Higher education institutions may once again require only one entrance exam, according to a decree approved this Thursday by the Council of Ministers, which eliminates the requirement for students to take at least two exams.
The Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, revealed this Thursday that the Government has approved a decree-law with changes to the system of access to higher education.
When questioned by Lusa, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) explained that the decree foresees a reduction in the minimum number of mandatory entrance exams, from two to one, which should be in effect as early as the next academic year of 2026/2027.
The change reverses a decision by the socialist government and allows institutions to revert to the rule that was in effect until 2024.
The decree-law reinstates the possibility of setting between one and three entrance exams for each course: In the next two academic years, institutions may add "two alternative sets of entrance exams for a given course, each consisting of a single entrance exam," the supervisory body explained.
The ministry decided to change the rules after the reduction in the number of freshmen in higher education this academic year, which now requires at least two entrance exams.
Universities and polytechnics have pointed the finger at the new admissions model, arguing that the increased number of exams was one of the reasons for the reduction in admissions, which this year reached levels close to those recorded almost a decade ago.
The institutions' thesis can be corroborated by data from the ministry showing that the greatest decrease in freshmen was felt in courses that increased the number of mandatory exams.
"In courses that maintained two or three entrance exams, there were no significant decreases in access," the Ministry of Education and Science, Technology and Innovation added in response to Lusa, estimating that this year there could have been "around 2,800 more students" if new rules had not been introduced.
The ministry emphasizes that the change approved this Thursday meets the requests of Higher Education Institutions and had "a favorable opinion from the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP), the Coordinating Council of Higher Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP) and the National Education Council (CNE)".
When the results of the admissions process through the National Higher Education Access Competition were released, rectors, presidents of polytechnics, and student associations pointed to several reasons for the reduction in student numbers, in addition to the entrance exams.
The high cost of accommodation, the economic difficulties faced by families who cannot afford to support a child studying away from home, and the requirement to take national exams to complete secondary education were other reasons mentioned.
However, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MECI) says that "there are no plans to change the rules regarding the mandatory national exams for completing secondary education."
Completion of the science-humanities courses requires taking three national exams: Portuguese (12th grade) and two others chosen by the student.
According to the supervisory body, these exams are of "extreme importance" to guarantee quality and rigor, but also to assess learning.