The proposed 2027 State Budget includes a provision to end the freeze on university tuition fees that has been in place since 2020. Student groups have announced a protest in response to the plan.
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Thousands of students protested across the country on 28 October against the government's plan to unfreeze and increase higher education tuition fees. Demonstrations took place in cities including Coimbra, Covilhã, and Évora, with students also calling for increased public investment in higher education, more social support, and lower costs for student housing.
More than 200 students marched in Coimbra on Wednesday, 28 October, to oppose the government's proposal to unfreeze tuition fees and to demand increased social support for higher education. Protesters also highlighted broader systemic issues affecting students, including high costs of living, housing shortages, and difficulties in obtaining scholarships.
Student associations have organized a national protest in Lisbon for 14:30 on Wednesday 18 November to oppose a government proposal to unfreeze tuition fees for the 2027/2028 academic year. The demonstration will march from Largo do Carmo to the Assembly of the Republic, coinciding with the start of the State Budget 2027 voting sessions. The government's plan would adjust the current 697-euro tuition ceiling by the 2026 average Consumer Price Index (excluding housing).