Universidade NOVA de Lisboa was founded in 1973 and is the youngest of the universities in Lisbon. The university has a student population of just over 20 000. NOVA is a decentralised university, meaning that its faculties and schools have a high degree of autonomy. The schools therefore have their own campus buildings located across Lisbon and across the bridge, known as “Ponte 25 de Abril”, in Almada.
The university-wide agreement is open for exchanges in the following NOVA Schools. Read more about them on the links below:
Please note: Students nominated for an exchange at NOVA must take all their courses at one faculty or school. It is therefore not possible to combine courses from different faculties or schools.
Teaching language
Portuguese and English
The main language of instruction at NOVA University is Portuguese, but a limited selection of courses is also offered in English.
Subjects/courses
The exchange agreement between GU and NOVA is new since the academic year 2025-26 and is limited to the following subject areas:
- Mathematics
- Computer science
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Marine science
- Conservation
- Humanities – discussions regarding the subject areas covered by the agreement are ongoing. This information will be updated.
At NOVA FCT, only one bachelor's degree programme is taught entirely in English: the Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science.
For courses at master's level, teachers may provide support in English to international students. Students may be allowed to submit assignments and take exams in English. However, this cannot be fully guaranteed, as it requires approval from the individual course teachers at the beginning of the semester.
Make sure to carefully check the availability of courses taught in English and whether the credits can be transferred to your degree before applying.
Erasmus+ grant
Portugal is part of the Erasmus+ Programme – which means that you can receive an Erasmus+ Grant if you do an exchange period at NOVA.
Read more about Erasmus+ here.
Full Time Studies
ECTS credits:
1 semester = 30 credits
1 full academic year = 60 credits
Academic Calendar
First semester (fall term): early September to end of January
Second semester (spring term): early February to late July
Language Requirements
- Portuguese: A2 level for courses taught in Portuguese. An official language test or certificate is required.
- English: B1 level for courses taught in English. A language certificate may be issued by your home university.
Most courses at NOVA are taught in Portuguese, although a limited selection is also available in English. To increase your chances of a successful exchange and potentially gain access to a wider range of courses, we therefore recommend that you have at least an A2 level in Portuguese when applying for an exchange at NOVA.
Free language courses are available through Erasmus+ OLS (Online Language Support).
Housing
There is limited availability in on-campus student accommodation. NOVA therefore recommends that incoming exchange students considers a variety of options both on and off campus:
Insurance
Exchange students from GU are insured via Kammarkollegiets "Student OUT".
Please note that upon arrival, in September, students must pay around 50€ for the school insurance for personal accidents and for administrative costs to NOVA.
Reports from former exchange students
