Candidates Over 23 Years Old

Process of evaluation of the capacity to attend Higher Education

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The competitive application process for applicants aged 23 and over is aimed at all those who wish to build their personal project and enhance their future. Academic qualifications are not required, but you must have turned 23 by December of the year preceding your application. 

The conditions for (compulsory) enrolment in the tests to assess the capacity to attend higher education for those aged over 23 are described in Article 3 of the "Regulation for the Assessment of the Capacity to Attend Higher Education for People aged over 23".

 

Academic Year 2023/2024

You do not need any academic qualifications to apply for the Special Application Process for Access to Higher Education for applicants aged 23 and over. Applicants, who must have turned 23 years old by December of the year preceding their application, need only sign up to take an entrance exam, which will assess their aptitude for Higher Education.

Note : This process is not open to international applicants (i.e. applicants who have not resided legally in Portugal for more than 2 years).

  Single phase
Dissemination of the process to potential applicants from December 2022
Approval of new preparatory courses until 20-01-2023
Publication of exam information and previous year’s tests 09-01-2023
Registration for the tests 04-01 to 14-04-2023
Registration for the tests (late applications) 17 to 28-04-2023
Appointment of invigilators 10-05-2023
Publication of the results of the preparatory course assessments 15-05-2023
Application for exemption from taking the test 16 to 19-05-2023
Publication of the test venues 23-05-2023
Test day 27-05-2023
Publication of test results 13-06-2023
Test consultation and review 13 to 15-06-2023
Publication of interview date / time / place 16-06-2023
Curriculum evaluation and interview 20-06 to 03-07-2023
Publication of the final results 10-07-2023

Registration for the Test

Online form available soon

Check what the specific component of the entrance exam is for undergraduate degree courses and consult the tests from the previous year.

The present list of courses may change due to the opening of places and courses that may be proposed and authorised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education.

Course 2020/2022 exam information Previous year's race 2020/2021
Agronomy Biology Biology
Basic Education History or Mathematics or Biology and Geology History
Mathematics
Biochemistry Biology Biology
Bioengineering Biology or Mathematics Biology
Mathematics
Biology Biology Biology
Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences Biology Biology
Biomedical Sciences Biology Biology
Biotechnology Biology or Chemistry Biology
Business Administration Mathematics Mathematics
Civil Engineering Physics and Chemistry or Descriptive Geometry or Mathematics Physics and Chemistry
Mathematics
Communication Design Drawing Drawing
Communication Sciences Contemporary History or Portuguese

Contemporary History
Portuguese

Cultural Heritage and Archaeological History History
Dietetics and Nutrition Biology Biology
Economics Mathematics Mathematics
Educational and Training Sciences Sociology Sociology
Electrical and Computer Engineering Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Practical Test in Electrical Engineering Physics and Chemistry
Mathematics
Hotel Management Economics Economics
Informatics Mathematics Mathematics
Landscape Architecture Biology or Drawing or History Biology
Drawing
History
Languages and Communication Portuguese Portuguese
Languages, Literatures and Cultures Portuguese Portuguese
Management Economics Economics
Management (evening classes) Economics Economics
Management (Portimão) Economics Economics
Management (Portimão, evening classes) Economics Economics
Marine and Coastal Management Biology or Mathematics  Biology
Mathematics
Marine Biology Biology Biology
Marketing Economics Economics
Mechanical Engineering Physics and Chemistry or Descriptive Geometry or Mathematics Physics and Chemistry
Mathematics
Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy Biology  Biology
Moving Image Drawing Drawing
Nursing Biology Biology
Pharmacy Biology Biology
Physiotherapy Biology** Biology
Psychology Psychology Psychology
Social Education History or Sociology or Psychology History
Sociology
Psychology
Sociology Sociology Sociology
Sports Swimming* -
Systems Engineering and Computer Technologies Mathematics  
Tourism English English
Tourism (Portimão) English English
Visual Arts Drawing Drawing

* Prerequisite B
**Prerequisite A

Entrance Exams

You can also choose to enroll for the entrance exams for Higher Professional Technical Courses (CTeSP).

Course Previous year's race 2020/2021 Exam information 2020/2022
Accounting (Faro and Portimão) Economics Economics
Automotive Technology and Maintenance Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Descriptive Geometry or Practical Mechanics Test Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Descriptive Geometry
Building Construction Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Descriptive Geometry Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Descriptive Geometry
Digital Drawing and Modeling Mathematics or Descriptive Geometry Mathematics or Descriptive Geometry
Electrical Installations, Domotics and Automation Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Electrotechnical Practice Test Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics
Executive Secretarial Studies English English
Information Systems and Technologies Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics or Practical Computer Test Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics
Food Safety and Hygiene  Biology or Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics Biology or Physics and Chemistry or Mathematics
Tourism Entertainment Management (Portimão) English or Economics English or Economics
Programming of Internet Devices Mathematics or Practical Electrotechnical Test or Practical Computer Test Mathematics

 

Regulations 

Check the regulations for the Higher Professional Technical Courses at the University of Algarve here

Registration for the tests is done online on the Application Portal (before applying, read the instruction manual available in the document box) and requires the payment of fees.

Necessary Documentation

  • Curriculum vitae presented, preferably, according to the Europass model, available at https://europa.eu/europass/en
  • A declaration, under honour, that you do not have a qualification that would entitle you to access higher education
  • Documents proving the facts stated in your curriculum vitae (diplomas, certificates of qualifications, statements proving professional experience, reports and other relevant elements)
  • Simple photocopy of the identification document or equivalent document

After the application has been validated by the relevant Services, no further documents may be submitted.

The aptitude test for taking a higher education course at the University of Algarve must include:

  • A test, which includes a specific component
  • Appreciation of the applicant’s educational and professional curriculum
  • An interview that aims to assess the applicant's motivations
+23

Tips

Learning success depends largely on how we organise our study

These tips can help you improve your academic performance, whether you are planning to take the test for those over 23, or simply want to be successful in your chosen course.

1. Organise and systematise the information you collect

  • Make essential data sheets and sort them by themes subjects, authors, etc.
  • Make lists of terms used in the discipline and look for a definition for them, so that you understand what is being talked about
  • Try to summarise what you read using your own words
  • Avoid limiting yourself to underlining study texts
  • Make notes in the margin of the texts and then copy them on to your worksheets
  • Take note of anything you are unsure of

2. Diversify your sources

Don't be dependent on a single book or website. It is good to have access to several perspectives, which complement each other and which together offer a more complete picture of what you are studying.

3. Be cautious with the internet

Not everything you read on the internet is scientifically reliable. Make sure that the site belongs to a reputable institution and offers guarantees of quality of the information provided.

4. Nurture doubt and curiosity

5. Enjoy silence: it helps you concentrate

6. Write about what you are studying
Writing requires us to organise ideas and make them clear. Additionally, it helps us to choose the most appropriate words, to know our limitations and to overcome them. And it is also a great exercise that will help you prepare for the tests for the over-23s.

7. Consult dictionaries and grammar books
Mastering the meaning of words and the organisation of a text is an essential skill for academic success.

8. Prepare for interviews
Before your interview, reflect on your professional experience, on your motivations, on the area of study in which you intend to invest your future and note down all these ideas. Find out a little more about the course and make sure you are on the right track. Review all this information before starting the interview.

9. Organise your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
There are various models of CV that you could use. The mandatory model under our regulations is the Europass one. Remind yourself of one very important thing: make sure you bring all your documents available that prove your qualifications, the training carried out, the courses you have attended, that is, the documentation that allows you to prove what you said on your CV.

10. Get ready for the test
If possible, attend one of our preparatory or ad-hoc courses in order to acquire and consolidate knowledge, in direct contact with those who are qualified to prepare you: our teaching staff.

Documentos

Regulamento para a avaliação de capacidade para frequência do ensino superior dos maiores de 23
Manual de instruções de candidatura online - passo a passo

See how you can apply for special application processes after taking the entrance exam for applicants aged 23 and over