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British Council Portugal
STUDY IN THE UK
Primary/secondary
Further/vocational
Access/Foundation courses
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Traineeships and work in the UK
FAQs - Study in the UK
Study in the UK - FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions

The new online-only Education Information system with FAQs, will be your guide to find out about courses, institutions, qualifications and application procedures. On this page you will find Frequently Asked Questions about:

If you cannot find the answers to any of your questions, please contact the UK institutions directly.

Learn English in the UK

  • How can I be sure that the centre I wish to attend, or I wish my child to attend, offers a safe and quality learning environment?
  • What is the British Council's accreditation scheme?
  • I would like to check that a particular centre is accredited. Is there a list I can check?
  • How do I choose a course for young learners?
  • How do I choose a course for adult learners?
  • What do I have to do to enrol?
  • General information about the UK
  • Education Agencies

Primary and Secondary Education

  • How can I get information about pre-school education in the UK?
  • How long does compulsory education last in the UK?
  • What should I do when choosing a primary or secondary school?
  • Should I start by contacting the schools directly?
  • What are 'Local Authorities'?
  • How do I contact the 'Local Authorities'?
  • What school documents are necessary for enrolment at the school?
  • My child is attending a school in the UK but wishes to transfer to a school in Portugal. What do I have to do?
  • What happens if the documents in English are not accepted?
  • How much does the declaration cost?
  • What should I do with the declaration?
  • Where can I get information about schools that follow the British national curriculum or the international curriculum and where they are found?
  • Can I get advice on choosing a school, including special education schools?
  • I would like to spend one academic year of my secondary education course in the UK. Where can I find information?
  • Other useful websites

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Further / Vocational Education

  • What does 'Further Education' mean in the United Kingdom?
  • Which vocational qualifications can I obtain upon completion of compulsory schooling?
  • How can I obtain information about the area in the UK where I will be studying?
  • Which courses can I study in the United Kingdom? And in which institutions?
  • Which factors should I take into consideration when choosing my course?
  • What are the requirements to enter vocational education?
  • Will I need to take an English exam?
  • How does the application process take place?
  • Which documents will I need to apply?
  • Does the British Council translate qualification certificates?
  • When should I send the certified translations of my qualifications to the institutions?
  • Who should I contact, in Portugal, to obtain information about equivalence to my British vocational qualification?

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Access and Foundation courses

  • What is a Foundation course, a Foundation year and an Access or Bridging course?
  • Where are the institutions located?
  • What are the entry requirements for Foundation, Access or Bridging courses?
  • Will I have to take an English test?
  • How do I apply for a full-time or part-time Foundation year/course in areas excluding Art and Design?
  • How do I apply for a Foundation year/course in Art and Design?
  • How much is the annual fee for EU students that attend full-time or part-time Foundation years/courses?
  • How much is the annual fee for non-EU students that attend full-time or part-time Foundation years/courses for British degrees?
  • How much is the annual fee for non-EU students who attend full-time or part-time preparation courses for post-graduate studies, Master’s degrees and research?

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Undergraduate courses - Frequently Asked Questions

1: Courses and Qualifications

  • What courses are there in the United Kingdom?
  • What is a Bachelor’s Degree?
  • What is a Foundation Degree?  
  • What is a Higher National Diploma – HND?
  • What is a Higher National Certificate – HNC?
  • What is a Diploma of Higher Education - DipHE?
  • What is a Foundation course, Foundation year, Access or Bridging course?
  • What is a sandwich course?
  • Can I obtain a British qualification via Distance Learning?

2: How to choose a course and an institution

  • What are the teaching and learning methods like in the United Kingdom?
  • What areas can I study in the United Kingdom? And at what institutions?
  • Where are the institutions located?
  • What factors should I consider when making a choice?
  • Are the courses and institutions that I have chosen of a high standard?
  • What is the Erasmus Programme? How can I study in the UK as an Erasmus student?
  • What support is there for students with special needs?

3: Understanding British qualifications and classifications, and comparing them with Portuguese ones

  • What are GCSEs and 'A' levels? How do they compare with my qualifications from Portuguese secondary school?
  • How do British classifications compare with Portuguese classifications?
  • What is equivalent to British qualifications in Portugal?
  • Does the British Council translate academic certificates?
  • When should I send the authenticated translations of the academic certificates to the institutions?

4: General entry and English language requirements

  • I have finished the 12th year. Do I have enough qualifications and are they the right ones to apply for the course that I want to study?
  • I am in the 12th year. Are my qualifications enough and are they the right ones to apply for the area I want to study?
  • I haven’t completed upper-secondary school. Can I apply for the course I wish to study with the qualifications I have?
  • I am currently studying in higher education in Portugal. Can I apply for the course I wish to study with the qualifications I have?
  • I have completed a higher education course in Portugal. Can I apply for the course I wish to study with the qualifications I have?
  • Will I have to do an English exam?

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5: Additional entry requirements for specific areas

  • What are the additional entry requirements for higher education courses in Art and Design?
  • What are the additional entry requirements that some universities demand for courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Science?
  • What are the additional entry requirements that some universities demand for courses in Law, Modern History, Modern and Medieval Languages, Maths, Computer Science, Natural Science, Engineering and Economics?

6: Selection Criteria for applicants

  • Apart from my grades, what other factors are important for British institutions?
  • The text that you will have to include in your application – Personal statement
  • The letter of recommendation that you will have to include in your application - Reference

7: How and when to apply

  • What is the application process?
  • Do I fill in the form for each course or just one for all the courses? What about Oxford and Cambridge?
  • How do I fill in the form?
  • How do I apply for a part-time course?
  • How do I apply for a full-time ‘Foundation year/course’ in areas excluding Art and Design?
  • How do I apply for a Foundation course in Art and Design?
  • Are the deadlines the same for all courses? What about Oxford and Cambridge?
  • What is the deadline for courses in the area of Art and Design?
  • What is the deadline for courses in the areas of Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Science?
  • Can I apply after the stipulated deadlines?
  • How do I apply after 01 July for a course starting in the same calendar year? What is 'Clearing'?
  • When can I apply for part-time courses?
  • When can I apply for a full-time foundation year/course (excluding Art and Design)?

8: Fees, accommodation and other expenses

  • How much is the annual fee for EU students that attend full-time, sandwich and part-time courses?
  • How much is the annual fee for international students (non-EU)?
  • Are there grants for EU students?
  • As an EU student, can I apply for funding for full-time and part-time course?
  • Do I have to complete a form to request the student loan for EU students?
  • Are there grants for international students (non-EU)?
  • How much will it cost to live in the UK, per month?
  • Some sites dealing with student budgets, including accommodation, in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

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Postgraduate courses - FAQs

1: Types and titles of postgraduate courses

  • What does postgraduate study mean in the UK?
  • Which are the courses at postgraduate level?
  • What qualifications do they lead to?

2: Choosing the course and the institution

  • What are the teaching and learning methods in the UK?
  • In which academic areas can I study in the UK? Which are the institutions?
  • Where are the institutions located?
  • What factors should I consider when making my choice?
  • What support is there for students with special needs?

3: Check the quality of courses and institutions

  • How is higher education (teaching and research) evaluated in the UK?

4: Entry requirements

  • What are the entry requirements for most courses?
  • Are there preparatory courses for postgraduate study in the UK?
  • What is the structure of a medical career?
  • Do MBAs offered in the UK have a good reputation?
  • Will I have to take an English exam?

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5: Understanding British qualifications and classifications, comparing them with the Portuguese system and information on equivalences and certification of translations

  • What are British qualifications called?
  • Is there a comparative system between UK and Portuguese classifications?
  • What is the equivalence granted to UK qualifications in Portugal?
  • Does the British Council translate academic qualifications?
  • When should I send the certified translations of my qualifications to the institutions?

6: How and when to apply

  • How do I apply for postgraduate courses, master degrees and research programmes?
  • When do I apply for postgraduate courses, master degrees and research programmes?

7: Fees, accommodation and other expenses

  • What are the annual fees for European Union students?
  • What are the annual fees for international students (non-EU)?
  • How can I obtain information about sources of funding for EU and international (non-EU) students?
  • How much will it cost per month to live in the UK?

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