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Study level:
Undergraduate

Course summary

One of the world's ten most widely spoken languages, Portuguese is estimated to have around 260 million speakers. From Brazil to Mozambique, the many countries where it is spoken have fascinatingly rich and varied cultures.

On this programme, you will have the opportunity to develop advanced spoken and written skills in Portuguese while gaining the broad cultural education valued by graduate employers.

In addition to intensive language training, you will be immersed in an extraordinary range of literature, film, music and art from Portugal, Brazil and Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) Africa, explored in its historical context.

By the end of the programme, you will be able to demonstrate a range of linguistic skills and a nuanced understanding of cultures and ideas.

Beginners welcome

Our programme offers a solid foundation for learners with varying amounts of experience of Portuguese, including those who are just starting out; many of our graduates started as complete beginners in the language.

Why Edinburgh

As a world-leading festival and capital city, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study a global language in its cultural context. Portuguese has been taught here for over 30 years.

Studying over four years enables you to choose courses that match your own interests, expertise and employability needs. You can, for example, opt to study another language such as Spanish, Catalan or Basque as part of your programme.

You will spend Year 3 in a country where Portuguese is spoken. We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years, including a year abroad. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.

Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in Portuguese language while you explore literature, film and the arts from the Portuguese-speaking world. In addition to studying core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of subjects and disciplines. This may enable you to change the focus of your programme.

Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 abroad, immersing yourself in Portuguese-speaking cultures. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics on Portugal, Brazil or Lusophone Africa. You will also further develop your Portuguese language and translation skills and write a dissertation.

Programme benefits

  • Learn in an historic capital city and cultural hub with international festivals.

  • Study over four years, including one abroad.

  • Become fluent in a global language.

  • Try out different subjects in your first two years.

  • Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.

  • Try your hand at creative writing and publishing.

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
R500
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - A*AA - AAA

A*AA - AAA. Required subjects: A levels: a language other than English at B. GCSEs: English at C or 4.

Scottish Higher - AAAB

AAAB by end of S5 or AAAA by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: a language other than English at B. National 5s: English at C.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 36 - 34 points

from 36 points with 665 at HL to 34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: a language other than English at 5. SL: English at 5.

This degree programme has a subject requirement of a language other than English. You may not use your own native language to meet this requirement. English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.

Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

-

A level - ABB

ABB. Required subjects: A levels: a language other than English at B. GCSEs: English at C or 4.

Scottish Higher - ABBB

ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: a language other than English at B. National 5s: English at C.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 34 points

34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: a language other than English at 5. SL: English at 5.

Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English Advancedtotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English Proficiencytotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.
You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C; GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website: https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

The University of Edinburgh welcomes students from the UK and all over the world. We accept a wide range of qualifications and our policies support students with diverse backgrounds and experience. UCAS entry grade data is currently not available for our degrees but we publish admissions statistics on our website. We also provide information on widening access offers and entry requirements.

Learn more on the The University of Edinburgh website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not available

Historical entry grades data is not currently available for The University of Edinburgh - we are working with them to try and make it available soon - learn more.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

85 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

95 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
Channel Islands£9535*Year 1
Republic of Ireland£9535*Year 1
Scotland£1820*Year 1
England£9535*Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535*Year 1
Wales£9535*Year 1
EU£29600Year 1
International£29600Year 1

* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees. Please note the 2026-27 fee rate is yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.

England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed. The fee for 2025 entry was £9,535.
For 2026 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits.

EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.

Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme

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