Public-university tuition cap is set to track inflation from 2027/28
Portugal's Budget proposal would end the freeze on the maximum tuition fee for public bachelor's degrees, CTeSP courses and specified integrated or professional master's programmes.
Archived after its publication day. Search retains this original briefing for background and accountability.
Archived 12 September 2026The current €697 ceiling remains relevant for now. The later cap would depend on 2026 inflation and still requires the Budget measure to become law.
- The proposed new ceiling applies from the 2027/28 academic year, not the current year.
- It would equal €697 plus the 2026 average consumer-price change excluding housing.
- Institutions set fees within the legal framework, so the national cap is not automatically every student's charge.
A future inflation-linked ceiling
The Budget text proposes unfreezing the maximum after several years at €697. The relevant inflation measure would be the full-year 2026 average change in the consumer price index excluding housing.
The scope covers public bachelor's degrees, higher professional technical courses and master's programmes that are legally required for entry to a profession, including the integrated component where applicable.
Do not change this year's budget
The proposal concerns 2027/28 and can still be amended. Students should use their institution's official fee table for 2026/27 and wait for the enacted Budget and later institutional decision before fixing the next academic year's amount.
Tuition is only one cost. Housing, transport, meals and course materials can be larger, and scholarship or displaced-student support follows separate rules.
What you can do now.
- 01
Use the institution's official 2026/27 fee for current planning.
- 02
Recheck the enacted measure and the institution's 2027/28 table.
- 03
Budget separately for housing, travel and study materials.
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