In Portugal the accreditation of academic degrees and diplomas in higher education granted by foreign institutions of higher education, has been regulated since 1 January of 2019 by the Decree-Law nº. 66/2018 

This decree substitutes the two previous ones, Decree-Law nº 283/83 and Decree-Law nº 341/2007. 

The new decree standardizes the procedures of accreditation of foreign qualifications, making them more transparent, fairer and simpler, introducing alterations that help clarify concepts, and extend recognition of foreign qualifications to higher education diplomas that do not confer an academic degree and level, objectives and nature identical to higher professional technical courses. The new decree introduces simplified procedures, establishing, in the recognition of a level, a system of precedents that guarantee a more automatic process of the decision, avoiding repetition, reducing costs, and time of response of accreditation decisions. 

 

There are three types of accreditations in Portugal : 

 

SPECIFIC ACCREDITATION  

Through comparison, this procedure allows for accreditation, case by case, of foreign higher education degrees or diplomas, if they have a level that corresponds to a Portuguese higher education academic degree or diploma in a specific area, specialty, or branch of knowledge. 

Specific accreditation is required for an institution that confers a degree or diploma in the same area of education. 

This accreditation can be subject to approval in procedures of evaluation of knowledge. 

In the ambit of specific accreditation, to degrees conferred by foreign higher education institutions with 300 to 360 credits and an average duration of between 10 and 12 curricular semesters that correspond in Portugal: 

1. a) In duration and programmatic contents, to the cycle of studies required for a master’s degree, the master’s degree is accredited; 

1. b) In programmatic contents, the cycle of studies required for a bachelor’s degree, the degree of master’s degree is accredited, as long as the holder of said academic degree obtained certification with a dissertation of scientific nature, or a work project, original and specially undertaken for this end, or a professional internship with a final report, with a duration equivalent to 30 credits. 

 

 

ACCREDITATION OF LEVEL  

Through comparison, this procedure allows for accreditation, case by case, of a foreign higher education degree or diploma, if it has a level that corresponds to a Portuguese higher education academic degree or diploma. 

Recognition of level is required by an institution that confers a degree or diploma in the same area of learning and can also be based on precedents, in cases that gather the following elements: 

1. a) be conferred by the same foreign institution of higher education in the same country; 

1. b) show the same designation of cycle of studies; 

1. c) show the same designation of foreign degree or diploma; 

1. d) the course of the degree or diploma have identical duration or at least the same number of credits 

 

 

AUTOMATIC ACCREDITATION  

This is a way of generically accrediting a foreign higher education degree or diploma, whose level, objectives and nature are identical to Portuguese bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees or higher professional technical degrees, with a list of degrees and diplomas established by the commission of accreditation or accredited by the relevant authorities of the country of origin.  

You can verify on the DGES page if your diploma is eligible for automatic accreditation. 

 

You may request a CONVERSION OF FINAL CLASSIFICATION  

The applicants who have received accreditation under the aforementioned legislation can request a final classification conversion separately, using the relevant form, area of study, specialization or branch of knowledge. 

 

 

INFORMATION 

 

PROCEDURES 

1 – The applications are introduced by the applicants on the platform Recon da DGES in accordance with the instructions in the Manual prático do Pedido de Reconhecimento (The practical manual of the request for accreditation) 

2 – The Polytechnic of Santarém issues the respective emolument and sends the ATM reference for applicants to pay the fee. 

3 – The applicant must send proof of payment to the respective School. 

4 – The processes are analyzed by a jury appointed for that effect, in accordance with the dispatch published on this site. 

5 – The information in the REcon platform is duly dispatched and approved by the Presidency of the IPSSantarém 

6 – O IPSantarém then proceeds with the issuing of the registration certificate, which after being signed is sent digitally to the application. 

 

Calendars, norms e references  

(Note: tests will always take place at 11 a.m.)  

ESSS  Bachelor’s in Nursing	Rules for Evaluation of knowledge for RGDE   Topics and References for Evaluation of knowledge for RGDE	Calendar
ESES  Bachelor’s in primary education	Norms for Evaluation of knowledge for RGDE   Grid of the Tests 2022	Calendar  1st phase  2nd phase*

 

*To have access to the 2nd phase the applicant must OBLIGATORILY send a justification for non-attendance in the 1st phase, so that the jury can make an assessment and then inform about its acceptance.  

According to point 1.3 in paragraph E – Equivalences / Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Diplomas in the Table of Emoluments of the IPSantarém, those applying for procedures of evaluation of knowledge should proceed with the payment of the emolument due. 

 

Table of Emoluments 

The Table of Emoluments of the IPSantarém and the amounts due for accreditation requests for regarding foreign degrees and diplomas can be viewed here 

 

Dispatches of nominations of the juries 

List of dispatches of nominations of the juries