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Recognitions - Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Higher Education Diplomas

Have you attended a higher education course in your country and want to have your diploma recognised in Portugal? The first thing you should know is that there are three types of recognition of qualifications. Find out more about them here.

Before you start any process, it is important that you know the following:

  • You should start by completing the application form, available only online, with the utmost care and accuracy. Confirm that your personal and qualification information is correct, because this is the information that will appear on the recognition registration certificate and cannot be changed later (the deadlines for recognition requests only start after the payment, being suspended in case of missing documentation; consult the University of Porto Fees Table to confirm the associated costs).
  • Documents issued in a foreign language other than Spanish, French or English must be submitted with a certified translation into Portuguese or one of the three foreign languages mentioned above.
  • If you want to convert your final classification into the Portuguese scale, you should request a document from your home higher education institution stating the final classification awarded, the applicable scale and the minimum positive mark.
  • All documents that are not submitted in their original version, that cannot be publicly consulted or that do not have a digital signature must be authenticated by the competent authorities for that purpose:
    • in the country where the document was issued, with The Hague Apostille or authenticated by the Portuguese Consulate;
    • in Portugal, by one of the following entities: CTT, notaries, lawyers, solicitors, registry offices, parish councils and chambers of commerce and industry.
  • All digital documents must be in PDF format (.pdf).
Types of recognition

It applies to a foreign higher education degree or diploma whose level, objectives and nature are identical to the Portuguese degrees of Licenciado, Master and Doctor that are included in the list of degrees and diplomas established by the National Commission for Recognition of Foreign Degrees.

The request shall be submitted by the holder of the degree through the respective online form.

The holder will be requested to present a document - official diploma or certificate - which unequivocally proves that the degree was awarded by the institution of origin.

The recognition is carried out within a maximum period of 30 days after the complete processing of the application, including the payment of the applicable fee.

It applies, for comparability and on an individual basis, to a foreign higher education degree or diploma that has a level of scientific qualification corresponding to a Portuguese higher education degree or diploma.

The request must be submitted by the diploma holder through the respective online form. After submission, it will be necessary to contact the Academic Training and Organisation Service of the Rectory of the U.Porto to complete the process, through the email [email protected] or by telephone.

Required documents:

  • Document that unequivocally proves that the degree has been awarded, such as a diploma or certificate;
  • Document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the curricular units that were approved and that led to the degree or diploma in question, as well as the respective syllabus, the duration of the studies leading to the degree and the respective final classification. If you wish the conversion of the final classification, include information on the scale applicable in the home institution and on the minimum positive mark;
  • In case it is a degree corresponding to the level of Master, you must deliver a digital copy of the dissertation defended, the project work or the traineeship report;
  • In case of a degree corresponding to the Doctorate level, you must deliver a digital copy of the defended thesis, except when it has been replaced by other research works, artistic works or achievements. In this case, you must deliver, in digital format, the appropriate elements for us to know the process of conception and preparation of the work, the research capacity and how this project contributed to the knowledge in the field it belongs to;
  • If you do not submit any of these elements that confirm that you have obtained the academic degree in question, you will be asked to prove this situation by means of a document issued by the respective higher education institution.

The recognition is carried out within a maximum period of 90 days after the complete instruction of the process, including the payment of the applicable fee, the deadlines being suspended in the case of missing documentation.

It applies to a foreign higher education degree or diploma that is identical to a Portuguese higher education degree or diploma, through a case-by-case analysis of the level, duration and programmatic content, in a given training area, branch of knowledge or specialty.

The request must be submitted by the diploma holder through the respective online form. After submission, it will be necessary to contact the Academic Training and Organisation Service of the Rectory of the U.Porto to complete the process, through the email [email protected] or by telephone.

Required documents:

  • Document that unequivocally proves that the degree has been awarded, such as a diploma or certificate;
  • Document issued by the foreign higher education institution in which the curricular units that you have passed and that lead to the degree or diploma in question are listed, as well as the respective syllabus, the duration of the studies leading to the degree and the respective final classification;
  • In case it is a degree corresponding to the level of Master, you must deliver a digital copy of the dissertation defended, the project work or the traineeship report;
  • In case of a degree corresponding to the Doctorate level, you must deliver a digital copy of the defended thesis, except when it has been replaced by other research works, artistic works or achievements. In this case, you must deliver, in digital format, the appropriate elements for us to know the process of conception and preparation of the work, the research capacity and how this project contributed to the knowledge in the field it belongs to;
  • If you do not submit any of these elements that confirm that you have obtained the academic degree in question, you will be asked to prove this situation by means of a document issued by the respective higher education institution.

The recognition is carried out within a maximum period of 90 days after the complete instruction of the process, including the payment of the applicable fee.

Check the specific evaluation procedures for this type of recognition, when applicable, in each of the faculties of the U.Porto.

Note

In the event of a future change in personal identification numbers, the validity of the certificate will not be compromised; however, the entities requesting it will be asked to prove that the number in question was valid on the date of issue of the certificate of registration.

Applicable legislation

More information

On the website of the Direção Geral do Ensino Superior (DGES) you can find more detailed information about the process of Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Diplomas in Portugal.

Additional information

Contacts

Serviço de Formação e Organização Académica (FOA)

Reitoria da Universidade do Porto
Praça de Gomes Teixeira
4099-002 Porto, Portugal

Tel.: (+351) 220 408 081
E-mail: [email protected]