When should I apply to a Portuguese university?

In the first application rounds, which open in the autumn preceding the September intake. Allow six to eight weeks before the chosen round for the English certificate and, where required, the GMAT or GRE.

Study in Portugal

Q: Can I study in English in Portugal?

At master level yes: programmes at Nova SBE and Catolica Lisbon are taught in English. At bachelor level the choice is narrower, since public university degrees are mostly taught in Portuguese.

Updated 6 September 2026

Portugal has become one of Europe’s most attractive study destinations: a mild climate, a low cost of living relative to Western Europe, and a growing number of internationally accredited, English-taught programmes : especially in business and economics, where Lisbon’s schools have built a strong reputation.

Lisbon is home to two of the country’s leading business schools, both holding the “Triple Crown” of international accreditations (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS).

Top business schools in Portugal

Nova SBE : Portugal’s leading business school, ranked among Europe’s best.
Católica Lisbon : a leading European business school in central Lisbon.

Key facts and figures

Nova SBE is ranked 4th worldwide for its International Master in Management (2025) and 8th for its International Master in Finance (2026) in the Financial Times rankings displayed by the school (source: Nova SBE, consulted on 6 September 2026).
Accreditations: Nova SBE holds AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA, the three accreditations known as the Triple Crown (source: Nova SBE, consulted on 6 September 2026).
Católica Lisbon also displays AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accreditation (source: Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, consulted on 6 September 2026).
Language: master programmes at both Lisbon schools are taught in English, while public university bachelor degrees are mostly taught in Portuguese.
Your Dream School: more than 1,000 students coached since 2018 and 160+ five-star Google reviews.

Why families look at Lisbon

Portugal has moved from a secondary option to a serious one in the space of a few application cycles. The reason is simple: two Lisbon business schools compete with the better known Spanish and Italian schools on rankings and on recruiter recognition, while total cost of study stays below Madrid, Milan or London. For a student targeting finance, management or economics, that combination is difficult to match elsewhere in southern Europe.

The campus experience matters too. Nova SBE sits on the coast at Carcavelos, twenty minutes from central Lisbon by train, with a cohort where international students are the norm rather than the exception. Católica Lisbon is in the city itself. Students who like the format usually also consider Spain, and we regularly build shortlists that cover both countries.

What the application asks for

Applications are made directly to each school, in rounds, and places fill as the rounds progress: applying in the first or second round is materially easier than applying in the last. A typical bachelor file asks for school transcripts, an English certificate, a motivation letter and, for some programmes, an admission test or an interview. Master files add a curriculum vitae, references and, for finance programmes, a quantitative test such as the GMAT or GRE.

We prepare the written file and the test in parallel, since a score arriving after the round closes is worth nothing. Students who also apply to the United Kingdom keep one shared calendar: the UCAS deadline for 2027 entry is 18:00 UK time on 13 January 2027, and 15 October 2026 for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses (source: UCAS, consulted on 6 September 2026).

How Your Dream School helps

Our coaches select the round, write the file with the student rather than for the student, and prepare the interview. Coaching is delivered in French and in English. Our admissions counselling starts at 3,000 EUR and every formula is quoted on request. If no admission is obtained in one of the three first-choice universities defined at the start of the coaching, we accompany the re-application. See our bachelor admissions coaching, our master admissions coaching and our student and parent testimonials.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study in English in Portugal?

At master level, yes: the programmes at Nova SBE and Católica Lisbon are taught in English. At bachelor level the choice is narrower, since public university degrees are mostly taught in Portuguese, so an English-taught bachelor means applying to a specific list of programmes that we check case by case.

Are Portuguese business schools well ranked?

Nova SBE displays a 4th place worldwide for its International Master in Management (2025) and an 8th place for its International Master in Finance (2026) in the Financial Times rankings, and holds AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accreditation (source: Nova SBE, consulted on 6 September 2026). Católica Lisbon holds the same three accreditations.

When should I apply?

In the first rounds, which open in the autumn preceding the September intake. Later rounds are judged against fewer remaining places. Allow six to eight weeks before the chosen round for the English certificate and, where required, the GMAT or GRE.

Interested in Lisbon for 2027? Tell us the subject and the intake and we will map the realistic programmes. Contact our team.