Job Description

Opportunity Description

Already enrolled at a university in Portugal and struggling to cover tuition and living costs? The DGES Higher Education Study Grant (Bolsa de Estudo) gives students at public and private Portuguese higher education institutions monthly, need-based financial aid. The Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) currently runs the program, but Decree-Law 109/2025 merges DGES into a new agency, the Instituto para o Ensino Superior, I.P. (IES, I.P.), so expect the branding to shift during the 2026 cycle. The grant covers students in bachelor’s, integrated master’s, master’s, and CTeSP (higher technical professional) programs, and applications for the 2026–2027 academic year open on August 14, 2026.

Important note: This isn’t an entry scholarship for students applying to Portugal from abroad. DGES only accepts applications from students who have already enrolled at a Portuguese institution, and non-Portuguese nationals must already hold a qualifying residency status (see Eligibility below).

Key Details

• Provided by: Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) transitioning into the Instituto para o Ensino Superior, I.P. (IES, I.P.)
• Host institution: Any public or private higher education institution in Portugal
• Location: Portugal (nationwide)
• Admission Deadlines:
  • Regular application window: August 14 – October 2, 2026
  • Late window (prorated award): October 3, 2026 – May 31, 2027
  • Recent graduates starting a professional internship: within 20 working days of receiving their internship confirmation
• Degree Level: CTeSP, Bachelor’s (Licenciatura), Integrated Master’s, Master’s (not available for PhD study; doctoral funding runs through the Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT, not DGES)
• Scholarship Number: No fixed quota. DGES funds every applicant who meets the income and academic thresholds
• Gender: All genders
• Type: Need-based study grant (not merit-based, not fully funded)
• Eligible Nations: Portuguese citizens; EU nationals with permanent residency in Portugal; third-country nationals holding a permanent or long-term residence permit; nationals of countries with a relevant cooperation agreement; stateless persons; refugees; and beneficiaries of humanitarian emergency or temporary protection status
• Eligible Degree Programs: CTeSP (Curso Técnico Superior Profissional a short-cycle vocational higher education course), Licenciatura (Bachelor’s), Mestrado Integrado (Integrated Master’s), Mestrado (Master’s)

Grant Benefits

• DGES pays monthly cash directly into the student’s bank account for the full academic year
• Automatic-assignment tiers (2023–24 figures; check the DGES/IES simulator for current amounts):
  • Escalão 1: €2,643/year
  • Escalão 2: €1,202/year
  • Escalão 3: €872/year
• Students outside the automatic tiers still qualify; DGES calculates their grant from household income, assets, and course fees
• Students who relocate for study can add an accommodation supplement: up to 17.5% of the IAS index in institutional residences, or 55–95% of IAS when renting privately (varies by municipality)
• Displaced students who receive the accommodation supplement also get a €40/month relocation top-up (up to €400/year)
• Students from the Azores or Madeira studying on the mainland (or vice versa) receive an annual round-trip flight or ferry benefit
• Grant recipients who join an approved Erasmus+ exchange receive a €100–150/month mobility top-up

Awards Summary

Automatic-Assignment Tiers (for first-year public higher education entrants via the national admission process, Concurso Nacional de Acesso)

• Escalão 1: €2,643/year
• Escalão 2: €1,202/year
• Escalão 3: €872/year

Standard/Non-Automatic Applicants (all other eligible students)

• DGES calculates each grant individually from household per-capita income, household assets, and course fees; there is no fixed published amount
• Students can use this grant at any public or private Portuguese higher education institution

Eligibility Criteria

Candidate-side eligibility:

• Hold Portuguese citizenship, or one of the qualifying residency/refugee/protection statuses listed under Eligible Nations above
• Currently attend an eligible Portuguese higher education program
• Register for at least 30 ECTS credits for the academic year (exceptions apply per the official regulation)
• Keep household per-capita income within the thresholds the DGES/IES grant regulation sets each year
• Recent graduates (within 24 months of finishing a Bachelor’s or Master’s) who complete a mandatory professional internship also qualify

Eligibility Criteria for Admission (institution-side):

• Your course must be a CTeSP, Bachelor’s, Integrated Master’s, or Master’s program at a recognized Portuguese public or private institution
• PhD students should apply to the FCT instead; this scheme excludes doctoral study
• The grant only covers study at Portuguese institutions, so students studying abroad on a Portuguese-funded program don’t qualify

Language requirement: Programs are generally taught in Portuguese unless the specific course states otherwise.

How to Apply?

• Confirm you meet the residency and enrollment requirements above
• First-time applicants: get login credentials from your institution’s Social Action Services (Serviços de Ação Social) office
• Gather your documents: Citizen Card or Tax/Social Security numbers for each household member, prior-year IRS tax declaration, property tax documents (if applicable), and bank balance statements as of December 31 of the prior year
• Run the DGES/IES grant simulator to estimate your award
• Submit your application through the BeOn portal between August 14 and October 2, 2026

Apply Now