Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Diplomas

Find out about the different types of recognition and all the information needed to process them.

1. types of recognition:

1.1 Automatic Recognition

What is it?

It is the act that allows the generic recognition of a foreign higher education degree or diploma, whose level, goals and nature are identical to the Portuguese licenciado, master and doctoral degrees or the professional higher technician diploma, which is included in the list of degrees and diplomas established by the commission for the recognition of foreign degrees and diplomas

 

To which foreign degrees does it apply?

Check here if it applies to your Degree/Diploma

Check this table

 

Where and how to apply?

Public Higher Education Institutions

Directorate-General for Higher Education

Recognition is requested by the Diploma holder by completing this online form.

Access the Practical Guide to Support the Recognition Request here. (Access the Practical Guide to Support the Recognition Request here).

 

Which documents should I submit?

In accordance with the legislation in force, you must present one of the following documents that unequivocally proves that the degree or diploma was awarded, namely:

– Copy of the Diploma or document issued by the foreign higher education institution proving the title of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, certified by the competent authorities for that purpose; or

– A simple copy of the document issued by the foreign higher education institution in which appears the degree or diploma registration number, in case of foreign higher education institutions that have centralized records that can be publicly accessed through a unique identifier; or

– Diploma or certificate issued by the foreign higher education institution, in its original version, proving the ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested.

 

 How much does it cost?

The fee to be charged by the IPC is 40,00 euros, set by the IPC’s Table of Emoluments, in force.

 

How long does it take?

Maximum 30 days after the complete instruction of the process.

 

Does the Automatic Recognition imply a conversion of the final grade?

No, when making this application for recognition you can request with or without conversion of the final grade. Whenever the request for conversion is made within the application for recognition it will not involve additional costs.

Whenever a final grade on the Portuguese grade scale is required, the applicant must also submit the document(s) issued by the foreign higher education institution indicating the final grade awarded to the academic degree or diploma for which recognition is requested and the foreign final grade scale indicating the minimum grade corresponding to the approval on that scale and the maximum grade.

 

Find out more here

 

 

1.2 Level Recognition

What is it?

It is the act that allows the recognition by comparability, in an individualized way, of a foreign higher education degree or diploma as having a level corresponding to a Portuguese higher education degree or diploma.

 

Where to apply?

Portuguese public universities

Portuguese public Polytechnic Institutes

Recognition is requested by the Diploma holder by completing this online form.

Access the Practical Guide to Support the Recognition Request here. (Access the Practical Guide to Support the Recognition Request here).

 

Which documents should I submit?

According to the legislation in force, you must present a document that unequivocally proves that the degree or diploma was awarded, namely:

– Copy of the Diploma or document issued by the foreign higher education institution proving the title of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, certified by the competent authorities for that purpose; or

– A simple copy of the document issued by the foreign higher education institution in which appears the degree or diploma registration number, in case of foreign higher education institutions that have centralized records that can be publicly accessed through a unique identifier; or

– Diploma or certificate issued by the foreign higher education institution, in its original version, proving the ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested.

– Document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the curricular units in which the applicant passed and the respective final grade, which led to the degree or diploma that is being submitted for recognition,

– Document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the syllabus and the duration of the studies leading to the degree.

– In the case of a degree corresponding to the master level, a digital or scanned copy of the dissertation defended or the project work or the traineeship report.

– In the case of a degree corresponding to the level of doctor, a digital or scanned copy of the defended thesis, except when it has been replaced by other research works, artistic works or achievements, in which case the appropriate elements to know the content of the research carried out and the explanations that explain the process of conception and elaboration, the research capacity and its framework in the evolution of the knowledge in the domain it belongs to, should be delivered in digital or scanned format.

 

 How much does it cost?

The amount of the emoluments to be charged by the IPC is EUR 400.00, set by the IPC’s Table of Emoluments, in force.

 

How long does it take?

Maximum of 90 days after the complete instruction of the process. In processes of Level Recognition with precedence, maximum 30 days after the complete instruction of the process.

 

Does the Level Recognition imply conversion of the final grade?

No, when making this application for recognition you can request with or without conversion of the final grade. Whenever the request for conversion is made within the application for recognition it will not involve additional costs.

Whenever a final grade on the Portuguese grade scale is required, the applicant must also submit the document(s) issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the final grade awarded to the academic degree or diploma for which recognition is requested and the foreign final grade scale indicating the minimum grade corresponding to the approval on that scale and the maximum grade.

 

Find out more here

 

 

1.3 Specific Recognition

What is it?

It is the act that allows the recognition of a foreign higher education degree or diploma identical to a Portuguese higher education degree or diploma, through a casuistic analysis of the level, duration and programmatic content, in a given training area, branch of knowledge or specialty.

 

Where to apply?

Portuguese public universities

Portuguese public Polytechnic Institutes

Recognition is requested by the Diploma holder by completing this online form.

Access the Practical Guide to Support the Recognition Request here. (Access the Practical Guide to Support the Recognition Request here).

 

 Which documents should I submit?

According to the legislation in force, you must present a document that unequivocally proves that the degree or diploma was awarded, namely:

– Copy of the Diploma or document issued by the foreign higher education institution proving the title of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, certified by the competent authorities for that purpose; or

– A simple copy of the document issued by the foreign higher education institution in which appears the degree or diploma registration number, in case of foreign higher education institutions that have centralized records that can be publicly accessed through a unique identifier; or

– Diploma or certificate issued by the foreign higher education institution, in its original version, proving the ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested.

– Document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the curricular units in which the applicant passed and the respective final grade, which led to the degree or diploma that is being submitted for recognition.

– Document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the syllabus and the duration of the studies leading to the degree.

– In the case of a degree corresponding to the master level, a digital or scanned copy of the dissertation presented or the project work or the traineeship report.

– In the case of a degree corresponding to a PhD, a digital or scanned copy of the presented thesis, except when it has been replaced by other research works, artistic works or achievements, in which case the appropriate elements to know the content of the research carried out and the explanations that explain the process of conception and elaboration, the research capacity and its framework in the evolution of the knowledge in the domain it belongs to, should be delivered in digital or scanned format.

 

 How much does it cost?

The amount of the emoluments to be charged by the IPC is EUR 400.00, set by the IPC’s Table of Emoluments, in force;

 

How long does it take?

Maximum of 90 days after the complete instruction of the process.

 

 Does the Specific Recognition imply conversion of the final grade?

Yes, this request for recognition implies the conversion of the final grade. Where the request for conversion is made within the application for recognition it will not involve additional costs.

Whenever a final grade on the Portuguese grade scale is required, the applicant must also submit the document(s) issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the final grade awarded to the academic degree or diploma for which recognition is requested and the foreign final grade scale indicating the minimum grade corresponding to the approval on that scale and the maximum grade.

 

Find out more here

2. Conversion of Final Grade

As mentioned above, the request for conversion of the final Grade may occur within the scope of requests for recognition, Automatic, Level and Specific. However, the conversion of the final grade can be requested autonomously.  Whenever it is an autonomous request for the conversion of the final grade it will entail its own costs, as established in the Table of Emoluments of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra.

 

Find out more here

Appointment of Recognition Jury