The controversy surrounding the alleged facilitated access to the Medicine course at the University of Porto is currently under investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The issue erupted after it was reported that António Sousa Pereira, the university’s rector, claimed to have received pressure to admit candidates to the Faculty of Medicine who had not achieved the minimum required score.
The Minister of Education quickly reacted, dismissing the allegations as “false.”
It has now been confirmed that the Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the access process to the Medicine course in Porto. A source from the Public Prosecutor’s Office verified the existence of an inquiry related to the matter.
The Rector’s office confirmed that the university filed a complaint with judicial authorities after receiving information that might constitute criminal activities.
The Controversy
The controversy began when the Rector of Porto alleged “pressures” to facilitate entrance into Medicine. According to the rector, the Minister of Education, Fernando Alexandre, had shown willingness to create extra places for 30 students who did not meet the minimum entry requirements during a special access competition for graduates.
Subsequently, Minister Fernando Alexandre issued a statement calling the accusation “false” and firmly denied exerting any pressure on the rector to admit unqualified candidates.
Later, in a press conference, the minister accused the rector of lying about the phone conversation, stating, “The principal of one of our country’s most important institutions lied publicly about a telephone conversation with a member of the Portuguese government, accusing me of pressuring him to commit an illegality.”
The exchange of accusations between the Ministry of Education and the University of Porto’s Rectorate dominates the current Friday news, with alleged pressures to admit tens of students against the Ministry’s denial that such events occurred.
António Sousa Pereira refuted the minister’s claims in a statement, stressing that he never mentioned Minister Fernando Alexandre by name, only “pressures from various influential people with access to power.”
“Any further clarification will be provided solely to the entities involved in this process,” the statement concluded.
30 Students Received Emails
Thirty individuals received emails from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto stating they had been admitted to the Medicine degree program, although these emails were not approved by the Rector as required by law.
A University of Porto Rectorate source reported receiving a denunciation containing “new facts” concerning the case of the 30 candidates, which were submitted to the Public Prosecutor as legally obligated.
“We confirm that last Friday, September 12, the Rectorate of the University of Porto submitted a report to the Public Prosecutor and the Inspectorate-General of Education and Science concerning the Special Access Competition for Bachelor Degree Holders of the Faculty of Medicine of U. Porto for the academic year 2025/2026,” stated a written response sent today.
An official source from the Rectorate stated that the submission, made in compliance with legal obligations, was prompted by a denunciation containing new elements that could suggest criminal indicators connected to the mentioned administrative procedure.
The Rectorate of the University of Porto will refrain from further comments while the Public Prosecutor’s investigation is ongoing.
Minister’s Hearing Requested
In light of the case, the controversy will be addressed in parliament, with requests to summon the Minister of Education, Fernando Alexandre, and the Rector of the University of Porto. According to reports, Francisco Fernandes, the president of the academic federation, will be heard on October 23.
The situation prompted the Porto Academic Federation and student associations at the University of Porto to urgently call an Academic Senate meeting, held behind closed doors, to hear from the Rectorate and the Faculty of Medicine’s direction.
A contact with an official source from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto today sought conclusions from Wednesday’s Scientific Council meeting where lowering the minimum grade from 14 to 10 was discussed to diversify student profiles, though no response was received yet.
[Updated at 12h49]
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