Universidade da Beira Interior

About Universidade da Beira Interior

UBI is an independent public university operating within Portugal’s higher-education system. The national Directorate-General for Higher Education records active degree cycles at the institution, while UBI is advertising routes into degree study for 2026/2027. Its present university status dates from 1986. Institutional roots extend to the Polytechnic Institute of Covilhã, created in 1973, and the University Institute of Beira Interior, established in 1979. The university is organized across five faculties: Arts and Letters, Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Engineering. These areas are distributed among several urban poles rather than one enclosed suburban campus. A defining feature is UBI’s reuse of Covilhã’s industrial heritage. Former textile and manufacturing buildings have been converted for teaching and research, and the university’s Wool Museum preserves part of that history. The Faculty of Health Sciences occupies a purpose-built complex elsewhere in the city. This structure creates a university experience tied directly to Covilhã. Students move among academic buildings, residences, services, and city facilities rather than remaining within a single campus boundary. Prospective students should therefore consider both the academic fit of an individual faculty and the location of its facilities. UBI’s official course catalogue is the appropriate place to confirm the current award, curriculum, teaching language, and course-specific contacts before applying.

Admission depends on the applicant’s qualification, nationality, and intended study cycle. For Portuguese and otherwise eligible applicants to first-cycle and integrated-master’s study, the principal route is the national higher-education competition administered through DGES. For 2026/2027, UBI lists three national application phases: 20 July–6 August 2026, 24 August–20 September 2026, and 10–12 October 2026. Required national entrance examinations and any prerequisites vary by course. International applicants covered by Portugal’s International Student Statute use UBI’s international route. The university’s 2026/2027 page publishes calendars, vacancies, country-specific information, and accepted entry examinations. It identifies credentials including Brazil’s ENEM, the United States’ SAT, China’s Gaokao, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma for relevant applicants. UBI also schedules a remote institutional entrance examination for candidates who lack an applicable examination from their country. Eligibility under the international statute should be checked carefully because nationality and residence circumstances can affect the correct route. Typical international application documents include identification, a declaration concerning Portuguese nationality, evidence of completed secondary education, and proof of grades. Graduate applicants apply separately to second- or third-cycle competitions and must follow the requirements of the chosen course. Deadlines, vacancies, required subjects, document legalization, and selection formulas are course- and route-specific; applicants should use the live 2026/2027 notice and online application portal.

UBI offers study across the three Bologna degree cycles: bachelor’s study, master’s study, and doctorates. It also offers integrated master’s programs, including Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Architecture. The national higher-education register and UBI’s course catalogue should be read carefully because awards with similar subject names may appear at different cycles, and the status of individual programs can change. At bachelor’s level, the registered portfolio includes subjects in sciences and technology, such as Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Computer Engineering, and several engineering fields. It also extends to Economics, Management, Political Science and International Relations, Communication Sciences, Cinema, Design, and health-related areas. Current master’s and doctoral offerings continue across the university’s five broad faculty areas. Applicants should use the individual course page to check the study plan, ECTS load, prerequisites, vacancies, assessment rules, and language of instruction. UBI links teaching with laboratory and research activity, but the nature of that experience depends on the course and faculty. Engineering, science, and health students may prioritize access to specialized facilities, while arts, humanities, and social-science applicants may focus more on studios, archives, fieldwork, or project formats described by their program. Some qualifications in Portugal are professionally regulated or have course-specific prerequisites; admission to the university does not by itself establish professional recognition in another country. International students should verify recognition requirements with the relevant authority where they intend to work.

Key Highlights

• Public university recognized by Portugal’s Directorate-General for Higher Education
• University status dates from 1986, with institutional origins in 1973
• Five faculties covering arts and letters, sciences, health sciences, social sciences and humanities, and engineering
• Teaching and research facilities include converted historic industrial buildings in Covilhã

Student Life & Environment

Student life is spread through Covilhã and UBI’s academic poles. The university’s future-student guide describes course-based student groups, academic events, music ensembles, theatre, sports, and activities organized by the Academic Association. Participation varies by year, so students should check current schedules after enrolment rather than relying on past event calendars. UBI manages university residences, with buildings located near different faculties. Its official housing information reports seven residences and advises applicants to contact the accommodation service about availability. A place is not automatic, and students should compare the relevant residence with private rental options and the location of their faculty. University social-action services also cover dining, health, psychological support, and sport. The current guide describes canteens, buffets, and bars across the university poles. The multi-pole layout makes location planning important. Students in Health Sciences may have a different daily route from those based near Arts and Letters, Sciences, or Engineering. International and mobility students can also find orientation support, while the Erasmus Student Network in Covilhã offers mentoring for mobility participants. Prospective students with accessibility, dietary, health, or housing needs should contact the responsible service before committing.

Location & Surroundings

UBI is in Covilhã, an inland Portuguese city on the slopes of the Serra da Estrela mountain range. The university is integrated into the urban fabric, with academic poles occupying both converted industrial buildings and newer facilities. Covilhã’s textile history is especially visible around the restored factories and the university’s Wool Museum. The setting offers direct access to a compact city and nearby mountain landscapes, but it is not in one of Portugal’s largest metropolitan areas. UBI’s travel guidance places Lisbon and Porto airports about 250 kilometres away. Covilhã has road, rail, and intercity-bus connections, and the journey onward from an airport requires additional planning. Students arriving internationally should check current timetables rather than treating historic frequency information as guaranteed. Daily convenience depends on the faculty and housing location because UBI operates across several poles. Some residences are close to Arts and Letters, Engineering, and Sciences, while the Pedro Álvares Cabral residence is near Social Sciences and Humanities. Students should map their course buildings, residence or rental, supermarkets, and transport links before choosing accommodation.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Costs vary substantially by degree cycle and student category. UBI’s tuition page, updated in June 2026, lists annual first-cycle and integrated-master’s tuition of €697 for national students, €5,000 for international students, and €3,000 for CPLP or OEI students. International Medicine is listed at €18,000. For second-cycle master’s study, the page lists €1,037.20 for national students, €1,500 for international students, and €1,200 for CPLP or OEI students, with exceptions for specified programs. Doctoral tuition is listed by subject area: €2,000 in sciences, engineering, and health sciences, and €1,625 in social sciences and humanities, arts, and letters; consortium doctorates may set different amounts. Applicants should confirm their classification and course before budgeting. The same page offers single-payment, four-instalment, and ten-instalment schedules. International bachelor’s and integrated-master’s applications generally carry a €50 per-course fee, while Medicine carries a €250 fee. Tuition does not cover the full cost of attendance, so budgets should also include registration charges, housing, food, travel, insurance where applicable, study materials, and personal expenses. Residence availability and prices must be confirmed directly with UBI. For career preparation, UBI’s entrepreneurship, careers, and alumni office offers career consultations, help with CVs and motivation letters, interview preparation, employment and entrepreneurship fairs, internships, mentoring, and alumni networking. These services support job preparation but do not guarantee employment, salary, or immigration status.