Student Housing in Portugal: University Residences and Private Rooms
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Portugal has some of the cheapest university residences in western Europe and, in Lisbon and Porto, a private rental market that has become expensive. Where you study changes your housing budget more than anything else.
University residences
Each public university and polytechnic has social services (Serviços de Ação Social) that run residences. For the 27 residences with a published price in our catalogue, the typical monthly price is €195 to €199.
- Priority goes to students who hold a state scholarship and live away from home. They pay the lowest rate.
- Other students, including international ones, can apply for remaining places and pay a higher tariff set by the institution. Some institutions reserve beds for international and exchange students.
- Applications are made to the social services of your institution, usually online, right after you are placed. Renewal for returning residents happens before the summer.
- Rooms are often shared between two students, with shared kitchens.
Places are few compared with demand, and a national plan is adding thousands of beds in new and renovated residences. Residences by institution are on our Portugal pages.
Private rooms
Most students rent a room (quarto) in a shared flat or in a family home. Lisbon is the most expensive city, followed by Porto. Coimbra, Braga, Aveiro and Évora are noticeably cheaper, and the interior cities, such as Covilhã, Bragança or Castelo Branco, cheaper again. Polytechnics in the interior often have residence places to spare.
Where to look: the housing platform or list kept by your university's social services, student associations, and the general rental websites. Private student residences exist in Lisbon and Porto at prices well above the university ones.
Contract, receipts and deposit
- Ask for a written contract. The landlord must register it with the tax authority and issue monthly rent receipts.
- With a registered contract and receipts, students placed away from home can declare rent as an education expense for tax purposes, and scholarship holders without a residence place can claim an accommodation supplement.
- The deposit is commonly one or two months' rent, and the law limits how much rent may be demanded in advance.
- Rooms let without a contract are common. They are cheaper to enter and leave you with no proof of address, which non-EU students need for their residence permit.
Tax number and bank account
To sign a lease you need a Portuguese tax number (NIF), requested from the tax authority. Non-residents from outside the EU may need a tax representative to obtain it before arriving. A Portuguese bank account makes paying rent and utilities easier and is quick to open once you have the NIF and proof of enrolment.
When to look
The national contest publishes its first placements in late August, and thousands of students start searching the same week. If you already know your city, look in July. International students admitted in spring have a real advantage here: use it.
Budget
Tuition at public institutions is modest; rent is the main cost. See how much it costs to study in Portugal and, for non-EU students, student visa for Portugal.
Where to look next
Official sources
- DGES: scholarships and social support
- Study in Portugal
- Portal das Finanças: tax number and rental contracts
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.