Incoming students must submit their application to NOVA FCSH on the FCSH platform. The access link and application manual will be sent by email before the application period.

Application periods:

1st semester: 24 June to 24 July 2024 (mobility students in the 1st semester and annual)

2nd semester: 25 November 2024 to 15 January 2025 (mobility students in the 2nd semester)

Candidates must carefully read all emails sent by the Mobility Office (mobilidade@fcsh.unl.pt), as well as notifications sent through the platform.

Rules for applying and preparing the Study Contract

In the process of applying to NOVA FCSH, the student prepares a Learning Agreement (LA) , which contains, among other information, the courses the student plans to attend. The preparation of the LA must comply with the following criteria:

•  Minimum: one course;
• Maximum: 30 ECTS. In addition to the 30 ECTS, the student can add the LA the semester course of Portuguese for Foreigners, of 6 ECTS;
• Mandatory registration in at least one course from the department the student was nominate to (according to a bilateral agreement between the universities). The remaining courses may be from other departments/study areas at NOVA FCSH;
• Bachelor students can attend courses from bachelor programs;
• Master’s students must take at least one course at master level (ideally from the department they have been nominated to at NOVA FCSH). Master students can also attend courses at bachelor level;
• Doctoral students must take at least one course at doctoral level (ideally from the department they have been nominated to at NOVA FCSH). Doctoral students can also attend courses at bachelor and master levels;
• Students will not be able to select foreign language courses offered in the programs of the Modern Languages, Cultures and Literatures Department if that is their mother tongue (for example, French students should not select the French language course, aimed at non-native French speakers.)
• Students who only want to do research for the thesis should select the course “Research for the thesis” in the LA.
• After acceptance of the application, it is possible to change the registration in courses and the LA up to two weeks after the start of the semester;

Check list

Before traveling to Lisbon, don’t forget to:

• Bring a valid Identification Card/Passport
• Get the European Health Insurance Card (for students from the European Union. More information HERE.
• Bring the Declaration of arrival (if requested by the home university)
• Register for the Welcome meeting in Inforestudante, after your application is accepted. More information will be sent via email in due time.

Students must attend the welcome meeting , which will take place at the beginning of the semester. Failing to attend the meeting, the student will have to register their arrival in person at the Mobility Office Assistance Desk as soon as possible.

Students arriving after the first two weeks of classes will not be accepted.

Welcome meeting:

1st semester: 16/09/2024

2nd semester: to be announced

Portuguese A2

Certificates accepted for Portuguese A2 or higher:

– A2 certificate issued by the Department of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (PLE) of the Luis Krus Center – Lifelong Training Center of NOVA FCSH.

or

– Initial Certificate of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (CIPLE) or higher issued by a Center for Assessment and Certification of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (CAPLE). You can see HERE which CAPLE is closest to you.

or

– A2 certificate issued by a Higher Education Institution.

   Exceptions:

• Students from Portuguese-speaking countries
• If the courses selected are taught exclusively in other languages
• Students who only carry out research for their thesis during their stay at NOVA FCSH.

English B1

Each semester, there are some courses lectured in English or other languages, mainly in the Department of Modern Languages, Cultures and Literatures. The list is updated every semester on the page International Curricula (link above). However, the offer in English is limited and does not include courses from all areas/departments. In that case, students will have to attend courses in their department lectured in Portuguese.

To be able to select courses in English, you will need an English certificate at level B1 or higher.

Certificates accepted for English B1 or higher:

– B1 certificate or higher issued by a Higher Education Institution or a language institute (stamped and signed);

or

– Certificate of grades issued by a university where the student has successfully completed the English Language subject at the required level or higher;

or

– Declaration issued by the home university indicating that the student has successfully attended classes taught in English and is capable of following classes lectured in that language.

To be valid, the LA must be signed by the responsible person at the home university and by the mobility coordinator of the FCSH department to which the student was appointed.

If the student decides to attend other courses, the LA must be updated and it must also be validated by both universities.

All questions related to courses or other academic matters at NOVA FCSH must be addressed to the department’s Mobility Coordinator.

Can I apply for a room in NOVA residences?

Due to renovation works planned for the 2024-2025 academic year, NOVA residences will not be available.

Alternatively, students can explore the offer made available by NOVA FCSH’s private partners and Erasmus associations such as Study in Lisbon or Erasmus Life Lisboa.

Where can I find the curriculum and class schedules?

The academic offer is made available on the page of each program in July. Before this date, students may use the offer from the previous academic year as a reference.

To see the academic offer for each semester, the student must consult the file “Horários” published on the page of each program:

• Bachelor programmes
• Master’s programs
• Doctoral programmes

Do I need a visa or Residence Permit?

European Union citizens

No visa required. All you need is a valid identity card/citizen’s card or a valid passport and the European Health Insurance Card.

For stays longer than 3 months, European students must also register with the City Council in their area of residence. More information about this record here.

Citizens from outside the European Union

For stays longer than 3 months and up to 1 year: students from third countries must apply for a student visa at a Portuguese embassy or Portuguese consulate in their country of origin or in their country of residence before entering Portugal. The student visa can take up to 3 months to be issued. While staying in our country, students may have to extend their student visa.

Students from countries outside the European Union, holders of a Residence Permit for the purposes of studying at a higher education institution in an EU member state, who wish to participate in an international mobility program, such as Erasmus+, can inform AIMA, at maximum period of 30 days before the start of their program, who will travel to Portugal to participate in said program. This communication can be made by email, including additional documentation, as well as the respective travel tickets (arrival and departure) for the mobility period. After completing this procedure, AIMA will issue you an official entry form, stating that you are authorized to stay for a maximum period of 360 days.

Important: Students who already have a European Residence Permit from another country must keep it valid throughout their stay in Portugal.

If any additional clarification is required, please contact welcome@fcsh.unl.pt.

How are the school year and academic calendar organized? 

1st Semester (2024-25)

Class Period: 16th September  to 20th December 2024 (includes evaluation period / tests / frequencies).

Appeal and Grade Improvement Exams (optional): 20th to 31st January 2025.

2nd Semester

Class Period: 10th February to  30th May 2025 (includes evaluation period / tests).

Appeal and Grade Improvement Exams (optional):

Bachelor: 19th to 27th June 2025

Master: 30th June to 8th July 2025

For more information, see Academic Calendar.

What is the evaluation system like at NOVA FCSH?

The grading scale is from 0 to 20 points, based on the criteria defined by the professor (tests, essays, practical work, etc.,).

Grade lower than 8 points: Failed, with no possibility of taking an Appeal Exam.

Grade of 8 or 9: Failed, but you can request registration for a Appeal Exam (free of charge) to try to obtain a passing grade.

Grade of 10 values or higher: Approved.

Any grade above 10 may be improved by taking a Grade Improvement exam. Registration for Appeal or Improvement exams is done on Inforestudante, in periods defined for that purpose in the Academic Calendar.

I have special educational needs. How can I request the implementation of adaptation measures?

Students with special needs must apply for the status of student with specific educational needs. The application will be available on the Inforestudante platform at the beginning of the semester, after the student arrives to FCSH.

The student must attach medical reports (in Portuguese or English) to the application to confirm the condition and proposed adaptation measures.

Questions about special educational needs may be addressed to NOVA FCSH’s Personal Development and Social Inclusion Office (neeinfo@fcsh.unl.pt).

Can I take a Portuguese language course at NOVA FCSH during the mobility period?

Yes. Students who wish to improve their knowledge of the Portuguese language may attend the 6 ECTS semester course during mobility (levels A1 to B2). If the course is included in the LA, it will be free of charge. More information about this semester-long Portuguese course HERE.

Attending this course does not exempt you from presenting the Portuguese certificate upon application.

Which curricular units are taught in English?

You can find here the list of courses lectured in foreign languages in each of the departments.

NOVA FCSH’s Research Units may also offer free elective courses taught in English. Enrollment in these free options is only possible at the beginning of the semester, during the course changing period.

Can I write exams and assignments in English?

Most professors are able to provide bibliography in English and accept exams or assignments in English. Students must confirm this possibility with each professor at the beginning of the semester.

Additional Information

If you want to know more about NOVA FCSH and Lisbon, we recommend visiting the following pages:

• First Steps at NOVA FCSH – where you can find the FCSH Student Guide.
• Mobility Student Handbook
• Living in Lisbon