If you are finishing secondary school this year and intend to apply for higher education, we explain how you should calculate your average grade to access higher education.
 
 
In 2024, students can apply to the 1^st phase of the National Higher Education Contest between July 22^nd and August 7^th, using the entrance exams taken in the 1^st phase of national secondary school exams.
 
The application to the 2nd phase of the national competition for access to higher education takes place from August 26^th to September 4^th after the results of the exams held in the second phase (held between July 18^th and 24^th) have been posted.
 
To apply for the course you wish to attend – or courses, depending on how sure you already are of the path you wish to follow and the educational institution you wish to attend – you must ensure that you meet all the requirements demanded by the Direção-Geral de Ensino Superior (DGES), as well as by the course and educational institution itself.
 
In short, students can apply for higher education if:

• They have completed the 12^th grade in Portuguese education or abroad, if equivalent;
  
  
• They have taken, in the year they apply, or in the two previous years, the national exams corresponding to the entrance examinations required for the course they are applying for;
  
  
• Have obtained the minimum grades and, consequently, the final average required for the course they are applying for;
  
  
• Have fulfilled the prerequisites required for the course to which they are applying, in case prerequisites are required;
  
  
• Are not covered by the international student status.

 
The application to the national contest for access to higher education is then carried out on the DGES Online Application platform.

Related article: Applying to higher education: The step-by-step guide
 

How is the average grade for access to higher education calculated?

The grade with which you will apply to higher education is a formula that corresponds to a combination of your high school average, the grades of your national exams, and the prerequisites – if necessary for access to the course.
 
If you are attending a science & humanities course, to calculate the average grade for access to higher education, you should follow these steps:

1. Calculate the final grade for each subject. For annual subjects, the final grade corresponds to the internal grade; for two-year and three-year subjects without national exams, the average of the internal grade of each year is calculated, that is, the grade of the 10^th grade + the grade of the 11^th grade divided by two or the grade of the 10^th grade + the grade of the 11^th grade + the grade of the 12^th grade divided by three; in subjects where a national exam is compulsory, the final grade is 70% of the internal grade + 30% of the final exam grade. This value is divided by ten.
   
   
2. Calculate the final grade of the course by calculating the arithmetic average of all course subjects rounded to the nearest unit, excluding Moral and Religious Education and Physical Education.
   
   

Calculate the final grade of the course that will be used for the application, that is, 70% of the final grade of the course + 30% of the average of the 4 national exams divided by ten, and calculate the access grade to the school you wish to apply to.
 
By accessing the DGES site, you can check the access criteria set by the university you are applying to since the percentages may differ from one institution to another (the calculation may be based on a 65% high school average and 35% of the entrance exams, for example).

Note that in professional courses, the average is calculated differently.
 
Related article: How to calculate your secondary school weighted average?

Entrance exams for access to higher education

As the DGES explains, the entrance examinations for the application for enrollment and registration in higher education this academic year are materialized through the national secondary school exams and are set by each higher education institution.
 
To find out which national secondary school exams can be used as entrance examinations, please refer to Table B in the General Exams Guide with the instructions for registering for the national secondary school exams.
 
In most cases, schools set 2 entrance examinations for each course, with some requiring only one national exam and others alternative sets of 2 exams, with the student choosing the one that improves their final average.
 
Related article: Higher education application simulator
 

Undergraduate programs offered by NOVA IMS

The undergraduate programs offered by NOVA IMS are divided into three areas: Data Science, Information Management, and Information Systems and Technologies:
 

Bachelor's Degree in Data Science

The Bachelor's Degree in Data Science course explores modern artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques 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 technical training provides in-depth knowledge of the fundamental methodologies and concepts in the field of Data Science, qualifying students to keep up with the sector's rapid evolution.

 

The entrance examinations required to finalize the application for the Degree in Data Science correspond to one of the following sets:
 
Mathematics A (19) - National Exam 635
Mathematics A (19) and Economics (04) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics A) or 712 (Economics)
Mathematics A (19) and Descriptive Geometry (10) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics) or 708 (Descriptive Geometry)
 

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.
 
As for the entrance examinations to finalize the application for the Degree in Information Management, it is necessary to choose between one of the following options:
 
Economics (04) - National Exam 712
Mathematics (16) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics A) or 735 (Mathematics B)
 

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 innovative degree is highly relevant to the national and international job market.
 
To finalize the application for the Degree in Information Systems, the candidate must choose between one of the following entrance examinations:
 
Economics (04) - National Exam 712
Mathematics (16) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics A) or 735 (Mathematics B)