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 covers a broad range of subjects across its nine faculties. The university is decentralised where its faculties and schools enjoy a great deal 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 a spot at NOVA will be allocated towards one School; it will therefore not be possible to choose courses across different Schools.
Teaching language
English, Portuguese
Subjects/courses
NOVA offers a range of courses for exchange students. The exchange agreement between GU and NOVA is new since the academic year 2025-26 and will therefore be limited to the following subject areas:
- Languages and linguistics
- Humanities
- Mathematics (Bachelor level only)
- Computer science
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Marine science
- Conservation/restoration
- International relations
- Global studies
Make sure to carefully check the course offer in English and the ability to transfer the credits before you apply:
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
English at B2 level if you study courses in English.
Language certificates may be issued by the student’s department or programme based on previous studies, or through a recognised language test (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge) if required by the host university.
At NOVA, courses are mainly given in Portuguese, but they also offer a limited range of courses in English. To increase your chances of a successful exchange and possibly gain access to a wider range of courses, it is therefore recommended that you have at least A2 level in Portuguese when applying for an exchange at NOVA. Free 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.
