🇵🇹 Study in Portugal: The 2026 Journey, Step by Step
The full 2026 student journey to Portugal: a D4 visa, AIMA residence, NIF and NISS numbers, and part-time work after notifying AIMA. What visa officers check, what to pack to cut first-month costs, and how much part-time work really covers.
At a glance: the 2026 numbers
| What | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Document you need from the school | admission letter and a D4 study visa |
| Living costs to show | no fixed figure; 6 months of original statements and 3 years of ITRs from India |
| Work in term | No fixed cap (notify AIMA) |
| Minimum wage | €6.19 an hour |
| Plugs and voltage | Type F plugs, 230 V |
| Cash to declare | €10,000 or more |
Step 1–8: the journey in order
Timings count back from your course start date. Start earlier if you need a scholarship or an education loan: both add months.
What the visa officer is looking for
✅ Admission and a study plan
A real programme and reasons for Portugal.
✅ Funds with a history
6 months of original statements and 3 years of income tax returns.
✅ Clean record
Apostilled police certificate.
✅ Insurance and accommodation
For the whole stay.
✅ Honest history
Past refusals disclosed.
Before you leave: pack to cut your first-month costs
The first month abroad is the most expensive: deposits, bedding, a phone plan, transport cards and kitchen basics all land at once. Packing the right things from home, and leaving the wrong ones behind, saves real money and trouble at the border. Portugal runs on 230 V, so Indian appliances work with a Type F adapter.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| ✅ Bring: Layers and a rain jacket | winters are mild but damp, homes are cold |
| ✅ Bring: Pressure cooker and one heavy pan | cooking at home saves the most |
| ✅ Bring: Ground, sealed spices | allowed for personal use |
| ✅ Bring: Prescription medicines in original packs | with the prescription |
| ✅ Bring: Type F adapters | Indian 230 V appliances then work |
| ✅ Bring: Apostilled documents | for AIMA and the university |
| 🛒 Buy there: An electric heater | many flats have no central heating |
| 🛒 Buy there: Bedding | discount stores are cheap |
| ⛔ Never pack: Meat or dairy from outside the EU | banned for personal import into the EU |
| ⛔ Never pack: Undeclared cash of €10,000 or more | seizure and fines |
| ⛔ Never pack: Working before notifying AIMA | an administrative offence |
💵 Declare cash of €10,000 or more when you enter the EU. Use a forex card or a low-fee multi-currency account for most of your money, and carry only enough cash for the first few days. Full Portugal customs rules →
Paying your fees by working, within the rules
| Rule | Portugal in 2026 |
|---|---|
| During term | No fixed weekly cap in law for higher-education students; you must notify AIMA when you start work |
| Breaks | Full-time in breaks, as long as studies continue |
| Minimum wage | €6.19 an hour (minimum wage of €920 a month in 14 payments for 2026, about €6.19 an hour on a 40-hour week) |
| Legal maximum | No fixed cap in law; studies must continue |
Worked example. A realistic plan is fewer hours than the legal maximum, because shifts are not always available and grades matter. Here is what 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks earns:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Term: 15 h/week × 30 weeks × €6.19 | €2,786 |
| Breaks: 35 h/week × 12 weeks × €6.19 | €2,600 |
| Gross earnings a year | €5,386 |
| Tuition (example: an international student fee at a public university) | €7,000 |
| Living costs (example living budget of €920 a month) | €11,040 |
| Share of living costs covered | 49% |
| Share of tuition + living covered | 30% |
The pattern is the same everywhere: part-time work can cover much of your living costs, but rarely tuition. Plan to pay tuition from savings, a loan or a scholarship, and use wages for rent, food and the second year's buffer. Never go over your hour limit: breaching visa conditions can lead to cancellation and refusals later.
Other ways to bring the bill down
- University merit scholarships and fee reductions
- Part-time and summer work after notifying AIMA
- A post-study residence permit to look for work
- Lower living costs outside Lisbon
Try your own numbers below. The legal-maximum button fills the most you are allowed to work.
Your first two weeks after landing
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| AIMA appointment | within the visa's 4-month window |
| NIF | tax number for rent and work |
| NISS | social security for jobs |
| SNS number | public health service |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps to study in Portugal?
1) Choose a course. 2) Language tests. 3) Apply and get admitted. 4) Gather the D4 documents. 5) Apply for the D4 visa. 6) Residence permit with AIMA. 7) NIF, NISS, bank and health number. 8) Notify AIMA.
What do visa officers look for in a Portugal student visa application?
Admission and a study plan: A real programme and reasons for Portugal. Funds with a history: 6 months of original statements and 3 years of income tax returns. Clean record: Apostilled police certificate.
Can I pay my tuition by working part-time in Portugal?
Only partly. Working 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks at €6.19 an hour earns about €5,386 a year before tax, roughly 49% of the €11,040 living-cost figure. You must show the first year's funds before the visa is granted, so wages are for later years and living costs, not for getting the visa.
How many hours can international students work in Portugal?
No fixed weekly cap in law for higher-education students; you must notify AIMA when you start work. Full-time in breaks, as long as studies continue.
What should I pack to save money when moving to Portugal?
Bring: layers and a rain jacket; pressure cooker and one heavy pan; ground, sealed spices; prescription medicines in original packs; type F adapters. Buy there: an electric heater; bedding.
Can international students work in Portugal?
Yes. Higher-education students with a residence permit can work, but must notify AIMA with the job contract and social-security registration. There is no fixed weekly cap in law, but your studies must continue.
Sources
Figures on this page were checked against these sources on 31 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official site before you apply.