This marks a three percent increase or 12,811 more students compared to the previous year and a 24 percent increase since 2015-2016.
This marks a three percent increase or 12,811 more students compared to the previous year and a 24 percent increase since 2015-2016.
Portugal has hit a historic high in higher education enrollment for the 2022-2023 academic year, with 446,028 registered students.
According to a report from Schengen Visa, this marks a three percent increase or 12,811 more students compared to the previous year and a 24 percent increase since 2015-2016 when the student count was 358,450.
The Directorate-General For Education And Science Statistics revealed that out of the total enrolled students, 359,397 are in public higher education institutions, while 86,631 are in private higher education institutions.
Among public institutions, 223,564 students opted for university-level education, and 135,833 chose polytechnic higher education.
Diverse fields of study
The preferred fields of study among the students include “Business Sciences, Administration, and Law,” with 98,723 students (22 percent), “Engineering, Manufacturing\ and Construction,” with 88,550 students (20 percent), and “Health and Social Protection,” with 68,941 students (16 percent).
The trend also indicates a rise in enrollment in master’s and doctoral programs, with 82,610 students pursuing Master’s degrees and 25,202 opting for doctoral programs.
Of the total enrolled students, 155,082 are first-year students, with a notable presence of females across various academic fields. Male students dominate disciplines such as “Information and Communication Technologies,” “Engineering, Manufacturing, and Construction,” and “Services.”
International appeal
Portugal’s attractiveness to international students remains strong, as 17,822 students participated in international credit mobility initiatives like the Erasmus Program. The nation welcomed 74,597 international students, accounting for 17 percent of the overall enrollment.
The achievement also aligns with Portugal’s educational goals, aiming to have 60 percent of 20-year-olds enrolled in higher education by 2030 and 50 percent of individuals aged 30 to 34 holding college degrees.
In February last year, it was reported that more than 44 percent of Portugal’s population had attained a higher education degree.
