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University of Coimbra
It is cheaper to attend higher education in Portugal than in other European Union member states. However, costs remain high for families.
According to a new Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundationreleased this Thursday, Portuguese families bear 30% of the expenses associated with higher education, compared to 13% in the EU.
In 2022, Portugal stood out for presenting low levels of investment, with expenditure per student being, on average, 14155 dollars (about 12 thousand euros), 35% below the EU average.
In almost all countries, unearned income makes up the majority of the total cost of higher education. Portugal is the exception, where unearned income represents around 34% of GDP per capita and direct costs around 26%.
Although absolute costs are low in Portugal, direct costs as a percentage of GDP per capita are high when compared to most countries.
European countries.
The authors of policy paper highlight the importance of Portugal finding balance between efficiency in order to maximize results for each euro spent, equity to ensure equal opportunity and cost sharing, and sustainability with regard to fiscal viability and quality of education.
The report’s data suggest that the model followed by Portugal in recent years — of cost sharing, combining public financing and monthly fees paid by students — is insufficient. Therefore, the authors leave several recommendations to achieve a greater balance.
The researchers advocate an adjustment to tuition fees and reinforcement of financial support indexed to students’ economic needs, such as scholarships, in order to protect access to higher education and ensure the quality of institutions.
These supports reduce initial costs without increasing student debt, making them more suitable for those facing financial difficulties. Furthermore, they can increase the efficiency of the system, allowing more qualified students to enter and complete higher education.
