32 Best universities for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Portugal

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Portugal ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 5.21M citations received by 316K academic papers made by 32 universities in Portugal was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#62 in Europe

#174 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

2. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#98 in Europe

#255 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 29,178
Founded: 1911

3. University of Coimbra

Portugal | Coimbra

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#120 in Europe

#301 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 25,580
Founded: 1290

4. University of Minho

Portugal | Braga

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#156 in Europe

#377 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 19,077
Founded: 1973

5. New University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#196 in Europe

#471 in the World

Enrollment: 20,077
Founded: 1973

6. University of Aveiro

Portugal | Aveiro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#259 in Europe

#631 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 13,000
Founded: 1973

7. University Institute of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#379 in Europe

#964 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1972

8. University of the Algarve

Portugal | Faro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#410 in Europe

#1078 in the World

Founded: 1979

9. University of Evora

Portugal | Evora

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#429 in Europe

#1153 in the World

Enrollment: 10,496
Founded: 1973

10. University of Beira Interior

Portugal | Covilha

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#439 in Europe

#1185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1986

11. Catholic University of Portugal

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#454 in Europe

#1219 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 13,205
Founded: 1971

12. Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#481 in Europe

#1305 in the World

Enrollment: 13,000
Founded: 1979

13. University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro

Portugal | Vila Real

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#493 in Europe

#1350 in the World

Enrollment: 6,515
Male:Female: 43:57
Founded: 1986

14. Polytechnic Institute of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#546 in Europe

#1538 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1985

15. Lusophone University of Humanities and Technologies

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#594 in Europe

#1739 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1998

16. University of the Azores

Portugal | Ponta Delgada

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#657 in Europe

#2007 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1976

17. Polytechnic Institute of Leiria

Portugal | Leiria

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#754 in Europe

#2505 in the World

Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 1979

18. Madeira University

Portugal | Funchal

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#761 in Europe

#2556 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1988

19. Fernando Pessoa University

Portugal | Porto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#790 in Europe

#2736 in the World

Founded: 1996

20. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra

Portugal | Coimbra

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#817 in Europe

#2859 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1979

21. Polytechnic Institute of Viseu

Portugal | Viseu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#833 in Europe

#2949 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1979

22. Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo

Portugal | Viana do Castelo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#894 in Europe

#3275 in the World

Founded: 1979

23. Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco

Portugal | Castelo Branco

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#925 in Europe

#3420 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1979

24. Higher School of Nursing, Coimbra

Portugal | Coimbra

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#929 in Europe

#3433 in the World

Founded: 2004

25. Superior Institute of Maia

Portugal | Castelo da Maia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#938 in Europe

#3480 in the World

Founded: 1991

26. Polytechnic Institute of Cavado and Ave

Portugal | Barcelos

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1006 in Europe

#3890 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1994

27. European University - Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1009 in Europe

#3908 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1986

28. Piaget Institute

Portugal | Almada

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1072 in Europe

#4275 in the World

Founded: 1979

29. Polytechnic Institute of Beja

Portugal | Beja

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1148 in Europe

#4630 in the World

Enrollment: 3,500
Founded: 1979

30. Lusiada University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1388 in Europe

#6048 in the World

Founded: 1986

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1418 in Europe

#6287 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1986

Portugal | Santarem

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1461 in Europe

#6639 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1979

The best cities to study Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Portugal based on the number of universities and their ranks are Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, and Braga.