Address: Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Engineering, Sciences, Health, Social and Political Sciences, Management, Education, Languages
The University of Aveiro, in Portuguese Universidade de Aveiro, was inaugurated on 15 December 1973. It is a young public university, located in the city of Aveiro on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, a city known for its canals and lagoon. The campus is urban, covers 92 hectares and lies in the city centre.
The infobox counts 14,280 students in 2018, while the body text gives about 12,500. The postgraduate students number 2,718, and the administrative staff 927. The record does not give a share of international students. The university also works at regional campuses in Águeda and Oliveira de Azeméis.
The academic offer includes 58 graduate programmes, 40 master programmes and 25 PhD programmes. The university has 20 research centres. Its profile is technical, with strong areas in engineering, materials, telecommunications and chemistry, along with the social sciences and the humanities. The structure in departments and schools makes it a compact institution where research groups can work together across fields.
The rector is Artur Manuel Soares da Silva, who took office on 20 May 2026. The people linked to the university include the windsurfer Catarina Fagundes, who took part in the Olympic Games of 1996, the jazz singer Jacinta, the Paralympic bronze medallist Miguel Monteiro, the mechanical engineer and politician Eduardo Marçal Grilo and the member of the European Parliament Miguel Viegas.
For a prospective student, the main points are the size, which keeps classes close, the urban campus, and the practical orientation of the courses. Applicants should check the official pages for the programmes taught in English, the entry conditions and the housing available. Public tuition fees in Portugal are set by law for national students, and international students pay different fees. Check the current tariff.
Aveiro itself is part of the attraction. The city has canals, a lagoon and a coast nearby, and it is small enough for students to move on foot or by bicycle between the campus, the housing and the town centre. Applicants should check the official pages for the programmes taught in English, the exchange options and the dates for applications.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Materials, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Regional campuses at Águeda and Oliveira de Azeméis, 20 research centres.
Research:
Engineering, materials, telecommunications, chemistry, environment and social sciences, with 20 research centres.
Famous Alumnis:
Catarina Fagundes, Jacinta, Miguel Monteiro, Eduardo Marçal Grilo, Miguel Viegas
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
927
Current students***:
14280
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Urban campus of 92 hectares, 20 research centres, 58 graduate, 40 master and 25 PhD programmes, canals and coast of Aveiro.
Cons
Mid-sized city, many programmes in Portuguese, competition for engineering places.
Best For
Students interested in engineering, materials and environmental research in a young Portuguese university.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
University of Lisbon takes a similar route through chemistry, life sciences and engineering, and it covers finance and agriculture as well, and is far larger, with about 47,794 students against roughly 14,280 here.
A good alternative in the same country is University of Porto, which likewise covers chemistry, life sciences and engineering; it covers finance and food science as well, and is larger, enrolling about 30,640 students against roughly 14,280 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Abroad, University of California, Santa Barbara (the United States) covers marine science, chemistry and ecology and sustainability in a comparable way, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
In China, Guizhou University teaches much the same core subjects, chemistry, ecology and sustainability and materials, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers agriculture as well.
Ningbo University, based in China, is built around marine science, materials and life sciences much like this university, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on chemistry, materials and life sciences is Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Israel, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
University of Western Australia brings a Australia setting to the same core fields, marine science, chemistry and ecology and sustainability, and it covers astroscience and agriculture as well, and is larger, enrolling about 29,426 students against roughly 14,280 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Aveiro?
In the city of Aveiro, on the Atlantic coast of Portugal.
When was it inaugurated?
On 15 December 1973.
How large is the campus?
92 hectares.
How many students does it have?
14,280 in 2018 according to the infobox.
How many research centres does it have?
20.
How many PhD programmes does it offer?
25.
Does it have regional campuses?
Yes, at Águeda and Oliveira de Azeméis.
Who is the rector?
Artur Manuel Soares da Silva, since 20 May 2026.
Which Olympic windsurfer is among its alumni?
Catarina Fagundes.
What does it cost?
Fees differ for national and international students. Check the current tariff.
Chemistry, Engineering, Environment, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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