DOCTORAL DEGREES

Admission Requirements

1. Admission Requirements for Third Cycle/Doctoral Programs:

The PhD in Biomedical and Health Sciences is a third-cycle degree offered jointly by the Fernando Pessoa University and the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, under the legal framework for associations between higher education institutions.

Maximum number of admissions: 10

Master's degree obtained from Engineering, Science, or Science and Technology institutions. Preferably, with a bachelor's degree in the same fields.

Maximum number of admissions: 10

Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent in Communication Sciences or other related fields; or a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences or related fields, provided that, in the latter case, they possess a curriculum considered particularly relevant by the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of the Fernando Pessoa University.

Maximum number of admissions: 15

Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent in fields of study relevant to the scientific areas of the program, namely: Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Social Studies, History, Anthropology, Economics, Law, Human Rights, Humanitarian Action, Humanities and related fields; and also holders of a bachelor's degree with a particularly relevant academic, scientific or professional curriculum, recognized by the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of the Fernando Pessoa University as demonstrating the capacity to undertake the program.

Maximum number of admissions: 15
Candidates will be ranked and selected based on the level, area and classification of their academic qualifications (20 to 80 points), professional curriculum vitae (up to 30 points) and/or research curriculum vitae (up to 30 points), thesis/thesis project plan (up to 50 points) and letter of motivation (up to 10 points).
They may also apply to attend the course, under a joint supervision agreement, Doctoral students in Communication Sciences or related fields enrolled in other national or foreign Higher Education Institutions are eligible. Doctoral students in joint supervision programs will receive doctoral degrees from both the Fernando Pessoa University and their home institution.
Fernando Pessoa University also accepts candidates who, having begun their doctoral studies at another Higher Education Institution, wish to complete them at UFP, and in this case, may request credit for the course units already completed towards the doctoral program.
Cotutelage
A joint doctoral supervision agreement, always established at the request and initiative of the doctoral candidate, who must initiate the preliminary procedures, allows a doctoral candidate to obtain a doctoral degree from the Fernando Pessoa University and another Higher Education Institution, usually foreign.
Fernando Pessoa University is open to joint doctoral supervision agreements, both for its students who wish to obtain a doctoral degree from another Higher Education Institution, usually foreign, that offers a doctorate in the field of Communication Sciences or related areas; and for students from other Higher Education Institutions, particularly foreign ones, who wish to obtain a doctoral degree in Portugal at the same time, with the possibility of automatically validating it in all countries of the European Higher Education Area.
To simultaneously obtain a doctoral degree from both the Fernando Pessoa University and their home institution, students enrolled in doctoral programs in Communication Sciences or related fields at other Higher Education Institutions must also concurrently enroll in the doctoral program in Communication Sciences at UFP for a minimum period of three years. Attendance at course units is optional, although advisable.
 Doctoral students in joint supervision programs must have a supervisor and co-supervisor, respectively, from their home institution and the partner institution, one of which must naturally be the Fernando Pessoa University.
Ideally, doctoral students in joint supervision programs should develop doctoral thesis research that includes the study of realities in various countries, namely Portugal and the country of the partner institution.
2. Selection and ranking criteria:
2.1. Master's degree or legal equivalent in the scientific area of the doctorate;
2.2. Highest final grade in the master's degree or legal equivalent;
2.3. Bachelor's degree or equivalent legal qualification in a scientific field most closely related to the doctoral program;
2.4. Curriculum vitae and an interview or cover letter.

Timeline

Academic year 2026/27

APPLICATION SUBMISSION DATES

APPLICATIONS (permanently open)*)

The following dates will be considered as deadlines for the different application phases.

MAKING THE RANKING LISTS AVAILABLE
Phase 1: April 30, 2026
2nd Phase**: June 26, 2026
Phase 3**: September 25, 2026

COMPLAINTS
Phase 1: until May 8, 2026
Phase 2: until July 3, 2026
Phase 3: until October 2, 2026

ONLINE REGISTRATION:
Phase 1: until May 15, 2026
Phase 2: until July 10, 2026
Phase 3: until October 9, 2026

SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS FOR ENROLLMENT VALIDATION:
At the time of registration and enrollment

Note 1: O PhD in Biomedical and Health Sciences It has a different schedule, with application deadlines. Consult the announcement. here
Note 2: For enrollments after December 31, 2026, the start of academic activities corresponds to the 2027/2028 academic year.

To be defined…

• Online or in person;
• It requires the completion of the curriculum plan (course units from the 1st and 2nd semesters of the 1st year) and the submission of the thesis plan.

Application documentation

Applications are submitted exclusively online (inforestudante (Doctorate).

1. Application documents:
the) Authenticated master's degree diploma or certificate;
b) Authenticated diploma or certificate of graduation;

In the case of foreign qualifications:
i. Candidates must submit an official statement, issued by the Higher Education Institution that awards the academic degree, indicating the final grade (if not included in any of the documents mentioned above) and the respective quantitative grading scale used (e.g., 0 to 100; 0 to 10, etc.). If this statement is not submitted, the minimum passing grade on the Portuguese scale (10 out of 20) will be considered. The same applies to any other certificates of qualifications or diplomas submitted with the application.;
ii. Diplomas/certificates not written in Portuguese, English, French, or Spanish must be accompanied by a translation into Portuguese, which must be legalized by the Portuguese consular agent in the country of origin of the diploma/certificate or legalized by [the relevant authority]. Hague Apostille.

w) Plan of Intentions (according to the UFP model);
d) Curriculum Vitae in Europass Model or Lattes;
and) Supporting documents for the activities mentioned in the CV, relevant to the study program for which the application is being submitted;
f) Letter of motivation (free template);
g) For the following doctoral programs:
    – Communication Sciences: thesis statement of intent (thesis project);
    – Political and Humanitarian Studies: Statement of intent for the thesis (thesis proposal – maximum 1500 words – in Portuguese and English);
h)  Tax identification document (for issuing receipts);
i) Identification document:
i. Citizens of the European Union: Citizen Card/Identity Card or Passport;
ii. Non-EU citizens: residing in Portugal: Residence permit in Portugal issued by SEF or Student Visa for Portugal; residing abroad: Passport.

Notes:
• Candidates from European Union countries who do not wish to submit a copy of their identification document must go in person to the Admissions Office of the Fernando Pessoa University | Fernando Pessoa School of Health, during opening hours and within the deadline set for applications, bringing the original document with them;
• Non-EU candidates residing abroad who are admitted may pre-register online, but will need to present a Student Visa for Portugal to validate their registration within the deadline set in the admission schedule.

Application submission

1. Submission of applications:
Applications are submitted online at inforestudante and within the application period stipulated in the admission schedule.

1.2. Documents must be scanned in a way that allows for correct viewing, with the white seals or stamps of academic diplomas/certificates and documents proving the activities mentioned in the CV clearly visible.

2. Viewing results:
inforestudante Verify application

Registration

Registration can be done online at inforestudante Verify your application. 

Notes:
• For candidates holding certificates from educational institutions within the European Union: The Academic Services may require the presentation of the original certificates and their authenticated translations, as previously stipulated.
• For candidates holding certificates from non-EU educational institutions, the online pre-registration will only be validated for course attendance purposes upon submission, within the deadline indicated in the admission schedule, of copies or originals of the foreign diplomas/certificates with which they applied, authenticated with the Hague Apostille in the country where the documents were issued. If the country has not acceded to the Convention, the documents must be legalized by the official education services of that country and by the respective Portuguese diplomatic authority.
• For candidates of non-EU nationality residing abroad: the online pre-registration will only be validated, for the purposes of attending the course, upon presentation of a Student Visa for Portugal in person at the Fernando Pessoa Admissions Office.

Observations

It is ensured that:
1. Requests for information regarding applications should be made by email to ingresso@fundacaofernandopessoa.pt until 2:00 PM (local time) on the second-to-last day for submitting applications
2. There are no refunds for payments already made;
3. The submitted documentation will not be returned;
4. Applications that are not properly documented, as defined in point 2, will be summarily rejected.
5. The opening of courses is contingent upon a minimum number of enrollments.

Bribes

You can check the tuition fees. here