Higher Education: Places Increase in Medicine and Education Courses

Education and Medicine are two areas seeing an increase in entry places for Higher Education for the 2026/27 academic year. The upcoming National Access Competition will see a 12% increase for Basic Education, adding 147 places compared to the previous academic year. Medicine courses will gain 62 places, with 40 new spots at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) and an additional 22 at the University of Coimbra. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) states that the increase in Basic Education degree places follows agreements signed with ten Higher Education Institutions to enhance teacher training through increased funding. The total number of places in the Public Higher Education System will be 78,283, an increase of 1,465 from 2025, while the Private sector will offer 29,315 places, up 1,417 from last year. Overall, there will be 107,598 places in integrated degrees across public and private institutions, an increase of 2,882 from 2025. The ministry also notes a diversification of access routes to Higher Education, with a 19% increase in places for holders of Professional Higher Technical Courses (CTeSP).