INFORMATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE CANDIDATES

While doing your research on university entrance requirements, you will come across expessions like:
GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) - exam taken after 11 years of compulsory education

'A'level (Advanced level) - final exam taken after 2 more years of study which provides access to higher education

Since the Portuguese have a three-year course as preparation for entry into higher education, they need only to pay attention where 'A' levels are mentioned. Where the expression 'A' level is found it may be compared to the 12º Ano.

Within the British system pass grades are from A - the highest to E - the lowest. You may take the following information as an approximate and unofficial guideline: we suggest that A comprises marks from 20/20 to 18/20, B from 17/20 to 15/20, etc. This means that for students with grades12/20 or 13/20 should not apply for courses which require As or Bs at 'A' level.

The following information is only a rough guide and is not an 'offcial' comparison. It is only intended for people interested in studying in the UK. Remember, too, that courses admit people and not qualifications. See note below.

Students with 12 or 13 will probably not be successful in applying for courses which require 'A's or 'B's - although this may depend on the subject or institution chosen.  

IMPORTANT:
UK SYSTEMS SELECT PEOPLE AND NOT JUST GRADES

However, we must point out an important aspect of the British higher education selection procedure: admission tutors assess candidates as individuals, each one with a particular profile, including their motivation. This means that marks are not the only important factor in an application process. On the application form there is a space where the student will have to write about his/her reasons for choosing that particular course, his/her career plans, hobbies, etc. There is another space where a teacher will write about the candidate, recommending him/her to the admission tutor. These two texts plus the information regarding the school/university marks will form the profile of the individual candidate.

INFORMATION FOR POSTGRADUATE CANDIDATES

The following information is only a rough guide and is not an 'offcial' comparison

For further information on the equivalence of UK higher education courses in Portugal we suggest you contact the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Higher Education:

Ministério da Ciência e do Ensino Superior
Direcção Geral do Ensino Superior
NARIC - National Academic Recognition Information Centres
Avenida Duque de Ávila, 137
1069-016 Lisboa
Telephone: 213 126 145
Fax: 213 126 098
http://www.naricportugal.pt/naric

Statements and Authentication of translation of certificates

IMPORTANT INFORMATION – CHANGES IN SERVICES PROVISION

CERTIFICATION OF BRITISH QUALIFICATIONS  

Due to the need to restructure our services, please note that from 31January 2008 the certification of British school, academic and professional qualifications will be carried out exclusively by our services in Porto. For additional information please contact:

Augusta Corrêa de Barros
Office Manager, British Council Foz
R. da Cerca, 326
4150-201 Porto, Portugal
T 22 617 0807; F 22 617 0806
augusta.barros@pt.britishcouncil.org

CERTIFICATION OF TRANSLATIONS OF PORTUGUESE SCHOOL, ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS

Due to the need to restructure our services, please note that from 31 January 2008 the British Council will cease to certify translations of Portuguese school, academic and professional qualifications. The deadline for reception of documents/translations by our services in Lisbon and Porto is 26 January 2008.

The certification of translation can continue to be done by the consular services of the Embassy of the United Kingdom or by notaries that certify translations into English.

In both cases the certification of translations has to be done in the presence of the translator.

British Embassy
Rua de São Bernardo, 33, 1249-082 Lisboa
T  21 392 4000; F 21 392 4183
ppa@lisbon.mail.fco.gov.uk
www.uk-embassy.pt

Additional copies of translations certified at the British Council in Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto in the last two years (2 January 2006 - 26 January 2008) may be obtained at our office in Porto.

For additional information please contact:
Augusta Corrêa de Barros (see above).