Whether you live in Portugal or have a budding scholar seeking an excellent education in Europe, you may be surprised to learn that there are a number of leading educational institutions in this country that don’t often make the headlines. If you are seeking a university for yourself or your sons and daughters, these are the universities Portugal is most proud of due to their high rankings.

1. Universidade de Aveiro

Founded in 1973 and as one of the newer universities in Europe, it’s amazing that the Universidade de Aveiro ranks so highly. Listed as being one of the most innovative universities Portugal has to offer, this university is now a public institution for higher education under what Portugal calls “private law.” The focus of this school is to promote excellence in research with a commitment to cooperating with society.

2. University of Coimbra

Offering a variety of master’s programmes, the University of Coimbra is also a global leader in the area of research. Interestingly, the University of Coimbra offers joint programmes with:

  • MIT Portugal
  • Erasmus Mundus
  • Harvard Medical School Portugal
  • CMU Portugal
  • UT Austin Portugal

As you can see, there is a wide range of interdisciplinary courses committed to excellence and this is why this particular school draws students from around the globe.

3. University of Lisbon

Located in the nation’s capital, the University of Lisbon is ranked third in the top 5 universities of Portugal. The most in-demand fields of study here include:

  • Social Sciences
  • Business and Management
  • Environmental Studies
  • Earth Sciences
  • Agriculture and Forestry

And, that is just to name a few. The University of Lisbon is also proud of its degrees in Medicine and the Health Sciences. Many students choose this school not only for the quality of the education they’ll receive but also because of the busy nightlife in this large and active Portuguese city.

4. University of Porto

Contrary to what you might believe, most students don’t attend the University of Porto for the amazing wines the region is most known for. The excellent student accommodation Porto offers is like living in the lap of luxury complete with onsite security so that parents feel assured their budding scholars will be safe while in unknown territory. If you are interested in exactly how amazing student accommodation is in Porto, check out a few details on https://www.collegiate-ac.pt/en/student-accommodation/porto/.

5. ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon

To round out the top 5, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon is most renowned for its teaching, research and community-oriented programmes. Science and technology are huge in this institute and as a result, it has been highly ranked in research as well as in a school that prepares students well for careers with a future.

These are the leading 5 universities in Portugal but students from around the country say they are impressed with all of the colleges and institutions of higher education around the nation. As a family-friendly country, much emphasis is placed on safe educational opportunities and so student accommodation is better than in most countries around the world. When seeking a school to attend, take an honest look at Portugal. You will be impressed.