Portugal: Study in the UK | University for the Creative Arts

Information for students from Portugal

We are delighted you are considering joining UCA to study! Here, you will be able to set your creativity free, learn a wealth of transferable skills, get unique industry insight and be prepared for a successful career in the creative industries.

This page should give you all the information you need to know about applying to UCA from your country, and more about life at UCA too.

And, if you have any questions, see the Get In Touch section to call or email your country’s specialist contact.

Entry requirements

If you do not have UK qualifications, we will consider equivalent qualifications from Portugal for entry onto our Foundation, Bachelor’s and Master’s courses.

Each application we receive is considered individually and therefore these qualifications are provided as a guide.

Please also check the entry requirements on the specific course you are interested in to check for course-specific requirements.

If you are not sure if you have the necessary qualifications please contact internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk.

Undergraduate requirements

For our Bachelor's courses, we usually require that you have a Diploma Nivel Secundario de Educacao or Certificado Nivel Secundario de Educacao score of 15.

Foundation year requirements

For our International Foundation in Creative Practices and our Integrated Foundation courses, we usually require that you have a Portuguese Certificado de Estudos Secundarios with an overall score of 10.

Postgraduate requirements

Integrated Pre-Masters course

Our Pre-Masters courses require a recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject. Applicants will also need to meet any course-specific requirements.

Masters course

For our Master's courses, we usually require that you have successfully completed your Licenciado or Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados from a recognised university.

English language requirements

We accept the Diploma Nivel Secundario de Educacao / Certificado Nivel Secundario de Educacao / Certificado de fim de Estudos Secundarios / Certidao do Decimo Segundo Ano - Pass with a 16 in English achieved within 2 years.

If you take the IELTS test you will need to achieve the following scores (or an equivalent from other UCA-approved English tests):

Undergraduate degree (BA/BSc/BMus):
6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section (except if listed below)
BA Architecture:
6.5 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section
Undergraduate degree with international foundation year:
5.5 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section
International Foundation in Creative Practices:
5.0 overall with no less than 4.5 in any section
Master's Degree (MA/MSc/MFA/MBA/MArch/MMus):
6.5 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section
Pre-Master's (15 Weeks):
6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section
Pre-Master's (30 Weeks):
5.5 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section
Postgraduate Research (PhD/MPhil):
7.0 overall, with no less than 7.0 in writing and 5.5 in any other section
Pre-Doctorate:
6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section

Scholarships & bursaries

UCA offers a number of fee discounts, also known as scholarships, specific to students from overseas.

These discounts are available to new international students and international alumni, who have graduated within the last three years.

To find out more about what is available, whether you are eligible, and how to apply, visit our scholarships page.

Overseas representatives

UCA works with a number of overseas representatives who can help you make an application to UCA. If you are considering using the services of one of these companies, we encourage you to refer to the British Council's guide to choosing an education agent and UCA’s Agent Complaint Procedure.