Uniwords Students · Español

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Quick facts

City
Lisbon
Country
Portugal
Type
Public
Founded
1973
National ranking
#3
International ranking
#337
Tuition (local students)
€697
Tuition (international)
€7,500
Guide score
7.8/10

Official website: www.unl.pt

Overview

Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA) is Lisbon's younger public university, founded in 1973, and one of Portugal's most international universities. In the QS World University Rankings 2027 it is 337th worldwide (327th in 2026) and third in Portugal, and NOVA reports being first in the country for sustainability and internationalisation in that edition.

Standard EU undergraduate tuition follows the public cap (€697/year for 2026/27 at the national public rate). International fees are school-specific and much higher at Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE): the bachelor's fee for non-EU students was €7,500/year in 2025/26. The €7,500 international tuition figure on this page is the *business-school* reference, not the fee for Nova FCT or Law.

Academic programs

Nine academic units. Nova SBE (Carcavelos, on the coast between Lisbon and Cascais) is the internationally visible brand — English-taught bachelor's and master's, corporate recruiting, beach-adjacent campus. Nova FCT (science and technology, Caparica on the south bank) is the engineering/science counterpart to Técnico, with a more suburban campus. Nova IMS (information management), Nova School of Law, Nova Medical School, IHMT and others sit in Lisbon proper; the rectorate is at Campolide.

English availability is high at Nova SBE and selected master's elsewhere; FCT and Law still have substantial Portuguese-taught undergraduate loads. Check the exact school before assuming an English semester.

Campus life

NOVA is not one campus. Campolide is inner Lisbon (metro São Sebastião / Praça de Espanha area). Carcavelos is a different lifestyle: train from Cais do Sodré, surf towns, Nido and other purpose-built student housing, and a weaker link to Bairro Alto unless you budget the commute. Caparica (FCT) is south of the Tagus — famous beaches, cheaper rooms, Fertagus/metro bus combo. ESN and school-level associations are the social glue; Nova SBE in particular has a very international bubble.

Exchange programs

Erasmus+ plus EUTOPIA (European university alliance). You apply to a *school*, not to "NOVA" as a whole. Nova SBE exchange seats are competitive at partner institutions because of the English catalogue and brand. Housing in Carcavelos is tight at term start; SAS NOVA has some subsidised rooms in Campolide for SBE students (alojamento@unl.pt) but supply is limited.

Admissions

National concurso for Portuguese and EU undergraduates; international students covered by the international-student regulation cannot use the national call and apply through a special contest instead. International degree applications and deadlines are set per school (Nova SBE has its own admissions cycle, earlier and more document-heavy than a typical public faculty). Exchange: home-university nomination.

Student housing

Lisbon private rooms €400–650+; Carcavelos purpose-built studios cost more (Nido-range) but include bills and sit next to the train. Campolide / Amoreiras / Campo de Ourique work for rectorate and city schools. FCT students often live in Almada, Costa da Caparica or commute from Lisbon. SAS NOVA residences: apply immediately after nomination.

Career services

Nova SBE's career office is the strongest in the group (consulting, finance, Big Tech internships, alumni in London/Paris/Lisbon). FCT feeds engineering and IT employers on both sides of the Tagus. NOVA's QS employability lead is real for SBE; do not assume the same pipeline from every school. Portuguese still helps for local internships outside the multinational bubble.

Academic programs

Application deadlines

Exchange

Erasmus+ and EUTOPIA European university alliance. Multi-campus: rectorate and several schools at Campolide; Nova SBE in Carcavelos; Nova FCT in Caparica (Almada); Nova Medical School and Nova IMS in Lisbon. Incoming procedures are school-specific.

Universities in Lisbon

Next steps

Sources