Immigrating to Portugal solely for Portuguese-style education: Portuguese universities offer courses in both Portuguese and English. Portuguese is the more common language of instruction, while English is only offered in certain specialized courses at some universities. Some universities, such as the European University, offer programs entirely in English. Naturally, as Portugal gradually opens its doors to international students, more institutions will offer English-taught programs to meet market demand. For postgraduate courses, some institutions offer instruction in English, but they may not necessarily provide English language training courses, which requires students to have a certain level of English proficiency before arrival. Although the Portuguese language is relatively difficult for domestic students to learn, very few people in China currently understand Portuguese, and from the perspective of future development prospects, learning Portuguese is highly advantageous.
The higher education system is comprehensive, with higher education in Portugal primarily consisting of university education and polytechnic education. The purpose of university education is to provide a solid foundation for future career development, promote academic research, and foster technological innovation. Polytechnic education focuses on providing higher technical training, emphasizing applied research and practice. Degrees awarded include bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as some short-term certificate courses.
Bachelor's degree programs typically last from three to six years, with different departments having different foundational requirements. Master's degree programs generally include one to two years of study, followed by a thesis and defense. As for doctoral degrees, there is no specific coursework; students generally must pass certain special examinations, meet strict academic research requirements, and finally write a thesis and defend it. Higher education institutions in Portugal are divided into public and private, and almost all courses are recognized by the Ministry of Education, with degrees awarded being equivalent; qualifications are recognized throughout Europe. The Portuguese higher education system is within the framework of the unified European Union higher education system and is synchronized with other Western European countries.
Students can apply to any Portuguese university as long as they pass the relevant examination. This is equivalent to China's Gaokao, with the difference being that only one subject is tested. For example, if a student wants to apply to the economics department of any university, they can choose one of the four relevant subjects to take the national exam (there are four relevant subjects for applying to any major, and students can choose one). The relevant exam subjects for the economics department are: Portuguese, Mathematics, Logic, and History. Students can choose one and apply to the relevant university based on their exam score.
We generally do not worry about Chinese students failing the exam because the relevant exams are essentially not difficult, which is why Portuguese universities have a very high admission rate, consistent with the standard of "easy entry, strict exit." However, getting into a good public university is not an easy task, as the competition is intense.
The enrollment rate for higher education institutions has increased significantly since 1989 because university entrance exams are no longer eliminatory; that is, there is no fixed minimum admission score. As long as there are available spots, one can enroll. If you wish to pursue further studies in Portugal, you can first attend Portuguese language courses at several major public universities. These courses are specifically designed for foreigners and are divided into several levels, providing opportunities for both beginners and researchers. These Portuguese language courses all issue certificates.
