According to the law, you are considered an international student if you meet all the following criteria:

• You do not hold Portuguese citizenship;
• You are not a citizen of a Member State of the European Union (EU) or of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area;
• You are not a family member of Portuguese nationals, of nationals of another Member State of the European Union (EU), or of nationals of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, regardless of the nationality;
• You have not been living continuously in Portugal as a legal resident for more than 2 years on January 1st of the year in which you intend to enroll, as well as any children legally residing with you;
• You are not a beneficiary, on January 1st of the year in which you intend to enroll, of the equal rights and duties statute granted under an international treaty or agreement between the Portuguese State and the State of which you are a national;
• You have not applied for admission to higher education through the special higher education access and enrolment schemes regulated in chapter II of the Decree-Law No. 64-A/2023, of July 31;
• You are not attending UMinho in the framework of an international mobility program to complete part of a cycle of studies at a foreign higher education institution with which UMinho has established an exchange agreement for this purpose.

Regardless of the nationality, in this context “family member” means:

1. The spouse of a Portuguese national, of a national of another Member State of the EU, or of a national of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area
2. The partner with whom a Portuguese national, a national of another Member State of the EU, or a national of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area lives in a registered partnership or with whom has a permanent relationship, duly certified by the competent authority of the State of residence
3. The direct descendant who is under the age of 21 or is dependent on a Portuguese national, a national of another Member State of the EU, or a national of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as well as the descendant of the spouse or partner as defined in the previous subparagraph
4. The direct ascendant who is dependent on a Portuguese national, a national of another Member State of the EU, or a national of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as well as the ascendant of the spouse or partner as defined in the subparagraph (ii).

A “legal resident” is defined as a foreign national who holds a residence permit in Portugal, valid for one year or more, in accordance with the provisions of Article 3(v) of the Law No. 23/2007, of July 4, in its current version, which approves the legal regime for the entry, stay, exit, and removal of foreign nationals from Portuguese territory. Residency duration with a residence permit for study purposes is only considered during the period in which the student is attending secondary school in Portugal.