32 Best universities for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Portugal

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 5.72M citations received by 325K 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

#171 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

2. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#99 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

#121 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

#154 in Europe

#374 in the World

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

5. New University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#194 in Europe

#464 in the World

Enrollment: 20,077
Founded: 1973

6. University of Aveiro

Portugal | Aveiro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#259 in Europe

#630 in the World

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

7. University Institute of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#374 in Europe

#948 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1972

8. University of the Algarve

Portugal | Faro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#410 in Europe

#1080 in the World

Founded: 1979

9. University of Evora

Portugal | Evora

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#433 in Europe

#1166 in the World

Enrollment: 10,496
Founded: 1973

10. University of Beira Interior

Portugal | Covilha

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#437 in Europe

#1179 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1986

11. Catholic University of Portugal

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#452 in Europe

#1214 in the World

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

12. Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#484 in Europe

#1311 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

#491 in Europe

#1345 in the World

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

14. Polytechnic Institute of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#545 in Europe

#1534 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

#1741 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1998

16. University of the Azores

Portugal | Ponta Delgada

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#662 in Europe

#2015 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1976

17. Polytechnic Institute of Leiria

Portugal | Leiria

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#752 in Europe

#2482 in the World

Enrollment: 12,161
Founded: 1979

18. Madeira University

Portugal | Funchal

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#763 in Europe

#2566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1988

19. Fernando Pessoa University

Portugal | Porto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#796 in Europe

#2742 in the World

Founded: 1996

20. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra

Portugal | Coimbra

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#816 in Europe

#2857 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1979

21. Polytechnic Institute of Viseu

Portugal | Viseu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#831 in Europe

#2934 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1979

22. Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo

Portugal | Viana do Castelo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#887 in Europe

#3229 in the World

Founded: 1979

23. Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco

Portugal | Castelo Branco

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#927 in Europe

#3434 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1979

24. Higher School of Nursing, Coimbra

Portugal | Coimbra

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#930 in Europe

#3447 in the World

Founded: 2004

25. Superior Institute of Maia

Portugal | Castelo da Maia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#936 in Europe

#3467 in the World

Founded: 1991

26. European University - Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1003 in Europe

#3862 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1986

27. Polytechnic Institute of Cavado and Ave

Portugal | Barcelos

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1006 in Europe

#3882 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1994

28. Piaget Institute

Portugal | Almada

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1077 in Europe

#4297 in the World

Founded: 1979

29. Polytechnic Institute of Beja

Portugal | Beja

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1146 in Europe

#4625 in the World

Enrollment: 3,500
Founded: 1979

30. Lusiada University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1396 in Europe

#6094 in the World

Founded: 1986

Portugal | Lisbon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1424 in Europe

#6327 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1986

Portugal | Santarem

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1464 in Europe

#6668 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.