Useful information

Students with special status

The request for a special status shall be made annually, by way of presenting documents that prove that students legally fall within the following situations:

• University of Porto athlete;
• Leader of student association;
• Student-Worker status;
• Student Firefighter;
• Student with special education needs and disabilities;
• Student parents;
• Elite athletes;
• Religious practitioners

University of Porto athlete

University of Porto athletes are students who practice sports and represent the university in sporting events. These students have special benefits as per the regulation of U.Porto’s Student Athlete status, as amended by G.R 04/07/2019 and as per the status of Higher Education Student Athlete of 24 April, 2019.

Necessary documents:

• General status request;
• Supporting documentation.

Higher education student athletes have at least the following rights:

1. Priority in the choice of timetables or classrooms compatible with their sports activities, if substantiated;
2. Relief of mandatory presence in classroom due to the attendance in official competitions;
3. Possibility to change individual evaluation dates in case they match competition or championship dates.
4. Possibility to require at least two annual exams, or equivalent, in a new special exam season.

According to the new U.Porto’s Table of fees, requiring exams under Special Admissions has a cost of ¤12 per curricular unit.

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Leader of student association

A leader of student association is a student who is a member of a youth association, registered in Portugal and in the national record of associations, as per Decree-Law no. 23/2006, of 23 June.

Necessary documents:

• General status request;
• Supporting documentation.

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Student-Worker status

Students may benefit from the student-worker special status if they are employed, self-employed or attending a part-time vocational education programme for youths, with a length equal or higher than six months.

Former student-workers in a situation of involuntary unemployment may continue benefiting from student-worker status.

For a student-worker status to be acknowledged, the student’s employer shall submit a statement to the academic management service, indicating the Social Security identification number or the subscription number with the Caixa Geral de Aposentações (Portuguese Pensions Scheme for Civil Servants).
The aforementioned documents shall be presented upon registration or enrolment or within 20 working days after the beginning of the school year.
If a student is compliant with all necessary requirements to obtain the student-worker status for the second semester, they shall fill in a form and submit all necessary documentation within 20 days after the beginning of the second semester.

Rights:

Student-workers have the possibility of requiring “up to five exams or final exams beyond the regular and supplementary exam periods, limited to up to two exams / final exams per curricular unit” under the following assessment regimes: final exam or distributed evaluation with final exam, as per Order No. GR.09/10/2019.

Student-worker rights end if:

- The students fail to obtain approval in two consecutive years or in three alternated years;
- False statements are provided regarding facts upon which the concession of student-worker status depends, or regarding facts that may grant the right to student-worker status. False statements are provided for abusive purposes, without limitation of other applicable legal measures.


Necessary documents:

1. If the applicant works in a private company:

• Updated statement from the employer, signed and authenticated (by means of the company stamp or a signature), indicating the social security number or, in alternative, a declaration that proves registration in the Caixa de Previdência (Portuguese Pension funds) or even an updated map of discounts made for social security;

2. If the applicant is self-employed:

• Declaration of commencement/resuming of business activity issued by a tax office on the year of commencement; or, in subsequent years, an income statement that cannot be null
• Declaration of Social Security contributions or of exemption from payment;

Check all the necessary information here: Order No. GR.09/10/2019..

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Student Firefighter

Students at the service of professional, mixed or volunteer fire brigades have specific rights, in accordance with Article 6 of Decree-Law 241/2007, of 21 June and with the new regulation for the attribution of social benefits to volunteer firefighters - Decree-Law No. 64/2019, of 16 May 2019.

Necessary documents:

• General status request;
• Declaration from the Fire Brigade.

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Students with special education needs and disabilities

The Students with special needs and disabilities status (ENEE) is meant for U.Porto students with difficulties in the learning process and in the active participation in academic life, due to a dynamic interaction between external factors (physical or social) and/or limitations in domains such as hearing, vision, physical health or others, insofar as these limitations are substantiated by way of a medical statement, to be submitted to the Inclusion Service (NAI).

Necessary documents:

• General status request;
• Supporting documentation.

For more information, check the regulations as well as the following link..

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Student parents

The status of student parent is granted to students enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate courses of study, particularly pregnant women, those who are breastfeeding and those who have recently given birth, as per Decree-Law No. 90/2001, of 20 August..

Necessary documents:

• General request;
• Supporting documentation.

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Elite athletes

Students registered in federations within the Portuguese Institute of Sports who practice sports activities in high level competitions are granted the status of elite athletes. They may benefit from rights described in Decree-Law no 55/2019 of 24 April.

The Institute of Sports is to communicate to each higher education school the list of the students who benefit from this status.


Necessary documents:

• Declaration issued by the Institute of Sports

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Religious practitioners

Students who are religious practitioners are excused from attending academic activities (classes or exams) on worship days. In case worship days coincide with the exam season, a new exam season may be requested according to Decree No. 947/87 of 18 December (Statute of Religious Practitioner) and Law No. 16/2001, of 22 June (Religious Freedom Act).


Necessary documents:

• General status request;
• Proof that the student is a religious practitioner.