Master's in Litigation and Arbitration

Settle with creativity

Presentation

The Master in Litigation and Arbitration is the appropriate choice for lawyers who intend to pursue a career as dispute resolution counsels or as judges.

The course prepares future judges and lawyers for the national exams for the ‘Centro de Estudos Judiciários’, and the Portuguese Bar. Furthermore, master students will broaden their legal knowledge in essential fields of both national and international law.

The Degree includes a strong component of Alternative Dispute Resolution methods, such as arbitration and mediation; essential skills for a modern dispute resolution practitioner. Relevance given to the training of Oral Advocacy and the English language (five courses are taught in English) is also a strong feature of this Master. Finally, the limited number of places fosters proximity between professors and students, with a specific focus on the individual path of each student.

This Master is mainly taught in Portuguese.

Coordination

Frederico de Lacerda da Costa Pinto

João Pedro
Pinto-Ferreira

Scientific Commission

President: Mariana França Gouveia | Board Members: Frederico de Lacerda da Costa Pinto (taught component) | João Pedro Pinto-Ferreira (research phase)

Goals

The Master in Litigation and Arbitration prepares students to be at the forefront of modern dispute resolution. Not only will Master’s students be able to deepen their knowledge in core areas of the traditional legal professions but also and equally relevant, they will be trained to deal with new knowledge, new realities and to create new solutions for emerging legal issues. The students qualified in this Master will have the skills to tackle the challenges the modern world presents to dispute resolution practitioners in secure but innovative ways.

Target Applicant

Students with a bachelor’s in law who intend to pursue a career as dispute resolution lawyers or judges or who intend to work as mediators or in arbitration, as in-house counsels of companies.

Timetable

This course is taught during working hours*.

*Some Optional Curricular Units may have schedules that do not match the timetable of the course

Certification

Study CycleDegreeA3ES DecisionNumber of YearsPublication of the A3ES decisionDGES registration numberPublication in Diário da República

Litigation and Arbitration

Master

accredited

4

R/A-Cr 258/2015/AL04

Order n.º 115/2017 of 3 March 2017 and Study Plan

Testimonials

When I hear reference to the course, it is often with respect to the specific training offered in advocacy and judiciary. That was the main reason that led me to choose this course, a course to be noted. However, it is not the only reason why today I know it was the right choice (I say this from the perspective of the judiciary, but also with reference to advocacy). It was the right choice because of the Professors, who, with a wide range of professional backgrounds, took on the mission of leading us in the first steps of moving from academic to professional life, often posing challenges for which only later we would find ourselves prepared. It was similar for the course contents, whose selection was not always evident, but sooner or later proved appropriate. The course is imbued with Nova’s spirit of openness, proximity and practice. The Master in Litigation and Arbitration has a wide range of paths and objectives, and has proven to fulfil its purpose: to help us open doors to becoming professional and valuable.
Beatriz Albergaria Gonçalves
1st Place in the National Exam to CEJ of 2019
At NOVA School of Law I had the opportunity to learn from excellent lawyers, judges and academics in a practical, close-knit environment. The Master's in Litigation and Arbitration combines this environment with an extremely thorough academic training, providing its students with all the necessary tools to face the dreaded OA or CEJ exams successfully and without fear. For all these reasons, if I was already confident in my choice when I chose the Master's degree, I know today, with the successful completion of the Bar Internship and a few years of practical experience, that I could not have made a better choice.
Lua Mota Santos
Lawyer at Rogério Alves & Associados
The Master's in Litigation and Arbitration is the right preparation for those who wish to enter the legal profession. The advantages are many: when the teaching staff combine the excellence of the Academy with the valuable teaching of leading professionals from the legal and judicial professions, the curriculum offers effective contact with these professions - I remember with great happiness, for example, the classes at the Central Civil Court of Lisbon, - and this provides a wide range of possibilities, starting with selecting the branch of specialisation and ending with the option of replacing the traditional dissertation with an internship in legal institutions.
João Ferreira Duarte
Trainee Lawyer at PLMJ
The Master’s in Litigation and Arbitration offers a flexible, international and future-driven program. With particular emphasis on the development of soft skills, it is the practical component of the Master’s that makes the difference: in particular, the possibility of replacing the traditional thesis with an internship or, in my case, project work. The opportunity to represent NOVA in one of the largest international competitions in the area of Litigation and Arbitration is an example of this innovative and refreshing approach, that taught me to look at law from a new perspective, for which I will always be grateful. Today I have no doubt that the Master’s degree at NOVA was a turning point in my career, offering me the guidance I needed in the transition from my academic to professional life.
Carolina Apolo Roque
Trainee Lawyer at CMS Rui Pena & Arnaut
I chose the Master's in Litigation and Arbitration for three main reasons, which were confirmed throughout the course: the practical focus, the international perspective and the multidisciplinary nature. The classes, especially in the branch of Advocacy, help us to develop valuable soft skills in the legal world and include activities such as oral debates, writing procedural documents, mock trials, moot courts and mediation sessions. Students also have the opportunity to attend courses taught in English by renowned foreign professors. Finally, the curriculum is flexible and covers various areas of law, always in the context of dispute resolution. All of this has undoubtedly provided me with the necessary preparation to face the daily challenges of being a professional in this field.
Luísa Donini Leite
Litigation and Arbitration Lawyer

Curricular Plan

+ 2024/2025

Taught Component

The taught component consists of 60 ECTS, of which 30 ECTS are mandatory (1st semester/common core).

From 2024/25, students will need to approve the curricular component with, at least 13,50 points out of 20 (13,5/20) to be able to enrol in the research phase (2nd year of the course).

Completion of the curricular component (60 ECTS), with any positive grade, grants the award of a Diploma in Postgraduate Studies in Litigation and Arbitration.

1st Semester ECTS
Mandatory
Introdução à Mediação* 8
Prática Processual Civil 6
Insolvência 4
Introdução à Arbitragem 4
Providências Cautelares 4
Recursos Civis 4

In the 2nd semester (depending on the choice of specialization):

Advocacy/Law: 14 ECTS of mandatory courses; 8 ECTS of restrictive optional courses listed above; 8 ECTS of free option courses listed here or, alternatively, choose from any Master’s course taught at NOVA School of Law (subject to availability).

Magistracy: 22 ECTS of mandatory subjects in the Magistracy specialization; 4 ECTS of restrictive optional courses listed above; 4 ECTS of free option courses listed here or, as an alternative, choose from any master’s programme taught at NOVA School of Law (subject to availability).

2nd Semester ECTS

Advocacy/Law

Mandatory
Moot Courts 4
Oralidade na Advocacia 4
Processo Civil Europeu 4
Short-term Advocacy Internship 2
Optional
Mediação – Técnicas e Processo* 8
Direito Processual do Trabalho 6
Direito Penal Económico 6
Processo Penal Especial 6
Direito das Contraordenações 6
Direito Civil Avançado 4
Direito da Família e da Criança 4
Argumentação Jurídica 4
Free Option
Metodologia de Investigação Jurídica 6
2nd Semester ECTS

Magistracy

Mandatory
Processo Penal Especial 6
Direito Civil Avançado 4
Direito da Família e da Criança 4
Direito Penal Avançado 4
Simulação de Exames de Acesso ao CEJ 4
Optional
Mediação – Técnicas e Processo* 8
Direito Processual do Trabalho 6
Direito Penal Económico 6
Direito das Contraordenações 6
Processo Civil Europeu 4
Argumentação Jurídica 4
Free Option
Metodologia de Investigação Jurídica 6

*The successful completion of both curricular units, fulfilling the minimum requirement of class attendance, represents certified training, giving access to the list of certified mediators of the Ministry of Justice.

3rd Semester – ResearchECTS
Mandatory
Dissertation, internship at national or international institution or project work.30

+ 2025/2026

Taught Component

The taught component consists of 60 ECTS, of which 30 ECTS are mandatory (1st semester/common core).

From 2024/25, students will need to approve the curricular component with, at least 13,50 points out of 20 (13,5/20) to be able to enrol in the research phase (2nd year of the course).

Completion of the curricular component (60 ECTS), with any positive grade, grants the award of a Diploma in Postgraduate Studies in Litigation and Arbitration.

1st Semester ECTS
Mandatory
Introdução à Mediação* 8
Prática Processual Civil 6
Insolvência 4
Introduction to Arbitration 4
Providências Cautelares 4
Recursos Civis 4

In the 2nd semester (depending on the choice of specialization):

Advocacy/Law: 14 ECTS of mandatory courses; 8 ECTS of restrictive optional courses listed above; 8 ECTS of free option courses listed here or, alternatively, choose from any Master’s course taught at NOVA School of Law (subject to availability).

Magistracy: 22 ECTS of mandatory subjects in the Magistracy specialization; 4 ECTS of restrictive optional courses listed above; 4 ECTS of free option courses listed here or, as an alternative, choose from any master’s programme taught at NOVA School of Law (subject to availability).

2nd Semester ECTS

Advocacy/Law

Mandatory
Moot Courts 4
Oralidade na Advocacia 4
Processo Civil Europeu 4
Short-term Advocacy Internship 2
Optional
Mediação – Técnicas e Processo* 8
Direito Processual do Trabalho 6
Direito Penal Económico 6
Processo Penal Especial 6
Direito das Contraordenações 6
Direito Civil Avançado 4
Direito da Família e da Criança 4
Argumentação Jurídica 4
Free Option
Metodologia de Investigação Jurídica 6
International Commercial Law 6
Resolução de Litígios Administrativos 6
International Commercial Arbitration 4
2nd Semester ECTS

Magistracy

Mandatory
Processo Penal Especial 6
Direito Civil Avançado 4
Direito da Família e da Criança 4
Direito Penal Avançado 4
Simulação de Exames de Acesso ao CEJ 4
Optional
Mediação – Técnicas e Processo* 8
Direito Processual do Trabalho 6
Direito Penal Económico 6
Direito das Contraordenações 6
Processo Civil Europeu 4
Free Option
Metodologia de Investigação Jurídica 6
International Commercial Law 6
Resolução de Litígios Administrativos 6
International Commercial Arbitration 4

*Successful completion of both curricular units, with the minimum attendance requirement met, constitutes certified training, giving access to the Ministry of Justice’s list of certified mediators. The number of places on the Mediation – Techniques and Process course is 50 students, with preference given to students enrolled on the Introduction to Mediation course who are in a position to obtain certification.

3rd Semester – ResearchECTS
Mandatory
Dissertation, internship at national or international institution or project work.30
Objectives and Structure of the Curricular Units

Tuition Fees

 

In master’s degrees and doctorates, the tuition fee for part-time students corresponds to 65% of the tuition fee owed by full-time students.

In master’s degrees and doctorates, the tuition fee for part-time students corresponds to 65% of the tuition fee owed by full-time students.

*Tuition fees as deliberated by the General Council on 14 December 2022
**Applicable only if the course is not terminated inside the established deadline

Reading of this information does not exempt consultation of the full documentation regarding fees, emoluments and taxes for the academic year in question.

Tuition fees are annual and due in full upon enrolment in the course. Payment in instalments is allowed for students’ mere convenience.

In the case of withdrawal from the course, the amounts already paid are not refundable. The remaining tuition fee payments due for the academic year of the application must also be paid.

Refund of the tuition fee is only possible where the previous course has not been completed by September, and is conditioned by its completion. In this case, the applicant must give proof of the situation through a declaration from the home institution, before the end of September. Amounts other than tuition fees (fees, school insurance and administrative costs) are not refundable.

Payments must be made via Visa, PayPal, MBWay or Multibanco payments, through NetPA. The system validates payments in a few minutes, maximum. Failure to pay tuition fees within the time limits indicated results in an increase in the amount to be settled and/or the suspension of enrolment and registration, as well as the invalidity of all curricular acts practised in the academic year in which the payment dates are not respected.

Payment by instalments


Annual tuition fees for the taught component

The annual tuition fees for the taught component can be paid in 10 instalments

  • 10 instalments: 1st instalment of 20% of the total amount paid at the time of enrolment, and the remaining amount in 9 instalments paid between the 1st and 10th of the months of September to May.

Tuition fees of the Research Phase
Tuition fees for the Research Phasecan be paid in 5 instalments.

  • 5 instalments: 1st installment of 20% of the total amount paid upon registration; and the remaining amount divided into 4 instalments of equal value, paid between the 1st and 10th of November, January, February, and March.

Tuition fee for an additional Research Phase semester
Addiotional semester tuition fees for the Research Phasecan be paid in 4 instalments.

  • 4 instalments: 25% of the total amount paid at registration, remaining instalments:
      • 1st semester: between the 1st and 10th (October, November, January);
      • 2nd semester: between the 1st and 10th (March, April, May).

Fee for the extension of Deadline of delivery of the Research Phase:
Fees are paid in full at the time of registration.

Merit Awards

The number of awards is established annually by the Board of NOVA School of Law. Merit Awards are awarded to:

  • Candidates whose final average admission to a 2nd study cycle at NOVA School of Law, according to assessment and ranking by the appropriate jury, is equal to or higher than 17,00 points (on a scale of 0/20) and who enrol and attend the same course, benefit from a monetary award corresponding to 50% of the due tuition fee for the taught component of the Master’s degree.
  • Candidates whose final average admission to a 2nd study cycle at NOVA School of Law, according to assessment and ranking by the appropriate jury, is equal to or higher than 16,00 points and lower than 17 (on a scale of 0/20) and who enrol and attend the same course, benefit from amonetary award corresponding to 30% of the due tuition fee for the taught component of the Master’s degree.

In the research phase, three prizes for academic merit are awarded (by master’s degree or area of specialization, in the case of the Master’s Degree in Law). These awards assume the completion of the taught component within the stipulated time.

  • The best student of the taught component of each study cycle or specialization area of a study cycle, resident in Portugal, who continues and attends the Research Phase benefits from a monetary award corresponding to 100% of the tuition fee due for the Research Phase phase of the Master’s degree;
  • The second-best student of the taught component of each study cycle or specialization area of a study cycle who continues and attends the Research Phase , resident in Portugal, benefits from a monetary award corresponding to 60% of the tuition fee due for the Research Phase phase of the Master’s degree;
  • The third-best student of the taught component of each study cycle or specialization area of a study cycle who continues and attends the Research Phase of the Master’s degree, resident in Portugal, benefits from a monetary award corresponding to 40% of the tuition fee due for the Research Phase phase of the Master’s degree.

Scholarships for Access to Study Cycles at NOVA University Lisbon

The Scholarships for Access to Study Cycles are available to students of the three study cycles, being students of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, nationals or stateless persons, foreigners with tax residence in Portugal or with refugee status, who are in a situation of financial need and who do not benefit from the scholarships awarded by the Directorate-General for Higher Education, or whose value proves to be insufficient.

Full scholarship details here.

José Neves Foundation Grant

This course is eligible for the José Neves Foundation ISA scholarship programme. Find out more information here.

Emoluments/Charges and Taxes Fees

  • Application fee: 51.00€
  • Administrative costs per registration/enrolment (each year): 35.00€
  • Institution insurance (each year): 3.00€
  • Registration Certificate: 6.00 €
  • Improvement grade exam: 15.00 €/enrolement
  • Conclusion Certificate: 50€
 

In master’s degrees and doctorates, the tuition fee for part-time students corresponds to 65% of the tuition fee owed by full-time students.

In master’s degrees and doctorates, the tuition fee for part-time students corresponds to 65% of the tuition fee owed by full-time students.

*Tuition fees as deliberated by the General Council on 14 December 2022
**Applicable only if the course is not terminated inside the established deadline

Reading of this information does not exempt consultation of the full documentation regarding fees, emoluments and taxes for the academic year in question.

Tuition fees are annual and due in full upon enrolment in the course. Payment in instalments is allowed for students’ mere convenience.

In the case of withdrawal from the course, the amounts already paid are not refundable. The remaining tuition fee payments due for the academic year of the application must also be paid.

Refund of the tuition fee is only possible where the previous course has not been completed by September, and is conditioned by its completion. In this case, the applicant must give proof of the situation through a declaration from the home institution, before the end of September. Amounts other than tuition fees (fees, school insurance and administrative costs) are not refundable.

Payments must be made via Visa, PayPal, MBWay or Multibanco payments, through NetPA. The system validates payments in a few minutes, maximum. Failure to pay tuition fees within the time limits indicated results in an increase in the amount to be settled and/or the suspension of enrolment and registration, as well as the invalidity of all curricular acts practised in the academic year in which the payment dates are not respected.

Payment by instalments


Annual tuition fees for the taught component

The annual tuition fees for the taught component can be paid in 10 instalments

  • 10 instalments: 1st instalment of 20% of the total amount paid at the time of enrolment, and the remaining amount in 9 instalments paid between the 1st and 10th of the months of September to May.

Tuition fees of the Research Phase
Tuition fees for the Research Phasecan be paid in 5 instalments.

  • 5 instalments: 1st installment of 20% of the total amount paid upon registration; and the remaining amount divided into 4 instalments of equal value, paid between the 1st and 10th of November, January, February, and March.

Tuition fee for an additional Research Phase semester
Addiotional semester tuition fees for the Research Phasecan be paid in 4 instalments.

  • 4 instalments: 25% of the total amount paid at registration, remaining instalments:
      • 1st semester: between the 1st and 10th (October, November, January);
      • 2nd semester: between the 1st and 10th (March, April, May).

Fee for the extension of Deadline of delivery of the Research Phase:
Fees are paid in full at the time of registration.

Merit Awards

The number of awards is established annually by the Board of NOVA School of Law. Merit Awards are awarded to:

  • Candidates whose final average admission to a 2nd study cycle at NOVA School of Law, according to assessment and ranking by the appropriate jury, is equal to or higher than 17,00 points (on a scale of 0/20) and who enrol and attend the same course, benefit from a monetary award corresponding to 50% of the due tuition fee for the taught component of the Master’s degree.
  • Candidates whose final average admission to a 2nd study cycle at NOVA School of Law, according to assessment and ranking by the appropriate jury, is equal to or higher than 16,00 points and lower than 17 (on a scale of 0/20) and who enrol and attend the same course, benefit from amonetary award corresponding to 30% of the due tuition fee for the taught component of the Master’s degree.

In the research phase, three prizes for academic merit are awarded (by master’s degree or area of specialization, in the case of the Master’s Degree in Law). These awards assume the completion of the taught component within the stipulated time.

  • The best student of the taught component of each study cycle or specialization area of a study cycle, resident in Portugal, who continues and attends the Research Phase benefits from a monetary award corresponding to 100% of the tuition fee due for the Research Phase phase of the Master’s degree;
  • The second-best student of the taught component of each study cycle or specialization area of a study cycle who continues and attends the Research Phase , resident in Portugal, benefits from a monetary award corresponding to 60% of the tuition fee due for the Research Phase phase of the Master’s degree;
  • The third-best student of the taught component of each study cycle or specialization area of a study cycle who continues and attends the Research Phase of the Master’s degree, resident in Portugal, benefits from a monetary award corresponding to 40% of the tuition fee due for the Research Phase phase of the Master’s degree.

Scholarships for Access to Study Cycles at NOVA University Lisbon

The Scholarships for Access to Study Cycles are available to students of the three study cycles, being students of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, nationals or stateless persons, foreigners with tax residence in Portugal or with refugee status, who are in a situation of financial need and who do not benefit from the scholarships awarded by the Directorate-General for Higher Education, or whose value proves to be insufficient.

Full scholarship details here.

José Neves Foundation Grant

This course is eligible for the José Neves Foundation ISA scholarship programme. Find out more information here.

Emoluments/Charges and Taxes Fees

  • Application fee: 51.00€
  • Administrative costs per registration/enrolment (each year): 35.00€
  • Institution insurance (each year): 3.00€
  • Registration Certificate: 6.00 €
  • Improvement grade exam: 15.00 €/enrolement
  • Conclusion Certificate: 50€

Applications

Important Notice to All Prospective Students

NOVA School of Law wishes to inform all prospective students that we do not employ or authorize any representatives, agents, or intermediaries for admissions, application processing, or fee payments.
Our only partner is Keystone, but exclusively as a provider of information to prospective students. All applications, registrations, and payments must be handled directly by the candidate with the School’s Applications and Academic Services.
Please be aware of potential scams, especially those targeting international students, where third parties claim to facilitate the admissions and VISA process for a fee. These claims are false and unauthorized.
All applications are received through our official portal, and assessed according to their merit, taking into account the selection criteria defined by the scientific committees.
For your safety and to ensure a legitimate application process, always communicate directly with the School’s Applications and Academic Services through our official contact channels, by e-mail or telephone (+351 21 384 74 00).
We do not accept any liability for losses incurred due to interactions with unauthorized third parties.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation

2025/2026

General course information

  • Duration: 3 semesters
  • Number of ECTS: 90
  • Number of places: 45
  • Teaching language: Mainly taught in Portuguese

Admission requirements

Applications will be accepted from:

  • Holders of a bachelor’s degree in law or legal equivalent, with a mention of the final average.*
  • Holders of a certificate of completion of a bachelor’s degree in Law obtained at a Higher Education Establishment in countries that subscribe to the Bologna Declaration and others considered similar, taking into account the respective curricular structure, with a mention of the final average.
  • Holders of a foreign higher academic degree that is recognised as satisfying the objectives of the degree of Bachelor in Law by the competent scientific body of NOVA School of Law, with a mention of the final average.

For bachelor degree finalists:

  • Conditional applications are accepted from students who can demonstrate that they will be able to complete their degree by September 2025.

Applicants who are required to complete their degree must present:

  • A formal statement from the educational institution where they are enrolled, showing all subjects they have completed, their final grade and their current average grade. This document must also state the expected date for the completion of the program. Without this official document from the institution of origin, signed and stamped, the final grade awarded will be of 10/20 points. Print screens from academic portals are not accepted.

NOVA School of Law students do not need to attach this document. The current average will be validated by the Academic Service according to the information available in the system at the time the application is validated.

Current finalist averages will be granted to the closest whole number to their current grade.

*Failure to prove the final classification of the Academic Degree in the terms mentioned above will result in the final classification of 10 points being awarded for the purposes of the application process

Selection and Ranking Criteria

Applications are ranked according to the score obtained in the selection process, based on individual merit. The following criteria are taken into account:

  • Final grade in the degree course you are applying for (50%);
  • Relevance and suitability of previous experience for the master’s course (50%) – the jury will give each candidate a score on a scale of 0 to 20, based on an analysis of the letter of motivation and curriculum vitae, and the members of the jury may decide to hold interviews with all or some of the candidates. These interviews can be held online during the week of 10 to 14 March 2025, and each candidate will receive a notice to this effect in the email address used for the application.
  • Elements to be valued:
      • For post-Bologna law graduates, a degree corresponding to at least 240 ECTS; marks obtained in the degree subjects most relevant to the Master’s Course (areas of Civil Law and Criminal Law);
      • Professional experience, in particular attendance of internships at law firms, courts or similar institutions;
      • Other indicators of competences relevant to the Master’s programme, such as merit awards;
      • Participation in international competitions;
      • Fluency in English.

Candidates assessed with a mark lower than 9.5 will be automatically excluded.

Application process

Submission of applications:

https://netpa.novalaw.unl.pt/cssnet/page

The application must be accompanied by the following elements:

  • Motivation letter;
  • Curriculum vitae (European model);
  • Copy of the certificate of completion of the course(s); candidates with foreign qualifications must send transcripts showing the coefficient of performance or a statement with the final average of the degree, as well as the grading scale used in the country of origin of the course. Diplomas that are not presented in Portuguese, English, French or Spanish must be accompanied by a translation certified by the relevant authorities (the grade will be converted to the Portuguese scale in accordance with DGES criteria, rounded up to the nearest whole number);
  • Proof of Tax ID Number, where applicable;
  • Proof of ID;
  • In the case of an International Student **, a declaration, sworn on honour, in which the candidate declares that he/she does not have Portuguese nationality, nor is covered by any of the exceptions in Article 2(2) of Regulation no. 687/2020, of 20 August, which, under the terms of Decree-Law no. 36/2014, of 10 March, excludes him/her from the status of International Student – model Declaration of honour | International Student;
  • For applications for the national student scheme whose applicants present an identification document with a nationality other than Portuguese or EU, a declaration on honour that the applicant has Portuguese nationality or is covered by one of the exceptions in Article 2(2) of Regulation no. 687/2020 of 20 August, which, under the terms of Decree-Law no. 36/2014 of 10 March, excludes him/her from International Student status – model Declaration of Honour;
  • Applicants who are required to complete their degree must send a statement from the educational institution where they are currently enrolled, showing all subjects they have completed, their final grade and their current average grade. This document must also state the expected date of completion of the program. Without this official document from the institution of origin, signed and stamped, the degree mark awarded will be 10/20 points. Print screens from academic portals are not accepted.
    NOVA School of Law students do not need to attach this document. The current average will be validated by the Academic Service according to the information available in the system at the time the application is validated.
  • After submitting the application, candidates must pay the fee according to the designated references (€51, which can be paid via Multibanco, MB way, Paypal or Visa). The application will only be sent for assessment once payment has been made.

Applications that are not accompanied by all the documents, or for which the application fee has not been paid, will be rejected outright.

** For the purposes of the provisions of Decree-Law no. 36/2014, of 10 March, amended by Decree-Law no. 113/2014, of 16 July and republished under the terms of Decree-Law no. 62/2018, of 6 August, an international student will be those who meet the conditions described at https://novalaw.unl.pt/candidatos-internacionais.

Optional documents

Candidates may submit a request for accreditation of academic training and professional experience obtained prior to entering the study cycle. Accreditation processes take into account the level of credits corresponding to previous training, and under no circumstances will accreditation be allowed for further studies in a study cycle for training undertaken as part of a study cycle at a lower level of qualification. For the purposes of accreditation, the candidate must fill in a specific form and attach all the relevant documentation. When the request for accreditation is made at the time of application, accreditation is not a sufficient condition for admission to the study cycle and only takes effect after admission and only in that same study cycle.

Important information about documentation

Whenever the above-mentioned documents are issued in a language other than Spanish, French, English or Portuguese, you must provide a translation of them, accordingly. The translations must be duly certified by relevant authorities. Otherwise, the applications will be rejected.

If there are any inquiries about the documents presented, particularly in the case of documents obtained abroad, recognition may be requested by the local Portuguese consular agent and/or legalised by the Apostille system under the terms of the Convention on the Abolition of the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Acts (better known as the Hague Convention), signed in The Hague on 5 October 1961, with the exception of documents issued by Higher Education Institutions in European Union countries.

Deadline for the submission of the course completion certificate, according to the point “Copy of the course completion certificate(s)” for successful candidates: 30 September 2025.

Deadlines 1st phase

  • Applications: 03 to 28 February 2025
  • Publication of results: By 31 March 2025
  • Registration: From 09 to 17 April 2025

Application fees

The application fee is €51 (fifty-one euros) and will not be refunded if the application is rejected or not selected. This information does not dispense with consulting the 2025/26 tuition fees notice, available on the NOVA School of Law website, as well as the NOVA fees table applicable for the current academic year.

For more information on tuition fees candidates should consult the NOVA School of Law’s Regulations on Tuition Fees, Fees and Emoluments

Applications through the NOVA School of Law applications portal.

Readmissions

Readmission is the act by which a student, after interruption of studies in an institution/course of higher education, enrols in the same institution and in the same course or in the updated version of the course.

Requirements:

Students who can apply for readmission to any cycle of studies:

  • Must have already been enrolled at NOVA School of Law, in the same course in which they are already registered, without having completed it;
  • Must not have been enrolled in that course in the previous academic year to the one in which they intend to be readmitted to;
  • Those students whose registration has lapsed due to the requirements in force may apply for readmission once two school semesters have elapsed since the date of the lapsing.

The Faculty reserves the right to refuse readmission to applications from students whose curricular record indicates serious difficulties in adapting to the study plan in force and to the type of lecturing provided at NOVA School of Law. Requests from students who are in debt to the School for tuition fees or any other amounts will be rejected, subject to the provisions of Law Nº. 75/2019, of September 2.

Deadlines for submission of applications | School Year 2024/25:

2nd Semester

Submission of the application

From 13 to 17 January 2025

Enrolment and Registration for Curricular Units

From 27 to 31 January 2025

Deadlines for submission of applications | School Year 2025/26:


1st Semester

Submission of the application

From 30 June to 4 July 2025

Enrolment and Registration for Curricular Units

From 1 to 5 September 2025

2nd Semester

Submission of the application

From 12 to 16 January 2026

Enrolment and Registration for Curricular Units

From 02 to 6 February 2026

Instructions for submitting the application (online):

The application is submitted online through NetPA by filling in a form and uploading the necessary documents, namely:

  • Online submission of a simple digital copy of the citizen card or passport (international applicants)
  • Payment of the application fee through the PayPal, Visa, MBway or Multibancoreferences on the system: 70.00€ (non-refundable), validated by the system in few minutes.

Incomplete and/or unpaid applications will be automatically rejected.

Fees and Emoluments

Application Fee: 70,00€

Note: All due tuition and other fees should be checked in the course’s webpage, as well as in the tuitions annual order and NOVA fee’s table.

Tuition fees are fixed annually by the General Council of the NOVA University Lisbon.

Regulations Applicable: Decree-Law Nº. 36/2014, of March 10th, altered by Decree-Law Nº. 62/2018, of August 6th, and Regulation Nº. 436/2020, of April 28th, of NOVA School of Law.

Applications through the NOVA School of Law applications portal

Clear all your doubts

We are at your disposal to answer any questions you may have about studying at NOVA
School of Law.

Please do not hesitate to contact us by email: admissions@novalaw.unl.pt