In cases where scholarship students have to use private accommodation, the state will pay monetary support, even if the landlord does not provide a rental contract. The Ministry of Education guarantees that it is only necessary to present a declaration stating that the application for university residence was made, but that the vacancy was not guaranteed.

The measure is contemplated in the regulations for granting scholarships for Higher Education. In the case of students who have to resort to private properties, they may receive support of €500 in Lisbon, €419 in Porto and €338 in Coimbra.

The measure becomes even more relevant at a time when many rooms are rented without a contract. In this case, the Government intends to reduce university dropout rates, which are often caused by the inability to pay for privately managed accommodation due to high prices charged by landlords, or by a shortage of beds in university residences.

Support for all

This year, displaced students will initially receive approximately €161 per month for accommodation, which corresponds to 30% of the Social Support Index (IAS), which in 2026 will be set at €537.13. If there are no vacancies in a university residence, the support increases according to the municipality where the student is forced to rent a room, which is private property.