Study in Lisbon

Lisbon for students

QS Best Student Cities ranking: 70th

Located on Portugal’s west coast, Lisbon is pretty much everything you could want from a European capital city: rich in culture, character and history, full of great food, wine, music and nightlife.

Two public universities in Lisbon are featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2023 – the University of Lisbon (joint 335^th) and the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (joint 369^th) – as well as one private institution – the Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Lisboa (801-1000).

Lisbon has been well received by its students, with a lot of praise in our student survey. When asked to name the best things about studying in Lisbon, one respondent mentioned: “the quality of life of the city, diversity of backgrounds of students and teachers, extreme tolerance/embracing of that diversity by the city's population and the quality of the education.”

Best universities in Lisbon - QS Best Student Cities ranking: 70th

More about Lisbon

Portugal's capital scored well across indicator and especially for desirability, showcasing how much the city has to offer in terms of safety, amenities and student-friendly activities.

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.      

Why study in Lisbon?

Low cost of living

The city ranks joint 97th in the affordability indicator this year and the city’s students enjoy its low overall living costs and cheap rent in the city centre. 

Excellent weather

With the sun shining approximately 239 days of the year, there’s lots of time to enjoy one of Portugal’s many beaches, which are only a 30-minute drive away from Lisbon. 

Good quality of education

The city contains four of the world’s top universities. These include the University of Lisbon, which ranks in joint 335^th place worldwide this year. 

A cosmopolitan city

16 percent of the city’s 79,900 students are from outside Portugal and the city constantly welcomes new people and cultures.

Cost of studying in Lisbon

Lisbon is one of Europe’s most affordable cities for students. The city places joint 97th in the affordability indicator this year and charges an average of US$5,000 annually for tuition. 

The cost of living in Lisbon, and Portugal in general, is very low. A one bedroom apartment in the city centre costs approximately US$1,170 - 45 percent less than London. 

On top of this, Numbeo estimates a single person living in Lisbon will need around US$698 extra to live on each month.

Life and culture in Lisbon

Against an attractive backdrop of historic buildings, winding streets and vintage trams, Lisbon offers an eclectic selection of activities and experiences. After lectures, students can enjoy the city’s traditional public baths, lively cafés and even livelier nightclubs.

The great scenery in Lisbon is made all the better due to the city’s hilly terrain. Although this makes walking and cycling more of an effort (although great for fitness), the views are most definitely worth it.

Career in Lisbon

Lisbon is a city with many start-up firms, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities on offer for graduates looking for work. The city has strong competition for jobs so students should start looking for work early on if they hope to stay in Lisbon after graduation. 

The services sector is the dominant industry in the city, with tourism accounting for a large part of Lisbon’s economy. Aside from this, biotechnology, IT and telecommunications are also flourishing industries in Lisbon, as well as agriculture, financial services and retail.

EEA, EU and Swiss nationals can work in Lisbon for up to six months before applying for a residence permit, but non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will have to obtain an offer of employment from a Portuguese company.