Applications for higher education support programmes open on September 11 - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

The Vice-Presidency of the Government informs that the application period for the scholarship and tuition fee support programmes for higher education students will run from September 11 to October 11, 2023. 

Applications for the aforementioned support should be made online, through the platform: https://apoioaoensinosuperior.azores.gov.pt/ - access will be available from 9 am on September 11 until 4:30 pm on October 11.

The Higher Education Tuition Fee Support Programme is regulated by the Government Council Resolution no. 241/2021 of October 11. The application procedures are set out in Ordinance no. 81/2022 of August 19 (https://jo.azores.gov.pt/api/public/ato/1227471f-0dea-43ef-9b1e-690f760614c4/pdfOriginal).

Should any clarification be required regarding this programme, applicants should use the following email address: [email protected].

In turn, the Higher Education Scholarship Award Programme is regulated by the Government Council Resolution no. 130/2023 of September 4 and the application procedures are set out in Government Order no. 82/2022 of August 19 (https://jo.azores.gov.pt/api/public/ato/8a5801b1-2b5b-471a-9ee2-0d73cfc28bf5/pdfOriginal).

The scholarship programme is financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), with more than 150 scholarships expected to be awarded for the 2023/2024 academic year.

For this academic year, the Scholarship Programme now provides for a quota system with 10% of the number of scholarships to be awarded to students with disabilities, in accordance with the Regional Strategy for People with Disabilities in the Azores.

Should any clarification be required regarding this programme, applicants should use the following email address ([email protected]).

They may also contact the Regional Directorate for the Promotion of Equality and Social Inclusion, the entity responsible for analysing applications, via telephone at 295 204 233.

Regarding the opening of this application period for the 2023/2024 academic year, Artur Lima defended that the "higher education support programmes are solid responses to help families and students," namely to "cope with the multiple costs that higher education entails."

"With these support programmes, we are providing the conditions for young Azoreans to pursue higher education," he said, mentioning the importance of "qualifications and education as the driving force for the development of the Azores."

In the past two academic years, 300 students were covered by scholarships, with the overall support amounting to 825 thousand Euros.

In turn, 891 students benefited from the support to the payment of tuition fees in the 2022/2023 academic year, corresponding to 1/3 of the amount of Higher Education tuition fees. The amount reached 207 thousand Euros, corresponding to 232 Euros per student.