The Gulbenkian Merit Scholarship supports students with strong academic performance and limited family resources who are entering higher education in Portugal. For 2026/27, it anticipates up to 500 scholarships of 2,000 euros per academic year, but applications close on October 30, 2026, at 3 PM, Lisbon time. If you are reading this after that date, please check the official page for a new call for applications.
1. What the scholarship covers and what you should not assume
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation presents this support as a way to recognize academic potential and reduce economic barriers at the start of higher education. The program aims to provide stability throughout the university journey, not just award a prize for the entrance grade [1].
For the 2026/27 competition, 500 scholarships are planned. The main support is 2,000 euros per academic year.
The award is not automatic for all candidates who meet the criteria: the Foundation makes the selection based on the elements defined in the regulations and the limit of available scholarships [2].
The scholarship is complementary to the social support scholarship awarded by the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES). Therefore, it can be combined with that support, according to the Foundation's rules.
A person does not necessarily need to receive the DGES scholarship to be considered by Gulbenkian, but must provide proof of having applied for the social support scholarship [1] [2].
In practice, the DGES application is a verification step: applying does not equate to receiving the social scholarship, nor is receiving that scholarship an automatic condition for obtaining the Gulbenkian scholarship.
Additional support for international mobility
The regulations also provide for one-time support for an international mobility period. The amount can be up to 2,000 euros, depending on the duration, and is linked to Erasmus or another similar program offered by the educational institution [2].
Do not count on this amount as automatic money for travel. Mobility can only be supported from the second year onwards.
The student must indicate the destination and semester in the renewal request and, when available, submit proof of arrival and the Learning Agreement for payment to be processed [2].
In practice, the main scholarship helps plan the annual academic budget. The mobility fund, however, depends on an approved and documented international experience.
Before incurring expenses, confirm the steps, applicable amount, and deadlines with the Foundation and your institution's mobility office.
There's more than financial support
In addition to the financial amount, the program offers personal and professional development activities, including training such as English, and provides integration into the Gulbenkian network [1] [2]. These can expand learning and networking opportunities, but they do not replace academic services or the institution's social support.
2. Perform an eligibility check before gathering documents
The scholarship is not intended for just any university student in Portugal.
For the 2026/27 edition, the Foundation requires that the applicant has entered the first year of higher education in that academic year through the general access competition and has obtained an application score equal to or greater than 170 points, equivalent to 17 out of 20 [1] [2].
The result must meet the minimum without rounding. The official FAQ clarifies that a score of 169 points does not become eligible by rounding.
Nor is it solely the secondary school average that determines this requirement: check the application score indicated on the placement confirmation and read the definition in the regulations [1].
Admission must correspond to an accredited and registered study cycle at a legally recognized Portuguese institution. The Foundation clarifies that the competition is for students entering through the general competition.
Its FAQ excludes those who entered through the special competition for international students and those attending a private institution that does not use this route [1].
Nationality is not the only criterion
The Foundation states that people of any nationality can apply, provided they have entered through the general access competition [1]. Thus, the decisive question is not just "am I Angolan, Brazilian, or Portuguese?".
It is also "what admission regime was used in my application and do I meet the requirements of that regime?".
The Institute for Higher Education explains that the national access competition requires Portuguese secondary education qualification or equivalent, entrance exams required for the course, and prerequisites where applicable. It also stipulates that the candidate must not be covered by the international student status [5].
For students from Angola, Brazil, and other countries, this means that eligibility does not automatically stem from speaking Portuguese or residing in Portugal. The person must confirm if their admission path falls within the general competition.
Anyone who entered through a different regime should consult the Foundation before investing time in an application that may not be admitted.
If you studied secondary education outside Portugal, also confirm if your qualification was recognized as equivalent and if the required entrance exams were met. The scholarship application does not replace course access procedures, nor does it resolve issues of equivalence, visas, or residency.
Income is assessed per person and confirmed by services
For the initial application, the annual per capita income of the household must be equal to or less than 14,000 euros. The Foundation indicates that the calculation will be verified by the Social Action Services of the educational institution [1] [2].
Do not calculate on your own by dividing monthly income by the number of family members. The Social Action Services determine the value according to applicable rules; if in doubt, present complete data and ask the institution for guidance.
The entry limit should also not be confused with the limit provided for renewals. In the 2026/27 regulations, the value indicated for renewal is less than 17,000 euros per capita, while the criterion for initial award is equal to or less than 14,000 euros [2].
These are different stages of the journey, and applying the wrong limit can lead to an incorrect decision.
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Situations that may prevent application
The Foundation does not admit candidates who already hold a higher education degree. This edition is for new students in their first year, not for those midway through a bachelor's degree or who have already completed a higher education course [1] [2].
The Foundation's FAQ also clarifies doubts about repeating years, transfers, and previous enrollments.
As the rule relates to the admission route and the year of entry, individuals with a non-linear academic path should compare their situation with the regulations and seek confirmation from the Foundation [1].
3. Prepare a complete application without confusing documents
The Gulbenkian Merit Scholarship application is done online, in Portuguese, through the official Gulbenkian Merit Scholarships form and page. It is necessary to register on the website to access the form. The Foundation recommends consulting the regulations and avoiding submitting in the last few days [1].
For the initial application, the regulations identify three main proofs: the higher education placement document with relevant grades, proof of enrollment in the first year of the course, and proof of application for the DGES social support scholarship [2].
The DGES proof can be, according to the Foundation's instructions, a screenshot or PDF of the confirmation email or the form available on the BeOn platform [1].
Save a legible copy and check that the name and identification data match those used in the Gulbenkian form.
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The DGES application is a mandatory step
Even if the family does not expect to receive the social support scholarship, the DGES application is necessary for Gulbenkian to assess income.
In the DGES application, the Foundation's regulations indicate that the candidate must allow data sharing with other scholarship funding entities [2].
DGES informs that the ordinary application period for 2026/27 ran between August 14 and October 2.
The official page also provides for situations where it is possible to submit an application outside this period, between October 3 and May 31, under specific conditions; in these cases, social support may be calculated proportionally to the remaining period [3].
As the Gulbenkian application closes before the end of this exceptional DGES period, do not assume that any late application will be automatically accepted as sufficient proof by the Foundation.
If you have not yet submitted the DGES application, immediately contact your institution's Social Action Services, consult the BeOn platform, and confirm with the Foundation whether the document you can obtain meets the competition requirement [1] [3] [4].
The Gulbenkian regulations add a relevant later deadline: the documentation necessary for income verification by DGES must be submitted by December 1.
If the process remains incomplete and the per capita income cannot be determined, the candidate may be excluded from the scholarship [2]. The application, therefore, does not end with the "submit" button on the Gulbenkian form.
Do not send extra documents unless requested
The list of documents circulated in some articles may mix the initial application with the verifications made after selection.
In the current regulations, bank statements, a copy of the identification document, and full address with proof of residence are required from selected candidates for the verification procedures provided for in Article 13 [2].
In the initial application, the regulations request proof of placement, enrollment in the first year, and DGES application. It also states that no other documents should be added beyond those provided for in the initial process and in the verification of selected candidates [2].
This separation avoids sharing unnecessary personal data or forgetting a truly mandatory proof.
If the platform requests additional information or your situation requires clarification, follow the instructions that appear on the form and confirm with the Foundation. Do not replace official documents with informal declarations when the regulations require proofs issued by the institution or the portal.
Perform a final review before the deadline
As the competition closes on October 30 at 3 PM, Lisbon time, an early review reduces the risk of technical failure or missing documents [1] [2].
If you are preparing the application in the last few days, prioritize the elimination criteria and do not leave reading the regulations until after submission.
- Confirm admission route: general competition in 2026/27 and application score equal to or greater than 170 points.
- Verify first year: confirm that you are enrolled in the first year of the course and in the covered academic year.
- Submit or locate DGES application: save proof and authorize data sharing with funding entities, when requested.
- Request documents from the institution: obtain proof of placement and proof of enrollment in the required format.
- Register on the Foundation's platform: do not confuse higher education application credentials with BeOn scholarship credentials.
- Upload files and review fields: confirm they are legible and associated with the correct person.
- Submit before 3 PM Lisbon time: save the submission confirmation and do not count on an immediate response from the Foundation to requests in the final two business days.
If the submission is almost at the limit, prioritize completing the process on the official portal, but do not invent data to proceed. An incomplete application or one with inaccurate information may compromise the analysis.
In case of essential doubt, use MyGulbenkian message or the official scholarship email before the deadline.
4. Know what happens next and how to maintain the scholarship
Selection takes into account the higher education application score, national exam grades in specific course subjects, and the per capita income of the household.
The regulations stipulate a maximum of 500 scholarships and require that the determined income does not exceed the limit of 14,000 euros [2].
There is no promise that a score above 170 ensures the award. This value is a minimum admissibility criterion, while selection considers the defined criteria and the number of available scholarships. Avoid interpreting the cutoff score as a grade that guarantees funding.
The Foundation expects to communicate results up to approximately 120 days after the competition closes, depending on the information needed to verify income [1] [2].
For an application closed on October 30, this points to the following months, but the Foundation itself warns that the process may take longer in some situations. Await official communication and keep contacts updated.
If selected, immediately read the contract or award term. The regulations give the candidate a maximum of 10 business days to return the signed document; if this deadline is not met, the vacancy may pass to the next candidate [2].