document is waived in the case of being a beneficiary of a scholarship.
• For the purposes of proof of livelihood, the means from grants or scholarships must be taken into account.
• Students benefiting from a scholarship, as well as third-country nationals whose official language is Portuguese, are exempted from proof of sufficient means of subsistence.

For a full list of documents, please click here.

Some documents may need to be translated and legalised – please click here for further information.

Student who wish to Volunteer abroad should click here for further information.

For stays up to 90 days, if the students are holders of a British passport, do not need to obtain a Visa.

EU/EEA students do not require additional paperwork apart from their passport/national ID card but will need to find a job and apply for a Residency Card (Cartão de Residência) (within 6 months).

Prior to working UK/NON-EU/EEA Students whom have secured employment must have their employment contract or work permit approved. (Autorizacao de Trabalho).

UK Students can enter and complete an unpaid internship/training/vocational course under a duration of 90 days. You will need to check with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) for the latest visa requirements and documentation.

Regardless of the length of your work in Portugal your work in Portugal will be subject to authorization from the SEF.

For all other nationalities students will need to obtain a E6 temporary-stay visa.  

Gather Your Documents

Students wishing to apply for a E6 Temporary visa will need to gather the following documents:

• Form attached filled and signed;
• Authorization statement attached filled and signed;
• UK criminal record (ACRO or DBS);
• Rental agreement of property in Portugal;
• Can be accepted Airbnb for first month of stay in Portugal
• Signed personal statement must explain the reason(s) to wanting to apply for temporary-stay
• visa in Portugal, and mention the full address including postcode of the property you will be
• living at in Portugal upon arrival
• Travel insurance (cover the duration of studies)
• Return flight tickets
• Inviting letter from PT University
• Enrolment in UK University (proof of studies in the UK)
• Means of subsistence
• Erasmus funding letter or Student finance letter or letter from parents confirming sponsoring for duration of studies in Portugal (Parents bank statements last 3 months).

Source: https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/portugal/india/english/pdf/Temporary-stay-visa-student-exchange-unpaid-professional-internship2.pdf

Source: https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/prorrogar-permanencia/vet-ees/

How to Apply

Students should submit a temporary stay visa application at their nearest Portuguese consulate.

Prior to working UK/NON-EU/EEA Students whom have secured employment must have their employment contract or work permit approved. (Autorizacao de Trabalho).

EU/EEA students do not require additional paperwork apart from their passport/national ID card but will need to find a job and apply for a Residency Card (Cartão de Residência) (within 6 months).

UK/Non-EU/Non EEA students can only apply for their E6 temporary stay visa for over 90 days if they have had confirmation that their work has been authorised.

Gather Your Documents 

• Form attached filled and signed
• Authorization statement attached filled and signed
• UK criminal record (ACRO or DBS)
• Rental agreement of property in Portugal
• Can be accepted Airbnb for first month of stay in Portugal
• Ideally long-term rental agreement for duration of studies
• Signed personal statement must explain the reason(s) to wanting to apply for temporary-stay
• visa in Portugal, and mention the full address including postcode of the property you will be
• living at in Portugal upon arrival
• Travel insurance (cover the duration of studies)
• Return flight tickets
• Inviting letter from PT University
• Enrolment in UK University (proof of studies in the UK)
• Means of subsistence
• Scholarship funding letter or
• Student finance letter or
• Letter from parents confirming sponsoring for duration of studies in Portugal (Parents
• bank statements last 3 months)

How to Apply

You will need to apply for your temporary stay visa at the embassy or consulate in their home country.

Students should gather all their documents, scan them and send them as pdf files to their nearest Portugese Consulate.