Applications are open for the Government of Portugal Higher Education Scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year. The scholarship is designed to support students with limited financial resources who are enrolled in higher education institutions in Portugal. It helps students cover part of their education costs and is awarded for the full academic year. The scholarship is managed by the Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior, also known as DGES, through the official online BeOn platform.
Scholarship Benefits
The Government of Portugal Scholarship provides financial support to eligible students throughout the academic year.
Successful applicants may receive:
- Monthly scholarship payments, usually paid in 10 instalments
- Support towards education-related costs
- Possible housing support for eligible displaced students
- Financial assistance based on the student’s household income and study situation
The exact amount awarded depends on the applicant’s financial condition, household income, course, institution and other eligibility factors.
Eligible Courses
The scholarship is available for students enrolled in Portuguese higher education institutions.
Eligible study levels include:
- Higher Professional Technical Courses
- Undergraduate degree programmes
- Integrated master’s programmes
- Master’s degree programmes
Students who have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree may also be considered if they are undertaking a professional internship within 24 months after obtaining their degree.
Students applying for PhD funding are advised to contact the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, known as FCT, for doctoral scholarship information.
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for the Government of Portugal Scholarship, applicants must be enrolled in an eligible higher education course in Portugal.
Applicants may include:
- Portuguese citizens
- Citizens of European Union member states with permanent residence rights in Portugal
- Eligible citizens from non-EU countries who meet the residence or cooperation agreement requirements
- Stateless persons
- Beneficiaries of political refugee status
- Beneficiaries of humanitarian emergency refugee status or temporary protection
Students must also be enrolled in at least 30 ECTS, except where specific exceptions apply under the scholarship regulations.
This scholarship is mainly for students studying in Portugal. It does not apply to students who want funding to study outside Portugal.
Documents Required
Applicants should prepare the required documents before starting the online application.
Documents may include:
- Citizen Card or identification document
- Portuguese tax identification number, known as NIF
- Social Security identification number, known as NISS
- IRS declaration for the previous calendar year, where applicable
- Property tax or housing-related documents, where applicable
- Bank account balance and other financial asset details for the household
- IBAN proof showing the bank account where the scholarship should be paid if awarded
- Any additional documents requested through the DGES BeOn platform
Applicants should ensure all requested documents are submitted correctly. Missing documents may lead to rejection of the application.
Application Deadline
For the 2026/2027 academic year, applications should be submitted between August 14, 2026, and October 2, 2026.
Students who enrol before October 2, 2026, will still have 20 working days to submit their scholarship request, even if that period goes beyond October 2.
Late applications may still be submitted between October 3, 2026, and May 31, 2027, but the scholarship amount may be reduced and calculated based on the remaining period of the academic year.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified students should apply online through the official DGES BeOn platform.
Applicants can begin the process by visiting the official Government of Portugal Scholarship service page.
The application itself is submitted through the DGES BeOn scholarship application portal.
Before applying, students should also read the DGES Scholarship FAQ page and the official DGES application deadlines page.
Applicants can use the BeOn portal to:
- Submit their scholarship application
- Upload and send documents
- Track the progress of their application
- Check the result of their application
- Submit objections or complaints where necessary
- Check payment information
- Update personal details
For more information, visit the official Government of Portugal Higher Education Scholarship page.
Application Deadline
The main application deadline is October 2, 2026.
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