Portugal is a small country with rich history, vibrant culture, and delicious cuisine. Add this to the country’s long history of high-quality education, and you get a perfect destination for an international degree. As part of the EU, Portugal also offers students valuable opportunities for an exchange program with prestigious universities in neighboring countries and overseas.

Education cost in Portugal is also relatively cheaper than in other EU-member countries. In addition, the cities of Lisbon and Porto are popular among international students who help contribute to the cities’ cosmopolitan atmosphere. The country’s small size also makes fun and adventure accessible to students who could benefit from a relaxing break from the demands of a high-standard education and research.

Top universities in Portugal have already been keeping up with the call for more competent programs to produce skilled professionals in the Data Science industry. Although most degree programs in the country use Portuguese as the primary language of instruction, international students may find learning the language an exciting opportunity.

In the article below, we discuss some of the best universities for data science in Portugal.

Top Universities for Data Science in Portugal

1. University of Lisbon

The University of Lisbon (ULisbon) traces its long history to the late 13th century. However, the university was officially created in 2013 from the merger of two institutions: the older University of Lisbon and the Technical University of Lisbon. Over the years, ULisbon expanded widely enough to host a massive student population with over 50,000 students, including roughly 9,000 from other countries.

ULisbon keeps up with the demands of the highly digital modern world by introducing the Master’s program in Data Science. The program takes four semesters to finish, with 120 total ECTS credits. It costs €1,500 per year for EU and €7,000 for non-EU students. Annually, the program welcomes 20 students from the EU and five students from other countries. The program is taught in both Portuguese and English.

The university is also offering a fully English-taught Master’s program in Business Data Analytics for the upcoming school years. It lasts only three semesters and offers 90 ECTS credits. The whole program costs €6850 for EU students and €8,150 for international students.

2. University of Porto

The University of Porto is among the best data science universities in Portugal. It was built on a solid foundation of learning institutions specializing in Science, Arts, and Medicine. It officially opened in 1911 and has since expanded to 14 faculties and secured a reputable spot among the top 150 universities in Europe. It is currently home to over 32,000 students—nearly half represents 107 nationalities, earning the university the reputation of being the most international institution in Portugal.

The Bachelor’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the University of Porto focuses mainly on Computer Science, comprising 120 of the 180 ECTS credits that can be completed in a span of three years. Graduates will gain proficiency in machine learning, programming, AI, and more computer skills to help them professionally navigate through and manage a massive volume of data.

The university also has a Master’s program in Data Science worth 120 ECTS divided into four semesters. The program and the lesson materials are delivered in English.

3. NOVA University Lisbon

The NOVA University Lisbon opened in 1973, born out of the growing demand for higher education institutions in Lisbon. It established the Information Management School in 1989 during the advent of information technology. As a top data science school in Portugal, NOVA University Lisbon offers a three-year Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science to train future data professionals. The program is worth 180 ECTS credits and costs €697 per year.

Prospective students may also select from the university’s numerous postgraduate and Master’s degree programs related to Data Science, such as Finance, Marketing, and Business Analytics. The postgraduate programs last four trimesters and cost approximately €5,000 for the whole duration, awarding 60 ECTS units upon completion. Meanwhile, the Master’s programs last two years, offering 120 ECTS credits at around €6,000 per program.

The university is also offering a Doctorate program where students can gain skills in four areas: Data-Driven Marketing, Data Science, Geoinformatics, and Information Systems. The program can be completed in three years at €3,000 per year. Graduates can then earn 180 ECTS credits.

4. University of Aveiro

The University of Aveiro (UA) was launched in December 1973 and started offering courses the following year. Less than fifty years later, the progressive university has established 20 departments and schools and over 180 degree programs to cater to its diverse population of more than 15,000 students and 2,000 academic and administrative staff.

UA takes pride in the 98% employability rate among its graduates from the Sciences, Mathematics, and IT departments, making the university attractive for prospective students planning to pursue a career in Data Science.

As one of the best data science universities in Portugal, the University of Aveiro’s Master’s program in Data Science lasts two years full-time and costs €1,000 for EU students and €5,500 for those from other countries. The program offers fundamental skills in mathematics and informatics to help graduates find suitable employment opportunities in healthcare, finance, tech companies, research, and more.

5. ICSTE – Lisbon University Institute

The ICSTE – Lisbon University Institute is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. Its rapid growth results from its dedication to providing high standards of teaching, scientific research, and transfer of knowledge. It is now home to over 10,000 students—22% of which come from 96 other countries—and approximately 1,000 teaching and non-teaching staff.

The university’s undergraduate program in Data Science is a three-year course taught in Portuguese. It offers students competencies in theoretical knowledge and practical skills using real-world data problems from participating companies and industries to help ensure that they can secure promising employment upon graduation.

Graduates may also pursue a two-year Master’s program taught in Portuguese. The undergraduate program costs €697 per year for EU and €7,000 for non-EU students. Meanwhile, the total program cost for the Master’s Degree ranges from €5,800 to €7,500.

 

We hope this article on the best universities for data science in Portugal was helpful. You can also find more information about studying abroad by checking out the Available Data Science Programs for International Students.

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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