If you are going to apply for higher education, this article is for you. We explain, step by step, how you can prepare your application to a university.

Applying to the national competition for access to higher education is a very important moment, since you will decide which professional area you want to follow and in which educational institution you want to develop your education - the choice of the faculty itself is essential, since it can guarantee you more professional outlets when you finish your degree.

You should therefore do extensive research before you apply, not only investigating which universities have the best reputation and offer the best career opportunities, but also what options exist in your area of interest.

At this point, it can be beneficial to talk to students who have attended the universities where you plan to study, or are even attending the course of interest. This will allow you to manage expectations and guide you towards the most appropriate decision for you. To get closer to these testimonies, you can find out about Open Days at the educational institutions that may interest you, or visit education fairs where several universities are present in order to present their educational offer.

During your research, you should try to answer questions such as:

- Am I sure this is my area of interest?
- What final grade do I need to get to have the best chance of being accepted into this course?
- What is the curriculum for this course? Does it get me enthused?
- If I apply for this degree, what professions will be available to me?
- When I finish this degree, will it be easy to get a job?
- Does this degree give me direct access to a Master's degree?
- Is this university ranked well in the rankings?
- Is it financially possible for me, for example, to live in the city where the educational institution is located?

How to apply for higher education

The application to higher education is only made on the Online Application platform of the General Directorate of Higher Education (DGES) and the first phase takes place between July and August every year (there are three competition phases in total). In 2023, you can apply to the first phase of the national competition from July 24 to August 7 - this applies to applicants with secondary education and Portuguese entrance exams.

Applications to the second and third stages will take place from August 28 to September 5, and from September 22 to 25, 2023, respectively, for the same type of applicants.

To apply for higher education, you need the ENES Form for the year you are applying – this is a document issued by the secondary school that contains the student's final classification in secondary school and the marks he/she obtained in the entrance examinations.

In addition, the form also includes a mandatory activation code to be able to apply, which you will need to enter during the online application.

You will also need to authenticate yourself on the application platform, which you can use:

1. A password, which can be requested when you register for the national final exams in secondary school between February and March, or from May onwards at an Access to Higher Education Office.

Or

2. The Citizen's Card: you will need the card's authentication PIN, provided on the PIN letter that is sent home when you receive the citizen's card, and a card reader compatible with the card and the computer you use to apply.

Entrance examinations required for access to higher education

Students who wish to apply to public higher education or private higher education must take the national final exams corresponding to the entrance examinations for the higher education courses they wish to apply to.

The rules have changed and, starting in the 2023-2024 school year, students will have to take three national exams to finish high school, with the Portuguese exam being mandatory for all students and the remaining two exams concerning two subjects chosen by the student. In addition, the exam grades will start weighing 25% in the final evaluation of each subject, a decrease from the previous percentage of 30%.

To apply to a higher education course, students will also need to take between two and three entrance examinations, which are defined by the higher education institutions.

Applying step by step

In summary, these are the steps you should take to make your application to higher education correctly:

1. You should access the Online Application platform;
2. After you request the password, you must confirm it in your school or in an Access to Higher Education Office (GAES), whichever is closer to your area of residence and, after that, you will receive the password in your e-mail.
3. Once you have the password, you can log in to the platform and make your application, during the application period. With the help of the ENES form, whenever necessary, you can enter the following information:

- Secondary school grades, (including codes and dates) and exam results will already appear on the platform;

- Contacts;

- Application options, where you indicate your preferred Access to Higher Education Office, the one closest to your residence. This is also the step where you can apply for DGES Social Action Grants, if you wish. In the quotas section - General, Azores or Madeira - you can indicate the quota you are applying for. If you wish to apply with regional preference, you must indicate here the regional preference code, which must be requested when requesting the ENES form;

- If you intend to apply using foreign exams - article 20A - you must go to an Access to Higher Education Office to find out what documents you need;

- Institution/course pair options: you are allowed to put up to six options, which may include different courses at the same institution and courses with the same name at different institutions, considering your objectives. By filling in all the options, you are more likely to be placed. If you cannot apply for one of the options because you do not fulfill some condition, you will receive a warning and will have to change it, otherwise that option will not be considered;

- Pre-requisites, which can be either a matriculation, that you will have to present when you register for the course, or a physical or artistic aptitude test, which you have already fulfilled at the educational institution to which you are applying. Here, you will have to put in information to prove that you have taken these tests;

- After that, you can submit your application and print the proof.

We remind you that you can repeat this application as many times as you need and change your options until the deadline of the phase you are in. In addition, it is important that you know that, to apply to a private institution, you must do it directly with the institution.

If you have any doubts, you can consult the DGES application guide.

About NOVA IMS

The higher education courses offered by NOVA IMS aim to train higher education graduates to be prepared to face the challenges of an increasingly globalized and competitive market.
NOVA IMS assumes as its vocation to contribute to the conversion of data into value ("From Data to Value"), through Data Science and Analysis ("Data Science and Analytics"), by means of an integrated and properly articulated focus on teaching, research and third mission initiatives.

The undergraduate options at NOVA IMS are divided into the areas of Data Science, Information Management and Information Systems and Technologies.

Bachelor´s Degree in Data Science

The Bachelor´s Degree in Data Science is a course that explores modern artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques aimed to analyze Big Data. The goal is to train data scientists capable of extracting knowledge and using advanced models to deal with large volumes of data. The course aims to train specialized professionals who enable organizations to strengthen the intermediate step between data collection and decision making based on it. This is technical training that provides in-depth knowledge of the fundamental methodologies and concepts in the field of Data Science, qualifying students to keep up with the rapid evolution of the sector.

Bachelor´s Degree in Information Management

The Degree in Information Management combines management and Data Science to train managers capable of dealing with the complexity of modern business and transforming data into useful information. The demand for professionals in this area is high, due to the increasing amount of data generated by companies, and to meet such demand, the course trains students to collect, organize, and analyze information that guides decision making, using modern techniques and tools. The objective is to train professionals who understand the strategic value of information in organizations.
According to data from the 2019 ObipNOVA Independent Report, the employability rate of the Degree in Information Management corresponds to 100%, and the average monthly net salary is around 1,394€.

Bachelor´s Degree in Information Systems

In the Information Systems Degree, students learn to analyze, design, and implement information systems, including artificial intelligence, programming, app and web systems development, and mobile computing. The course also covers the use of tools that support companies' business processes. This is Europe's first degree accredited in Information Systems by ABET, a world-leading agency for quality certification and academic innovation in applied science, computing, engineering, and related technology. Students acquire skills in information processing, storage and retrieval, building computer applications and managing networks and information systems. This is an innovative degree that is highly relevant to the national and international job market.