University of Coimbra - UC
speciality: Law

The university is very good and welcoming. It is a meeting point for various nationalities and cultures. These were the best years I had at the University of Coimbra, and I believe that everyone can create incredible stories there. I recommend choosing this university, because I believe that, just as I felt at home and welcomed, you will feel the same way.

I’m a third-year student at the University of Coimbra’s Law School. My classes are divided between theoretical and practical sessions, which is beneficial for consolidating and applying theoretical material in practice. The faculty is excellent, although the school is characterized by extreme rigor, which means that overall final semester grades are not high.
Since it is the oldest law school in the country, it is to be expected that the facilities will be very well preserved even if some renovation of the space were necessary.
Overall, my opinion is that it is possible to have a pleasant academic life in the city and balance it well with studies if they are continuous throughout the year so as not to accumulate during the short exam period at the end of the semester.
I would recommend studying here.

The university has a strong alumni network that opens doors to incredible opportunities. Career fairs and networking events have been very beneficial for my career. I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made here.

Coimbra University’s atmosphere is simply breathtaking. The sense of purpose and knowledge in its halls makes it hard not to feel inspired. Studying here would be a dream come true. I would totally recommend.

Coimbra is not only an academic institution but also a hub of Portuguese culture. Combining traditional and contemporary learning approaches results in an experience that is truly enriching. Both academic and personal development can be found there.

I have initially studied in another country for my bachelors but I moved abroad in September for my Master’s degree.
The University of Coimbra is located in a small but bustling city, full of students, where the academic celebrations never stop.

Compared to my country, I really love the unity you can find among the University staff and the students. Everyone feels like a big family wiling to help each other and no one is ever left out.
I like the way classes are taught because the teachers have a relaxed approach where they encourage you to speak up and be active not out of fear of a bad grade in case you do not do it, but because the atmosphere they create is comfortable enough for you to be yourself and participate.
There are also a multitude of opportunities for extra curricular activities offered by either the University itself or the numerous student organizations.

FDUC lives off its history and in the comfort of its status, these are the elements that value its courses. Unfortunately, the teaching methods are archaic and there is a relationship of elitism and distance between teachers and their students. These teachers, with the rare exception, recite the same lessons for decades, trying to ensure the relevance of the books they wrote and that the students need to acquire, to religiously copy the material from their pages to the exam sheets.
Trying not to fall asleep in the face of the monotone speech of the professors, in the cold and damp rooms, sitting on the hard and old wooden benches, the students are still observed by the tourists, without awareness of space, noise or civility, encouraged by the faculty itself to wander en masse. through the corridors as if it were a zoo.
One side demands everything and the other learns to give in, the student has to try to extract the maximum value on his own, although occasionally he may be lucky enough to find truly talented and concerned teachers (which exist).
A reform and a new attitude are needed at FDUC to modernize both the methods and the approach and connection with students in order to take advantage of their valences and bring the institution into the 21st century. Somehow recovering its significance in the city and using without arrogance the responsibility and symbolism that is attributed to it as a house of knowledge and that so inspires the young people who place their trust there.

I studied Law at the University of Coimbra. I liked certain things about the program and the classes, especially how it would prepare you for everything regarding Law, specifically the courses and classes destined to how the Law started and relates to nowadays. Some teachers also were very interactive and innovative in the way they would present the program and classes, which I liked a lot, as I had never experienced their way of presentation before. What I didn’t like was the fact that a couple of teachers required you to use their own published books. These teachers were also very rigid in their way of teaching classes. The University itself could improve things by encouraging a more interactive, comprehensive program and more standardized teaching among their teachers, as the feeling I had with some teachers was completely the opposite with other teachers.

Regarding student life, the student life in Coimbra is great! I would definitely recommend the school as well, as they have great facilities, and really try to give you the most of what they can in order for you to improve. Speaking of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, it was not the most international (as some teachers taught in English and others did not), but other Faculties were extremely international, with classes both in English and Portuguese. Career prospects are good, especially around Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, and the center of Portugal. In general, I would recommend trying it out. The student life really makes up for it, and the city is one of the most beautiful in Portugal. I believe the University and Faculty only need to standardize their methods a bit more and be broader and more inclusive of other methods.

The programming of the subjects is too heavy. The installations are old and uncared for, and it seems like the tourists are prioritized. There wasn’t a day in a class that wasn’t interrupted by a tourist barging into the room. Also, the oral tests are very poorly organized, and the university has a really poor consideration for the situation overall. The positive sides are the new generation of teachers that are more reasonable and understanding than the older ones.

Since I was little, I wanted to be someone important. But most of all, someone that could help others. So I decided to join this university. It’s prestigious it’s good and we can live the students’ life just by walking in the streets.