Hundreds of higher education students from across the country gathered in Lisbon on Tuesday to protest against tuition fees and demand increased social support, despite heavy rain.
The protest was organized by the Student Associative Movement, which includes associations from dozens of higher education institutions, and commenced in the early afternoon.
By 3:15 PM, more than half an hour after the protest began and under intense rainfall, students marched from Rossio to the Assembly of the Republic, where the State Budget proposal for 2026 was being voted on.
“Tuition fees must end, not increase,” “Yes to scholarships, no to fees,” and “Everything increases, so does the struggle,” were some of the chants from the students. These are familiar slogans reflecting long-standing issues that students claim are exacerbated by the unfrozen tuition fees scheduled for the academic year 2025/2026.
The Minister of Education, Science, and Innovation has stated that tuition fees do not constitute the most significant cost associated with higher education and emphasized the Government’s priority to reinforce the social support system, but this policy does not convince students.
In addition to tuition fees, another major obstacle cited by the protesters is the cost of accommodation, with rents in Lisbon around 500 euros per month.
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