University of Coimbra - International Relations Unit

Arriving

Travelling to Coimbra

Legal Procedures in Portugal

Administrative Procedures at the International Office

Portuguese Language Courses

Living Costs

Finding your way in the University

Health Care

Travelling to Coimbra

Portugal makes part of the network of the major international airlines, so it is easy to find frequent and regular connections from all parts of the world. The airports nearer to Coimbra are located in Lisboa (190 km away) and in Porto (120 km away).

From Lisboa (Portela) International Airport

By train: you will need to catch a taxi to Lisboa Oriente railway station; the journey should take approximately 10 minutes and cost 5-8 Euros. Trains for Coimbra run every hour and you should expect the journey to take approximately 2 hours and cost 20 Euros.

There are two railway stations in Coimbra: Coimbra A– Estação Nova, “The New Station” and Coimbra-B – Estação Velha, “The Old Station”. All trains stop at Coimbra B. Once there, you should take a shuttle to Coimbra-A (your train ticket already includes this short trip). That will be the best choice, if you’re staying downtown looking for your accommodation or if you intent to come directly to the International Relations Unit.
In order to get to the International Relations Unit, you should take bus number 1A or number 103 (bus stops are very near to the Station). These buses will stop right at the University, near the Faculty of Medicine. When you step out, walk to Largo D. Dinis (large roundabout with a statue in the middle) and go to Colégio de São Jerónimo, 2nd floor.

If you prefer to take a taxi (this trip should not cost you more than 6 Euros), you should ask the driver to go to the University, Largo D. Dinis, taking the way of Rua de Aveiro (Aveiro Road). The International Relations Unit is in the 2nd floor of the Colégio de São Jerónimo.

CP - Train schedules

Aerobus and Aeroshuttle - Oriente Station --> Airport

By car: when leaving the airport you should take the A1 motorway to Coimbra and exit in Coimbra Sul. You should expect the journey to take 2 hours.

Driving in the A1 (the north-south highway), take the Coimbra Sul exit. After crossing the Mondego River, take the first exit to Coimbra-Centro. Drive 200m until you find a roundabout in Avenida Fernão de Magalhães (Fernão de Magalhães Avenue) and take left. Drive 200m until you find the traffic lights and then turn immediately to your right, you will be in Rua da Figueira da Foz (Figueira da Foz Street). Drive 200m and turn left to the ascending road, Rua de Aveiro (Aveiro Street), and then turn left to Rua Infante D. Henrique (Infante D. Henrique Street). Drive 300m and turn right, taking the descending road, Rua de Saragoça (Saragoça Street). Go down Rua de Saragoça (300m) and the Rua da Manutenção Militar (Manutenção Militar Street) and drive straight ahead until you find the traffic lights. You must then take the roundabout; turn left and go up the Avenida Sá da Bandeira (Sá da Bandeira Avenue). Drive up 500m to Praça da República (Republic Square) and turn right at the traffic lights next to Teatro Académico de Gil Vicente (Gil Vicente’s Academic Theatre) and go along Rua de Oliveira Matos (Oliveira Matos Street). At this point you should see the University Monumental Stairway, turn left to Rua Castro Matoso (Castro Matoso Street) until you meet the John Paul II roundabout. At this point you are facing the Arcos do Jardim old aqueduct, turn right to the University and when you arrive at the top of the road you will immediately be facing King D. Dinis statue in the roundabout (Largo D. Dinis) and with Colégio de São Jerónimo on your right. The International Relations Unit is in the 2nd floor of that building.

From Porto (Francisco Sá Carneiro) International Airport

By train: from Porto airport you will need to travel to Gare da Campanhã (the main train station in Porto). It is recommended that you travel to this station by taxi or underground. You will find taxis readily available at the front of the airport and the underground station as well. You should expect the journey to take approximately 30 minutes.
Several trains run from Porto to Coimbra daily. You should expect the journey to take 1 hour 30 minutes and cost around 15 Euros.

There are two railway stations in Coimbra: Coimbra A– Estação Nova, “The New Station” and Coimbra-B – Estação Velha, “The Old Station”. All trains stop at Coimbra B. Once there, you should take a shuttle to Coimbra-A (your train ticket already includes this short trip). That will be the best choice, if you’re staying downtown looking for your accommodation or if you intent to come directly to the International Relations Unit.
In order to get to the International Relations Unit, you should take bus number 1A or number 103 (bus stops are very near to the Station). These buses will stop right at the University, near the Faculty of Medicine. When you step out, walk to Largo D. Dinis (large roundabout with a statue in the middle) and go to Colégio de São Jerónimo, 2nd floor.

If you prefer to take a taxi (this trip should not cost you more than 6 Euros), you should ask the driver to go to the University, Largo D. Dinis, taking the way of Rua de Aveiro (Aveiro Road). The International Relations Unit is in the 2nd floor of the Colégio de São Jerónimo.

CP - Train schedules

By car: when leaving the airport you should take the A1 motorway to Coimbra and exit at Coimbra Norte. You should expect the journey to take 1h 15m.

Driving in the A1 (the north-south highway), take the Coimbra Norte exit. After crossing the Mondego River, take the first exit to Coimbra-Centro. Drive 200m until you find a roundabout in Avenida Fernão de Magalhães (Fernão de Magalhães Avenue) and take left. Drive 200m until you find the traffic lights and then turn immediately to your right, you will be in Rua da Figueira da Foz (Figueira da Foz Street). Drive 200m and turn left to the ascending road, Rua de Aveiro (Aveiro Street), and then turn left to Rua Infante D. Henrique (Infante D. Henrique Street). Drive 300m and turn right, taking the descending road, Rua de Saragoça (Saragoça Street). Go down Rua de Saragoça (300m) and the Rua da Manutenção Militar (Manutenção Militar Street) and drive straight ahead until you find the traffic lights. You must then take the roundabout; turn left and go up the Avenida Sá da Bandeira (Sá da Bandeira Avenue). Drive up 500m to Praça da República (Republic Square) and turn right at the traffic lights next to Teatro Académico de Gil Vicente (Gil Vicente’s Academic Theatre) and go along Rua de Oliveira Matos (Oliveira Matos Street). At this point you should see the University Monumental Stairway, turn left to Rua Castro Matoso (Castro Matoso Street) until you meet the John Paul II roundabout. At this point you are facing the Arcos do Jardim old aqueduct, turn right to the University and when you arrive at the top of the road you will immediately be facing King D. Dinis statue in the roundabout (Largo D. Dinis) and with Colégio de São Jerónimo on your right. The International Relations Unit is in the 2nd floor of that building

Legal Procedures in Portugal

The non European citizens that enter our country through a border with no police supervision are bound to declare that fact with our local authorities within three days!

If you fly to Portugal, please make sure to register your entrance with local Policeman controlling arrivals (Customers Service). The declaration of entry must be delivered to SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras), within the terms established by administrative rule of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

If you neglect this, you will have to pay a fine!

Administrative Procedures at the International Office

1- Upon arrival, students should go the International Relations Unit (DRI) and bring with them the following:

Letter of Acceptance and Learning Agreement
ID card/ Passport (if you are not an EU citizen)
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a private medical insurance (if you are not an EU citizen)
Visa (compulsory for non-EU citizens, even for three months of studies)
Operational email for urgent contacts
20 EUR to pay for school tax enrolment
Two photos

1.2- DRI will ask students to:

Fill in a Data Form [your name in the University will always be as it is in your Passport];
Meet with the local departmental coordinator(s) to fill in a document with the course units they will attend here, according to the Learning Agreement;
Go to the Foreigners’ Office (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) to get a Residence Permit;

2- Within the time limit of 1 month, after the 1.2 step, students have to email to DRI using dri_incoming@uc.pt:

The document with course units filled and duly signed by the coordinator(s);
Copy of the Residence Permit issued by the Foreigners’ Office;

3- Student Card
DRI will email you back to inform you that your official enrolment is complete and that you may come to our office to pick up your student card, and access the web platform NONIO to enrol in classes.

Deadlines to make changes to the Learning Agreement:
December 17 for the 1st semester
May 17 for the 2nd semester

Students attending one trimester should complete 20 ECTS credits; one semester, 30 ECTS credits and one year, 60 ECTS credits.

Useful Addresses

Loja do Cidadão
Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras [Foreigners’ Office]
Av. Fernão Magalhães
1.º Andar
COIMBRA
[open from 8:30 a.m. till 7 p.m.]

Serviços de Acção Social
Serviço de Alojamento [Accommodation Services]
Rua Oliveira Matos nº 27 | 3000-305 Coimbra
Phone: +351.239.101.282 E-mail: alojamentos@sas.uc.pt
[open from 9:30 a.m. till 11:30 and from 2:30p.m. till 4:30 p.m.]
GPS: N 40.209585º W 8.422587º

Portuguese Language Courses

Language of instruction

The majority of course units are conducted in Portuguese. Although there is a number of course units offered in English; and in some cases, exchange students make arrangements with lecturers in order to be allowed to do examinations or submit assignments in English (or in another language, if both parts know it). Modern Language studies are usually medium-taught (in Portuguese, English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish or Italian).

The Faculty of Sciences and Technology usually offers complete master courses in English in the fields of Ecology, Cell Biology and Software Engineering; and a doctoral programme in the field of Information Technology.

Language requirements

As you can see from above it is very important that students have a good knowledge of the Portuguese language. Therefore, they are advised to attend the Intensive Language Preparation Course at the beginning of the months of September and February. The course may not be free of charge for exchange students.

In the academic year of 2011/2012, the University of Coimbra organises also the Portuguese ERASMUS Intensive Language Courses (EILC).

Besides EILC, there will be a number of Portuguese Language and Culture Courses running at the Faculty of Letters at the beginning of each semester and during the year.

Learn more at http://www.uc.pt/fluc/ensino/cpe

Living Costs

You should need between 200 and 300€/month for renting a room;

If you take your meals at the University canteens you should spend around 300€/month in meals;

If you use public transportation you can buy a monthly ticket that costs 35€;

Depending on the courses and the required learning material (photocopies, technical books, dictionaries, etc.), you can spend 75 to 150€.

Please note that these prices are merely indicative.

Finding your way in the University

The University comprises three campuses, named “pólos”. At Coimbra’s plateau, there is Pólo I, the historical centre of the University, where we can find the Rectorate, the Administration, the Faculties of Law, Letters, Pharmacy, Medicine, Psychology and Educational Sciences, the General Library, the Archive and the Botanical Garden. Pólo I includes also several departments of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology (Anthropology, Architecture, Biochemistry, Botany, Earth Sciences, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Zoology), museums, colleges, canteens, residences and many other facilities.

At Pólo II, in the right bank of river Mondego, located in Pinhal de Marrocos, are the departments of Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology (Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Informatics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering), the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, canteens, residences and other research units.

At Pólo III, we have the Hospitals of the University of Coimbra and the Health Sciences Campus with the new buildings of the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, one student residence, one canteen, as well as a series of research centres and other facilities useful in the students’ daily life.

Besides these three pólos, there are more two Faculties that are part of the University, namely the Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, in the left bank of river Mondego, at the Pavilion III of the University Stadium, and the Faculty of Economics, in the uptown area, at Casa dos Limas.

Link to University Campuses

Health Care

The University Welfare Services provide all registered students a wide variety of services, for instance, medical assistance at the Medical Centre, Pólo I, Rua Oliveira Matos, nº1 e 2, 3000 COIMBRA, tel.: 239 851720.

In town, there are other health care facilities, namely hospitals:

Pharmacies in Coimbra