Study at IST

If you have a Bachelor Degree you may apply to a Master Programme at IST. For further information, please contact the coordinators.  Lectures are given in english in classes with foreign students.

You also may choose to follow a PhD Programme. There are plenty of opportunities. Besides the programmes offered by IST, there are as well joint degrees and degrees in collaboration with international schools, namely:

• IST-EPFL
• CMU/Portugal
• MIT Portugal
• UT Austin Portugal

General questions regarding these programmes should be directed to their coordinators.

Mobility programmes

Through the mobility programmes, students may study at IST during 1 semester, one year or two years. There are specific programmes for European students (ERASMUS and TIME programmes), and for students from Brazil, Latin America, Portuguese speaking African Countries (Brazil, SMILE and PALOP programmes).

Students can take advantage of short duration courses, through the ATHENS programme or the IAESTE, taking up traineeships in IST’s research units.

Under the ERASMUS mobility programme, nearly two hundred agreements have been celebrated. Each academic year, IST hosted more than 200 international students, while a similar number of IST students (1st and 2nd semester) participated in study programmes abroad.

ERASMUS · Lifelong learning

The ERASMUS is the most widely known higher education student exchange programme in the world, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2007. Since the launch of the programme, over one million students have enjoyed the experience to study in another country.

The ERASMUS programme involves 2000 education institutions of 31 countries, or 90% of European higher education institutions. In addition to the role it plays in teaching, the ERASMUS programme is now a truly social and cultural phenomenon. It has created an openness space of tolerance and promoted the inter-cultural dialogue among European youngsters.

The Erasmus programme also encourages mobility of European professors.

How to apply?

BRAZIL

The IST celebrated different protocols with Brazilian universities, allowing Brazilian students to study at IST. The rules of this programme are similar to those of ERASMUS, and students can attend a semester or a full academic year at IST.

Universities involved in this programme:

• Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
• Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
• Pontifica Universidade Católica do Rio Janeiro
• Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
• Universidade de São Paulo
• Universidade Campinas
• Other universities: Please contact GRI

How to Apply?

SMILE · Student Mobility in Latin America, Caribbean and Europe

The SMILE programme is a pilot programme launched by the MAGALHAES network and allows the exchange of students between the European Union and the Latin American and Caribbean countries, with academic recognition between Europe and Latin America and Caribbean, in line with the ERASMUS programme.

The mobility rules of the SMILE programme are similar to those of ERASMUS programme. Should your university of origin have a SMILE agreement with IST, you can carry out a period of studies of one semester or a full academic year at IST.

The Department Coordinator of the home University shall be responsible for drafting the study plans, in cooperation with the Coordinator of the host University.

Universities involved in the programme (and study areas)

How to apply?

Dual diploma programmes

To apply to a double diploma the foreign student has two different application procedures: the application to the Mobility Programme and the application to the Instituto Superior Técnico. The student will be instructed how to apply to it and when.

TIME

The Instituto Superior Técnico is a founding member of the TIME programme. Initially composed of 16 founding Members, there are today more than 40 European Technical Universities that participate in this network.

Under this programme, students can obtain a Double Diploma, through IST and through the home University, as long as there is a bilateral agreement celebrated with IST.

The requirements for a student to apply to the TIME programme are similar to those of the different Mobility Programmes. The specific rules of the programme are as follows:

• Students, who have completed their 1^st Cycle;
• Studies leading to Double Diploma will have a duration of three years (instead of two), totalling 180 ECTS credits;
• The three years of studies will be divided as follows: one year spent in the home institution and two years in the host institution, according to a plan defined jointly by the home and host institutions;
• The student should prepare, present an defend a final dissertation;
• The host university will appoint a tutor for each student for the duration of the study period.

Universities holding bilateral agreements with IST

• Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Russia;
• Écoles Centrales, France;
• Politecnico di Milano, Italy;
• Università Degli Studi di Trento, Italy;
• Università Degli Studi di Padova, Italy.

How to apply?

There are also the following dual diploma programmes in:

Aerospace Engineering(Technische Universiteit Delft; Institut Supérieur de L'Aeronautique et de L'Espace (ISAE)*)
* Students must stay 2 years in the receiving institution.

Chemistry (UNICAM – Università degli Studi of Camerino)

CLUSTER Dual Masters

The CLUSTER Dual Masters program allow master students who study one year at IST and one year at another CLUSTER university (with a valid agreement with IST) to obtain two Master Diplomas at the end of the study period. General questions regarding these agreements can be directed to the Vice-President for International Relations.

The following agreements are available for the next academic year:

How to apply?

PALOP · Portuguese speaking African Countries

The Instituto Superior Técnico is strongly involved with the national policy of cooperation with the African Countries of Portuguese Official Language. Since 1986, IST has developed strong cooperation links with the Engineering Faculty the University Agostinho Neto (UAN), in Angola and with the Faculty of Engineering of the University Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), in Mozambique. More recently, a cooperation programme was established with the government of the Republic of Cape Verde, regarding the Higher Education in the engineering domains.

Further information available at the GRI website.

ALBAN · European Union Programme of High Level Scholarships for Latin America

The ALBAN Programme is a high level scholarship programme specifically addressed to Latin America, adopted in 2002 by the European Commission. The ALBAN Programme will enable Latin American students and professionals, future academics and decision-makers in their own countries, to benefit from the excellence of the Higher Education Area in the European Union.

The periods of education and training may range from 6 months to 3 years depending on the type of project and the level envisaged. To foster the student mobility in the framework of the ALBAN programme, there is a reduction of 50% of the IST’s tuition fee.

Further information and application forms are available at ALBAN website.

Short courses

ATHENS · Advanced Technology Higher Education Network

The ATHENS programme is aimed at carrying out intensive specialization courses, enabling students to attend one of the courses offered by the University network during 7 days, and to be acquainted with different pedagogical systems.

The courses take place twice a year, in the sessions of March and November. Applications are made directly at the ATHENS website, one month before the beginning of the courses.

The IST usually offers the following courses:

• IST1 · Automated Remote Electronic Instrumentation: Virtual Instrumentation;
• IST2 · Quality Control;
• IST3 · Operational Research;
• IST4 · Introduction to Robotic;
• IST5 · Learning Robotics;
• IST6 · ELAB - Remotely Controled Physics Lab.

Traineeships

IAESTE Portugal

The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) is an organization of 80 member countries in 5 continents. It was founded in 1948 at the Imperial College of London and promotes the exchange of university students between member countries with the purpose of providing them with a work experience in industry, in research institutions or in other employers.

This Association is an organisation for the exchange of students at institutions of higher education wishing to obtain technical experience abroad relative to their studies. It shall promote international understanding and good will among the students of all nations.

Through IAESTE Portugal, the IST offers the possibility of carrying out traineeships in IST Research Units. For further information, please contact the IAESTE Delegation in your country on this possibility. Information available also at the IAESTE site.

Practical information for foreign students

Portuguese Language Course

The International Office organises Portuguese Language Courses for Erasmus students and can also organise a course for other IST foreign students depending on the number of applications. Foreign students must send the application form to GRI. The cost of the course will depend on the number of applicants.

More information available at GRI.

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• Academic Calendar
• Schedules