Ella Sancassani
Ola! I am Ella and I look after our Portuguese students coming to the University of Essex. Each year we welcome a number of students from Portugal to study various courses including Acting, Management, and Robotic Engineering, and we are delighted that you are considering joining them. We currently have around 50 Portuguese students studying with us. Below you'll find some country-specific information which I hope you will find helpful. Please do get in touch at europe@essex.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Ella Sancassani portugal country contact

Entry requirements

Undergraduate

Most of our Undergraduate Bachelor degree courses will consider 16 (bom) from Diploma de Ensino Secundario. If you achieve grade 15 in English from the Diploma de Ensino Secundario, we will not normally require a further English language test.

If you are taking international high school qualifications these may also be accepted,please contact us for more information. 

We also have a range of Foundation Programmes available if you do not meet these grades. Please visit our Pathways Department for details about our undergraduate degrees with a foundation year and the University of Essex International College for other undergraduate and postgraduate pathways.

Some courses have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team admit@essex.ac.uk.

Postgraduate Taught

Many of our Postgraduate Taught Masters will consider applicants with 14 or above from Licenciado. Some courses and departments have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team at pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

We also have a range of Foundation Programmes available through our partner Kaplan International Colleges if you do not meet these grades. Please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

Postgraduate Research 

For entry to Research degrees, please refer to the entry requirements for the degree that you are interested in. 

An undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK 2:2 (see the grade information above), and a master's degree with a good grade is required for most PhD programmes, in addition to a well-developed research proposal in a field in which we can offer supervision. Please have a read through our information for research degree applicants and check the course details for your chosen programme for further information about entry criteria.

Scholarships and funding

Academic Excellence Senior Status Law Scholarship offers £3,000 scholarships to international students studying the Law LLB M103 (Senior Status) in 2025. Please visit the link for further details about deadlines and eligibility. 

Our Essex Global Talent Scholarship, worth 50% of the first year tuition fee, is available for international undergraduate or master’s students.

International Baccalaureate Excellence Scholarship offers £2,000 scholarships to students who start at Essex in 2025-2026 and achieve academic excellence in their International Baccalaureate. 

University of Essex International College Progression Scholarship offers £3,000 scholarships to students progressing directly from the University of Essex International College to register for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex. 

Academic Excellence International Masters Scholarship offers up to £5,000 scholarships to international students who took undergraduate degree overseas or in the UK and are self-funding their postgraduate studies. Please visit the link for further details about deadlines and eligibility. 

Our Undergraduate EU Scholarship offers £5,000 scholarships to undergraduate students from Portugal. Please visit the link for further details about deadlines and eligibility.

Our Master (PGT) EU Scholarship offers up to £5,500 scholarships to undergraduate students from Portugal. Please visit the link for further details about deadlines and eligibility.

Please visit our Scholarships pages for full terms and conditions and information about additional funding opportunities.

Our student societies

We’ve got over 100 clubs and societies at Essex, including our friendly Portuguese Society, where you’ll have the chance to:

  • Promote the diversity of cultures among Portuguese speaking countries
  • Engage with students who want to learn the language
  • Share common cultural interests
  • Partake in society socials

Explore the Portuguese Society

Join in the conversation and get to know other students with the society's LinkedIn page.

Meet us in Portugal

5 November: CIS Portugal, Oerias International School, Lisbon, Portugal

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with your country contact named below with any questions.

Chat to a current student from Portugal

I liked the fact that Essex is a campus university, the outdoor spaces are excellent and the course was exactly what I was looking for. Settling into Essex was very rewarding, I am currently part of Essex Sub Aqua Club and I am hoping to join other activities within the university. I lived in Eddington Tower for my first year. Living in the Towers you get to meet a lot of people and its the best way to make new life friends. That's what happened with me. In my second year, I am going to be living with three people that I met on my tower and we have become the best of friends.
Fatima Da Luz  BSc Marine Biology
Two women standing outside
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Book a short virtual meeting with our student recruitment team to ask anything about applying to or studying at Essex.

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Ella Sancassani
Get in touch
Ella Sancassani Portugal country contact