University of Coimbra

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

What is the University of Coimbra?

King Dinis signed the charter “Scientiae Thesaurus Mirabilis” in 1290, and Pope Nicholas IV recognised the General Studies in the same year. The university began in Lisbon, moved to Coimbra in 1308, alternated between the two cities and settled in Coimbra in 1537.^[8] The university says it was the first and only Portuguese-speaking university until the early 20th century and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013.^[1]

Teaching units are eight faculties (Letters, Law, Medicine, Science and Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology and Education Sciences, and Sport Sciences and Physical Education), the Colégio das Artes, a nursing school and research institutes.^[7] The campus is in three parts: the historic university city, a second campus for engineering and technology, and a third for health sciences.^[8] The Rectory is at Paço das Escolas, 3004-531 Coimbra.^[7]

How is the University of Coimbra ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Coimbra is joint 342nd.^[3] A Portuguese study-abroad guide gives the same position and adds that Coimbra was the only one of the large Portuguese universities to rise in this edition, by five places.^[10]

QS’s own site blocks automated access, so we read the position in an aggregator and a commercial guide. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the University of Coimbra?

In 2024/25 the university offered 46 bachelor’s courses, 142 master’s courses, 76 doctoral courses, 33 postgraduate and specialisation courses and 137 other non-degree courses.^[2] Enrolments were 13,188 in the first cycle, 10,294 in the second cycle and 3,848 in the third cycle, with 5,579 graduates.^[2]

All degree programmes are taught in person.^[6] The teaching language is the main practical point for international applicants; see the language section below.

How much does the University of Coimbra cost in 2026/27?

The national page lists the 2026/27 tuition as €697 for full time and €418.20 for part time, payable in a single sum or in ten instalments.^[4] The international page covers bachelor’s, integrated master’s and continuity master’s degrees and gives €7,000 full time and €4,200 part time for the first curricular year, and notes that a full annual registration in the integrated master’s in Medicine costs €18,000.^[5] The page has a separate payment plan for second and later registrations, which we did not summarise.^[5]

Payment rules

The first instalment, 25% of the annual amount (€1,750 for a standard programme), is a condition for confirming enrolment and is not refunded if you withdraw.^[5] Both pages still show instalment dates from 2024/25, so use your own payment plan for the real deadlines.^[4][5]

Master’s programmes

For master’s degrees, the international page tells you to check the opening notice of the course or your payment plan; it gives no general amount.^[5]

Why international students pay more

Portuguese students and EU nationals benefit from partial public funding. International students from outside the EU, including those from Portuguese-speaking countries, do not and pay a different tuition scheme.^[6]

How do you apply to the University of Coimbra?

The whole application and enrolment process is online through InforEstud@nte, the university’s academic platform. Admitted students only need to be in Coimbra for the start of classes and to show original documents.^[6]

• Bachelor’s and integrated master’s: international applicants can apply on the basis of entrance exams taken within the last five years: A-Levels, International Baccalaureate, ENEM (Brazil), Gaokao or Liankao (China) and some other national exams, among them Chile’s PAES, Colombia’s Saber 11 and the US SAT, AP and CLEP.^[6] Applications usually run in up to three calls, and an unplaced candidate can transfer to the next call without a fee under the rules of that call.^[6]
• Master’s and doctorate: the university has separate pages for master’s and doctoral applicants, and master’s fees are in each course’s opening notice.^[11][5]
• Documents: passports, citizen cards and national identity cards are accepted for identification.^[6]

We give no deadlines because they change every year. The admissions team is at ucglobal@uc.pt.^[11]

Which language level do you need?

All bachelor’s and integrated master’s programmes at Coimbra are taught in Portuguese. For students who do not yet speak Portuguese, a Foundation Year Programme is mandatory after admission, but it is not a separate programme to apply for.^[6] At postgraduate level some programmes are taught in both Portuguese and English and a few fully in English.^[6]

The same FAQ page also says that applicants with at least B1 Portuguese may apply but must enrol in the university’s paid Annual Portuguese Language Course unless they completed secondary education in Portuguese or hold a B2 certificate (such as DIPLE).^[6] It does not reconcile this with the Foundation Year, so ask the admissions team which rule applies to you.^[11]

More about studying in Portugal

• Portugal: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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