CONVERSION OF FOREIGN QUALIFICATIONS

CONVERSÃO DE QUALIFICAÇÕES

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🔗 KEY LINKS

RECOGNITION OF DIPLOMAS

PRACTICAL GUIDE

WHAT IS IT?

There are three types of recognition of foreign qualifications in Portugal:

  • Automatic recognition- Reconhecimento Automático
  • Level recognition - Reconhecimento de Nível
  • Specific recognition – Reconhecimento Específico

All three forms of recognition (Automatic, Level, and Specific) hold equal legal validity, yet each serves distinct purposes. Your selection should align with your specific intentions. If you only seek recognition of your degree/level of training (e.g., Bachelor's Degree), options like Automatic or Level Recognition are suitable.

If you additionally want to get recognition of the course/scientific area (e.g., Degree in Biology), then Specific Recognition is the appropriate choice.

The price of level and specific recognition is determined directly at the educational institution where the recognition is made and is normally concluded within a maximum of 90 days of the process being completed. In the case of Level Recognition with priority, a maximum of 30 days after the process has been completed.

The cost of recognition by DGES is 31.5€, and it takes up to 30 days to see the process through.

WHY DO I NEED IT?

There are several reasons why someone might need to convert their foreign qualifications in Portugal:

  • Employment: Many employers in Portugal require candidates to have qualifications recognized by Portuguese authorities, especially for regulated professions such as medicine, law, or engineering.
  • Further Education: If you plan to pursue additional education or training in Portugal, such as enrolling in a university program or vocational training, you may need to have your foreign qualifications recognized.
  • Professional Licensing: Certain professions in Portugal require specific licenses or certifications, which may only be obtained if your qualifications are recognized by relevant authorities.
  • Career Advancement: Recognition of foreign qualifications can enhance your career prospects in Portugal by demonstrating your skills, knowledge, and expertise to employers and professional organizations.
  • Immigration: If you are moving to Portugal for work or study purposes, having your foreign qualifications recognized may be a requirement for obtaining a visa or residence permit.
  • Access to Benefits: Some benefits or entitlements in Portugal may be contingent upon having recognized qualifications, such as access to social security benefits or eligibility for certain public sector positions.

    📚 Automatic Recognition

    This is the act that allows for the general recognition of a foreign higher education degree or diploma, the level, objectives and nature.

    They are identical to the Portuguese degrees of licenciado, mestre and doutor or diploma de técnico superior profissional, which appears on the list of degrees and diplomas established by the commission for the recognition of foreign degrees and diplomas.

    📚 Level Recognition

    This is the act that allows a foreign higher education degree or diploma to be recognized by comparability, on an individual basis, as having a level corresponding to a Portuguese higher education degree or diploma.

      📚 Specific Recognition

      This is the act that allows the recognition of a foreign higher education degree or diploma that is identical to a Portuguese higher education degree or diploma, through a case-by-case analysis of the level, duration and syllabus content, in a specific area of training, branch of knowledge or specialty.

        STEP BY STEP GUIDE

        1. Get a copy of your Diploma translated and authenticated.

        2. Search if you are eligible for automatic recognition..

        🔗 Check out this table

        Alternatively, you can find out which recognition is applicable to your situation and your next steps you need in this form. 

        🔗 Recognition Form

        ** This is stated in the online recognition form but, it is important to note: if you are not eligible for automatic recognition, start searching degrees in Portuguese public universities or public polytechnic institutes, that are close to yours and go to the establishment to get further information.

          Automatic Recognition

          You can apply for this recognition in:

          • Public Higher Education Institutions
          • Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES)

          Level Recognition

          You can request this recognition in:

          • Portuguese public universities
          • Portuguese public polytechnic institutes

          Specific Recognition

          You can request this recognition in:

          • Portuguese public universities
          • Portuguese public polytechnic institutes

          DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

          One of the following documents must be submitted for all types of recognition:

          • A copy of the Diploma or document issued by the foreign higher education institution proving that you hold the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, authenticated by the competent authorities OR;

          • A simple copy of the document issued by the foreign higher education institution showing the registration number of the degree or diploma, in the case of foreign higher education institutions that have centralized registers that can be consulted publicly through a unique identifier OR;

          • Diploma or certificate issued by the foreign higher education institution, in its original version, proving that you hold the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested.

          In addition to the documentation mentioned above, specific documentation may be requested to get level and specific recognition, namely:

          • A document issued by the foreign higher education institution stating the curricular units in which the applicant passed and which led to the degree or diploma for which recognition is requested, as well as the respective syllabus, the duration of the studies leading to the degree and the respective final classification.

          • 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 internship report.

          • In the case of a degree corresponding to a doctorate, a digital or scanned copy of the defended thesis, except when this has been replaced by other research work, works or artistic achievements, in which case the appropriate elements must be submitted in digital or scanned format in order to know the content of the research carried out and the grounds that explain the process of conception and elaboration, the research capacity, and its framework in the evolution of knowledge in the field in which it is inserted.

          Applicable Law: Decreto-Lei nº. 66/2018

          FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

          The foreign higher education institution I attended doesn't appear on the online form. What should I do?

          Send a Message in the Eletronic Platform attaching a document of the Diploma from the Institution so it can be verified

          I have doubts filling the online form, how can I clarify them?

          There is a practical guide, use this link.

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