“The Porto Academic Federation (FAP) has expressed its opposition to the increase in tuition fees in higher education, calling for a nominal freeze on prices for the next academic year,” as stated in an open letter to the government accessed by Lusa today.
The FAP’s stance follows the government’s announcement that the unfreezing of tuition fees will come into effect in 2026. This implies an annual increase of 13 euros, raising the current fee from 697 euros to 710 euros.
“The measure is inappropriate at a time when Portugal needs more graduates and a more qualified population,” argues the academic federation, emphasizing that “higher education should be viewed as the best public investment with guaranteed economic and social returns.”
If freezing tuition fees is not possible, the FAP requests at a minimum a “commitment to a real freeze, ensuring that the increase remains below the inflation rate throughout the legislature.”
The FAP suggests that the amount previously allocated to the salary bonus, widely known as tuition fee rebate, be redirected to structurally bolster social support, ensuring no student is excluded from higher education due to economic reasons.
Despite the 30-million-euro reinforcement in social support announced by the government, “the amount remains insufficient in light of the increasing demand and the rising cost of student living, particularly in housing,” warns the president of FAP, Francisco Porto.
The FAP urges the Government to adopt policies that promote equity in access and enhance the quality of higher education, highlighting that investment in education is “essential for the sustainable development of the country.”
Comprising Student Associations (AAEE) from various Higher Education Institutions in the Porto Metropolitan Area, originating from all existing higher education subsystems in Portugal, FAP, with 26 federated AAEE, represents over 60,000 students, as stated on the FAP’s website.
