Universidade de Lisboa
Quick facts
- City
- Lisbon
- Country
- Portugal
- Type
- Public
- Founded
- 2013
- Students
- 51,600
- International students
- 14.7 %
- National ranking
- #1
- International ranking
- #237
- Tuition (local students)
- €697
- Tuition (international)
- €7,000
- Guide score
- 7.7/10
Official website: www.ulisboa.pt
Overview
Universidade de Lisboa (ULisboa) is Portugal's largest and highest-ranked university: 237th in QS 2027 (230th in 2026), first nationally. The current institution was created in July 2013 by merging the University of Lisbon and the Technical University of Lisbon, inheriting lineages that go back to the medieval Estudo Geral of Lisbon and to Técnico (1911). It reports about 51,600 students in 2024/25, including 7,581 degree-seeking international students (about 14.7%) and 4,121 more on mobility programmes.
EU/EEA bachelor's and integrated-master's tuition for 2026/27 is €697 per year. International (non-EU) fees are set by each School and listed on each course page: Instituto Superior Técnico charges €7,000 for first- and second-cycle programmes (plus application/reservation fees). Erasmus students pay their home-university fees, not ULisboa tuition.
Academic programs
Nineteen Schools cover almost every field. Instituto Superior Técnico (Alameda, plus Taguspark/Oeiras and a Loures site) is the country's reference engineering school (~11,000 students). Faculdade de Ciências, Direito, Medicina, Letras, Farmácia and others sit mainly on or around Cidade Universitária. English-taught offerings have expanded, especially at Técnico and in selected master's, but many undergraduate classes remain Portuguese — A2/B1 is a realistic minimum for a mixed Erasmus timetable, B2 if you want a full Portuguese-taught load.
Teaching quality and facilities vary by School more than at a single-campus university: Técnico is competitive and structured; some smaller faculties feel more traditional. Always pick courses from the School that signed your agreement.
Campus life
Cidade Universitária is a classic campus belt (metro Cidade Universitária on the Yellow line, Entrecampos nearby): rectory, Ciências, Letras, cantinas, sports. Técnico Alameda is inner-city (metro Saldanha / Alameda) and feels more like a dense engineering quarter. Student life spills into Alvalade, Campo Grande, Arroios, Intendente and Bairro Alto at night. University cantinas are cheap; the city is walkable and hilly. English is widely spoken in Lisbon services; Portuguese still matters for landlords and some professors.
Exchange programs
ULisboa is one of southern Europe's largest Erasmus hosts. There is no single university-wide incoming form — the International Relations office of *your* School (Técnico, Ciências, Direito, etc.) runs nominations, Learning Agreements and course catalogues. Deadlines differ by School; winter/full-year nominations often close in the spring. Course availability in English is not guaranteed until after you arrive, especially outside Técnico.
Admissions
Portuguese students enter via the national concurso (average of secondary + national exams). International degree-seekers use a separate route for international students; the calendar is set by each School, so check it. Exchange students are nominated by the home university.
Student housing
SASULisboa residences are limited; apply the day your nomination is accepted. Private rooms in shared flats commonly run €400–650/month depending on neighbourhood, and tourist pressure has pushed prices up. Practical areas for Cidade Universitária: Alvalade, Campo Grande, Entrecampos, Avenidas Novas. For Técnico Alameda: Arroios, Saldanha, Anjos, Areeiro. Avoid paying deposits before a video/in-person visit when possible.
Career services
Técnico and the larger faculties run their own internship and job boards; Lisbon's tech/startup scene (and Web Summit ecosystem) is the obvious non-academic outlet for engineering and data students. Portuguese language and a local tax number (NIF) unlock part-time work. Non-EU graduates use Portugal's job-seeker / residence routes after a recognised degree — confirm current AIMA rules before counting on them.
Academic programs
- Engineering
- Sciences
- Law
- Medicine
- Architecture
- Letters
- Pharmacy
- Fine Arts
- Sports
- Veterinary Medicine
Application deadlines
- fall: Varies by School and route; check the official calendar
Exchange
Largest Portuguese university and a major Erasmus+ host. Incoming mobility is handled by each School (Faculdade / Instituto), not a single central portal. Técnico (Alameda) is the engineering flagship; Cidade Universitária (Campo Grande / Entrecampos) holds the rectory and many faculties.