Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Diplomas
RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN ACADEMIC DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS
Recognition of Foreign Qualifications
The recognition in Portugal of academic degrees and higher education diplomas, awarded by foreign higher education institutions, is regulated by Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16, and by Ordinance No. 33/2019, of January 25 (amended and republished by Ordinance No. 43/2020, of February 14).
There are three types of recognition of foreign qualifications:
• Automatic recognition
• Level recognition
• Specific recognition
Training areas at the Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies (ESHTE): 811 (Hospitality and food service industry) and 812 (Tourism and Leisure).
Fee Table and Publication in Official Gazette
Delegation of the Presidency of the Juries for the Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Diplomas
Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16
Decree-Law No. 86/2023, of October 10
Ordinance No. 33/2019, of January 25 (republished by Ordinance No. 43/2020, of February 14)
Website of the Directorate-General for Higher Education
List of degrees issued by the Committee for the Recognition of Foreign Degrees
Documents to be presented for automatic recognition or level recognition by precedence:
1. One of the following documents:
a) Copy of the diploma or document issued by the foreign higher education institution proving the ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, authenticated by the competent authorities for this purpose;
b) Simple copy of a document issued by the foreign higher education institution containing the degree or diploma registration number, in the case of foreign higher education institutions that have centralized records that can be consulted publicly using a unique identifier;
c) Diploma or certificate issued by the foreign higher education institution, in the original version, proving ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested;
All documents issued by a foreign higher education institution can be presented in digital format, provided that their authenticity is unequivocal and they are presented in a non-editable format and with a qualified electronic signature affixed by the competent authorities of that institution.
2. Declaration by the applicant proposing the CNAEF and FOS classifications of the training that one wants to see recognized.
3. The processing of the application is subject to the presentation of the identification document. Alternatively, you may submit a declaration authorizing the sending of a copy of the identification document for the purposes of issuing the recognition registration certificate, accompanied by a copy of the document duly traced.
If you want to request conversion of the final rating:
1. Document issued by the foreign higher education institution indicating the final classification attributed to the academic degree or diploma for which recognition is requested. The classification scale adopted by the foreign higher education institution must also be proven, including the minimum classification for approval and the maximum classification on the scale.
2. Copy of the prior recognition certificate.
For specific or non-precedented level recognition:
1. One of the following documents:
a) Copy of the diploma or document issued by the foreign higher education institution proving ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, authenticated by the competent authorities for this purpose;
b) Simple copy of a document issued by the foreign higher education institution containing the degree or diploma registration number, in the case of foreign higher education institutions that have centralized records that can be consulted publicly using a unique identifier;
c) Diploma or certificate issued by the foreign higher education institution, in original version, proving ownership of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested.
All documents issued by the foreign higher education institution may be presented in digital format, provided that their authenticity is unequivocal and they are presented in a non-editable format and with a qualified electronic signature affixed by the competent authorities of that institution.
2. Declaration by the applicant proposing the CNAEF and FOS classifications of the training that one wants to see recognized.
3. Document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the curricular units in which the applicant obtained approval, and which led to the obtaining of the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, as well as the respective program contents, the duration of the studies leading to the obtaining of the degree and the respective final classification.
4. In the case of a degree corresponding to the master's level, a digital or scanned copy of the defended dissertation or project work, or the internship report.
5. The processing of the application is subject to the presentation of the identification document. Alternatively, you may submit a declaration authorizing the sending of a copy of the identification document for the purposes of issuing the recognition registration certificate, accompanied by a copy of the document duly traced.
The document referred to in 4 is waived in situations where its presentation was not required to obtain the academic degree that it intends to have recognized, and the applicant must prove this situation through a document issued by the respective foreign higher education institution confirming that for the completion of the degree there was no need to present these elements.
Documentation common to all recognitions: whenever a final classification on the portuguese classification scale is requested, the applicant must also present document(s) issued by the foreign higher education institution indicating the final classification attributed to the academic degree or diploma for which recognition is requested and the foreign final classification scale containing the minimum classification corresponding to approval on that scale and the maximum classification.
Translation of documents 1. Diplomas, certificates and documents relating to curricular units, syllabus content, duration of studies or final grade that are written in a foreign language other than Spanish, French and English must be accompanied by a translation into Portuguese duly certified by the competent authorities for this purpose.
2. When submitting project work, internship reports, dissertations, theses and justifications written in any foreign language, a translation into Portuguese may be requested, duly certified by the competent authorities for that purpose.
3. The certification referred to in the previous numbers concerns the content of the translation and not the signatures of those involved in the acts in question.
4. When submitting the translated documentation referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authority for recognition may decide that, as an alternative to Portuguese, the translation be made into English, Spanish or French.
Legalization of documents
Diplomas, certificates and transcripts issued by higher education institutions in non-EU countries must be legalized by a Portuguese consular agent or by the Hague Apostille. These legalizations are carried out in the country of origin of the documents.
Authentication of copies of documents Diplomas and certificates can be presented through an authenticated copy made by a Portuguese Notary Office, Portuguese Consulate, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Lawyers and Solicitors, Registry Offices, Parish Councils, CTT (postal services).
Fees
Automatic recognition | 50€
Automatic recognition with final grade conversion | €75
Level recognition | €550
Level recognition with final grade conversion | €575
Recognition of level by precedence | 50€
Level recognition by precedence with final grade conversion | €75
Specific recognition | €550
Specific recognition of a degree for which automatic recognition is possible | €275
Final classification conversion request submitted separately from the automatic or level recognition request | €50
Issuance of 2nd copy of registration certificates of recognition of foreign qualifications | €25.
Submission of the application It is done through the electronic form available on the DGES website.
If you wish, you can go to our Academic Services, during normal opening hours, and submit the request with the support of one of our employees. In this case, you must present the original diploma or certificate and identification document and you must bring all the scanned documents on a pendrive to send (each file can be up to 4 MB, as the form does not accept larger files). You can still pay the fees at the same time.
Request denial
When level or specific recognition is refused based on the fact that the higher education institution or organizational unit in question does not grant the degree or diploma in the area of training, specialty or branch of knowledge suitable for this purpose, the applicant may submit a new application to another institution, with the rejected application not being considered for the purposes of the limits set out in § 4 of article 4 of Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of 16 August.
More Information
For general information about the recognition of degrees or about the progress of your request for Level Recognition or Specific recognition, you can use the address ana.passos@eshte.pt.
Recognition Juries
You can consult the juries appointed to assess requests for recognition of foreign qualifications using the links below:
Juries for Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Diplomas
Forms
Declaration of consent to send a copy of the identification document, if applicable
CNAEF and FOS classification proposal
Classification of Scientific and Technological Domains, 2007 (FOS)
