Nova SBE and FEP have the highest grades in Economics and Management degrees

The degree in Economics from the Faculty of Economics of NOVA University Lisbon (Nova SBE) once again achieved the highest score among the degree programmes in this field in the first phase of the national contest for admission to higher education. In Management, the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto (FEP) took the lead. In both courses, the University of Minho achieved the third place. In both Economics and Management degrees, grades fell compared to last year, and more places remained unfilled.

Starting with the Economics courses, Nova SBE opened 195 places this year, the same number as in 2024/2025, all of which were filled in this first phase of the higher education entrance process.

The lowest grade was 17.46, which corresponds to a drop of 0.54 points compared to the first phase of last year, according to data from DGES, the Directorate-General for Higher Education.

Despite this decline, Nova SBE maintained its leadership in degrees in this area, followed (as in the last year) by FEP. Like the aforementioned Lisbon school, the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto managed to fill all places for its degree in Economics (208) in this first phase of the competition.

In this case, the lowest score was 17.23, which corresponds to a decrease of 0.6 points compared to last year.

Completing the podium is the University of Minho. For the degree in Economics at this institution, 84 places were available, all of which were filled in this first phase of the higher education access procedure. The grade of the last candidate admitted was 16.45, 0.77 points lower than in the previous academic year.

Among the 14 courses in Economics available, six were unable to fill all their places at this stage.

These are the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of the Azores (12 places remaining for the second phase), the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Madeira (33 places), the School of Human and Social Sciences at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (one place), the University of Beira Interior (18 places), the School of Social Sciences at the University of Évora (six places) and the Faculty of Economics at the University of Algarve (four places).

This means that there are 74 places left for the second phase. Last year, there were only 19 left.

FEP consolidates its leadership in Management

The same three schools mentioned above appear on the podium for Management degrees, but in this case, the ‘gold’ goes to FEP, which thus consolidates its leadership.

For this course, the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto opened, as in the last year, 208 places, all of which were filled in this first phase. The grade of the last candidate admitted was 17.8, 0.55 points lower than in the first phase of last year’s competition.

In second place, as last year, is Nova SBE. The Carcavelos school opened 295 places, all of which were filled at this stage. This year, the lowest score was 17.76, which corresponds to a drop of 0.54 points compared to the same stage in 2024.

The University of Minho took the ‘bronze’ in Management degrees. Of the 94 places available, all were filled, and the lowest score was 16.88 points – a drop of 0.8 points compared to last year.

Of the total number of places available for Management courses, 156 remain for the second phase of the higher education entrance exam. In comparison, last year there were only 25 places left.

There are still places to be filled at the School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism of the University of Algarve (four), the School of Technology and Management of the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda (44), the Faculty of Economics and Management of the University of the Azores (four), the School of Technology, Management and Design of the Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre (25), the School of Technology and Management of Bragança at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (15), the School of Management and Technology of Santarém at the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (25) and the School of Management of Idanha-a-Nova at the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (35).

In total, in this first phase of the national contest for access to higher education, 43,899 students were placed in public higher education, 12.1% less than in the same phase last year. This drop is explained by a 16.4% decrease in the number of applicants. Consequently, the number of unfilled places shot up by more than 130%.