University of Minho

Key facts

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

What is the University of Minho?

The University of Minho is a public higher-education institution in Braga and Guimarães in northern Portugal. It was founded in Braga in 1973 during a period of expansion of Portuguese higher education and set out to become a “complete university”.^[1] It received its first students in 1975/76, according to its history page.^[1] The international-students page says that academic activity started in 1974.^[8]

There are three campuses: Gualtar in Braga, Azurém in Guimarães and, later, Couros, also in Guimarães, in an area classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.^[1] The university has 12 schools and institutes, among them the Schools of Engineering, Sciences, Economics and Management, Law, Medicine, Psychology and Architecture, Art and Design.^[2]

The facts page gives 20,566 students, 2,343 of them foreign, but does not state the year of the data, and some of its other items refer to rankings from 2019.^[2] Treat the figures as approximate.

How is the University of Minho ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Minho is joint 572nd.^[3] A Portuguese study-abroad guide gives the same position, the lowest of the five Portuguese universities on our list.^[9] The university’s own international page highlights its record in the Times Higher Education 150 Under 50 and in the CWTS Leiden Ranking instead.^[8]

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 Minho?

UMinho offers bachelor’s and integrated master’s degrees, about 100 master’s degrees and about 50 PhD degrees across its 12 schools and institutes. All postgraduate cycles can be attended part time.^[7] Subject areas range from science and technology to architecture, arts, social sciences, law, economics and management, education, humanities, psychology and health.^[1]

For students who finished secondary education abroad, the university offers a preparation course before enrolling in a bachelor’s or integrated master’s degree.^[8]

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

UMinho sets fees by programme and by student group: national students, students from Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries and students from other countries.^[4]

The amounts come from the rector’s dispatch RT-91/2026 on fees for 2026/27, which refers to a General Council decision of 13 March 2026.^[4] The table shows examples, not every programme. Fees are paid in 10 equal instalments from October 2026 or in one payment.^[4]

Two-year master’s programmes

The Management master’s page of the School of Economics and Management lists a total cost for 2026/27 of €3,500, €7,000 for CPLP countries and €9,000 for other countries outside the EU, payable at 50% per academic year.^[5] That is consistent with the annual amounts in the table. The Business and Management master’s lists the same totals.^[10]

Doctoral fees differ by programme; they are in the same dispatch.^[4] Tuition is only part of the bill; for rent and living costs, see our Portugal guide.

How do you apply to the University of Minho?

For bachelor’s and integrated master’s degrees there is a special competition for international students. You can apply if you do not have Portuguese citizenship, are not a citizen of an EU member state, have not lived legally and uninterruptedly in Portugal for more than two years as of 31 August of the application year, and are not on an international mobility programme from a foreign university. The page has an “Apply here” link to the application.^[6]

For master’s and doctoral degrees you should consult the admission conditions of each programme; the postgraduate page links the postgraduate guide and the Academic Portal.^[7] Some programmes interview applicants.^[5][10]

We give no deadlines because they change every year and differ by programme.

Which language level do you need?

UMinho has no single language rule in the pages we read; it depends on the programme. The Management master’s is taught in Portuguese (some elective units can be in English), and applicants from countries where Portuguese is not the official or native language must hold a Portuguese proficiency certificate.^[5] The Business and Management master’s runs one class in Portuguese and one in English; non-native English speakers need an English proficiency certificate such as TOEFL or IELTS, or proof that their degree was taught fully in English.^[10]

The international-students page does not state a language level for bachelor’s degrees.^[6] Ask the programme before you apply.

More about studying in Portugal

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

More university profiles in Portugal

• NOVA University Lisbon
• University of Coimbra
• University of Lisbon
• University of Porto