Universidade Politécnica de Santarém

Key Highlights

• Public higher-education institution founded in 1979
• Renamed Universidade Politécnica de Santarém on 1 August 2026
• Five schools operating across Santarém and Rio Maior
• Agriculture, sport, education, management and technology, and health are the principal academic areas

Student Life & Environment

Student experience differs by school and city. In Santarém, the Andaluz complex brings together central services, social-action services, education, and management and technology. Agriculture and health occupy separate Santarém campuses, while sport students study in Rio Maior. Students should therefore assess daily travel, residence location, and access to their own school’s facilities before enrolling. The university’s Social Action Services provide student residences in both Santarém and Rio Maior. For 2026/2027, applications are processed through the SASocial portal in several phases, with priority directed particularly toward displaced scholarship students. The official page listed a second application phase from 17 August to 2 September 2026 and a third from 14 to 22 September 2026. A 2026/2027 accommodation price table had not yet been published as of 20 August 2026, so applicants should budget cautiously and consult the updated notice before committing. Support extends beyond accommodation. The welcome guide describes peer mentoring for new students, individualized assistance for students with permanent or temporary educational needs, student associations, social support, and academic-success initiatives. International activity includes Erasmus mobility and the Pedro Álvares Cabral program with partner institutions in several Latin American and Lusophone countries. A buddy initiative is designed to help incoming international and mobility students settle into local academic and everyday life.

Location & Surroundings

The university is based in Santarém in central Portugal, but it is not a one-site institution. The Andaluz campus contains the rectorate, central administration, Social Action Services, the School of Education, and the School of Management and Technology. The School of Agriculture and School of Health are on two other Santarém campuses. A fourth campus in Rio Maior houses the School of Sport. This geography should influence program selection and housing decisions. A student admitted to sport will normally need to organize daily life around Rio Maior, not the university’s central address in Santarém. Likewise, residence availability in either city does not necessarily mean a room is close to every teaching site. The official housing service operates residences in both locations, and candidates should match the residence, school, and transport plan before accepting an offer. Santarém serves as the administrative center and provides access to most of the university’s schools and services. Rio Maior offers a more specialized environment centered on sport education. Students comparing courses should use the exact school address in the relevant course material rather than relying only on the general institutional address at Complexo Andaluz.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026/2027, the official annual fee schedule sets bachelor’s tuition at €697 for national students and €1,300 for international students. The collaborative doctorate in Agro-Food and Environmental Sustainability is listed at €1,500 for national students and €3,000 for international students. Master’s pricing is not uniform: teacher-qualifying and other master’s programs have different rates, while specified health, animal engineering, and management degrees may follow program-specific amounts. Applicants should use the exact row for their program rather than treating one master’s price as universal. International students entering a bachelor’s program for the first time must pay 50% of annual tuition at enrollment under the published schedule. Housing should be budgeted separately. The university had opened phased residence applications for 2026/2027, but its official accommodation page still said that the new price table was awaiting publication as of 20 August 2026. The most recent older table should not be treated as the current price. Social Action Services also administer study grants and collaboration scholarships, subject to their eligibility rules and annual notices. Career support is provided through the university’s entrepreneurship, employability, and alumni office and the Links4Future platform. The platform carries internships and job opportunities from employers, while the welcome guide identifies career fairs, employability activities, idea competitions, and alumni initiatives. These services provide useful access to opportunities, but the available official sources do not support a current university-wide employment rate, typical salary, or guaranteed placement outcome.