Types of institutions

Specialised technological courses (CET)

Specialised Technological Courses (CET) may operate in:

• Public, private and cooperative schools.
• Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP, I.P.) –through its network of directly managed and vocational training and rehabilitation centres
• Technological schools created according to the joint order of the Ministers for Industry and Energy and for Education, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, 18 November 1991, and the joint order of the Ministers for Industry and Energy, for Education and for Employment and Social Security, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, 7 October 1995
• The network of hospitality and tourism schools of the Portuguese Tourism Institute (Instituto do Turismo de Portugal, I. P.) 
• Training bodies certified by the Directorate-General for Employment and Labour Relations (Direção Geral do Emprego e das Relações de Trabalho - DGERT)

The following statistics on educational establishments with specialised technological courses (STC) and students enrolled, for which the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) is responsible, by region and type of educational establishment:

Post-secondary non-tertiary education (CET) – type of institution, by NUTS I and II and type of educational establishment - 2023/2024

Source: Estatísticas da Educação 2023/2024 (Education statistics 2023/2024), DGEEC - Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics (2025).

Apprenticeship+ courses

Apprenticeship+ courses can operate in:

• Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP, I.P.) – through its network of directly managed and vocational training and rehabilitation centres
• Training bodies certified by the Directorate-General for Employment and Labour Relations (Direção Geral do Emprego e das Relações de Trabalho - DGERT)
• Places where other bodies, due to their legal status and areas of competence, do not require certification as a training body, if their founding documentation includes the possibility of training activity, with the exception of public, private or cooperative schools, including vocational schools covered by Decree-Law No 92/2014, 20 June, in its current wording

The entities mentioned in the last two bullets may only offer these courses if they are approved via a competitive process, under the terms to be defined in the opening notice, published on the institutional website of IEFP, I.P.

Geographical accessibility

There is no legislation regarding geographical accessibility of specialised technological courses or the Apprenticeship+ courses. These courses are available throughout Portugal.

The following statistical data regarding students enrolled in these courses under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MECI) are reported here, by region and type of educational institution:

Post-secondary non-higher education (Specialised Technological Courses/CET and Apprenticeship courses + - Students enrolled, by NUTS I and II and type of educational establishment (2023/2024)

Source: Estatísticas da Educação 2023/2024 (Education statistics 2023/2024), DGEEC - Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics (2025).

In terms of CET provision overseen by IEFP, I.P., the following data is available:

Youth Qualifications – Number of students, 2025

Source: Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP, I.P.), provisional data.

Admission requirements and choice of school

Specialised technological courses (CET)

Specialised technological courses (CET) are designed for people aged 18 or above when the training begins and who fulfil one of the following requirements:

• Having successfully completed an upper secondary education course or a legally equivalent qualification and who intends to obtain a professional qualification or retraining.
• Having successfully completed basic education, is attending one of the education or training courses or an RVCC process, at upper secondary level.
• Having successfully completed QNQ level 5 diploma or certificate, a specialised technology diploma or a higher education degree or diploma and who intends to undertake professional retraining.

Exceptionally, and with the authorisation of the Directorate-General for Schools, candidates covered by compulsory education and who are under 18 when the training course starts, may be admitted to CET, provided they meet one of the requirements set out above.

Apprenticeship+ courses

Apprenticeship+ courses are designed for adults between 18 and 29 years old (inclusive), who meet one of the following requirements:

• To have completed a secondary education course or legally equivalent qualification.
• To have concluded basic education and attending an education or training course or a recognition, validation and certification of competences (RVCC) process, at upper secondary level (on an exceptional basis, candidates covered by compulsory education and who have not yet reached the age of 18 at the start of the training, may be admitted).
• To have successfully completed QNQ level 5 diploma or certificate, a specialised technology diploma or a higher education degree or diploma and who intends to undertake professional retraining.

Age levels and grouping of students/trainees

Specialised technological courses (CET)

Students attending specialised technological courses are 18 or older.

Training groups (classes) consist of a minimum number of 15 (only applicable to publicly funded training) and a maximum number of 30 trainees. When duly justified, training groups may consist of a greater or smaller numbers, provided that the right pedagogical conditions ensure the quality, efficacy and efficiency of the training process, and subject to the authorisation of the members of the Government responsible for the governmental area of education, vocational training or economy.

Apprenticeship+ courses

Apprenticeship+ courses are designed for adults between 18 and 29 years old (inclusive).

Training groups consist of a minimum number of 15 and a maximum number of 30 trainees. In exceptional circumstances, duly justified, training groups may consist of a greater or smaller numbers, provided that the right pedagogical conditions ensure the quality, efficacy and efficiency of the training process, and subject to authorisation of the IEFP, I.P. .

Organisation of the training

There is no legislation regarding organisation of the training. In general, courses run throughout the year, with different start and end dates. The opening of a CET in a given academic year presupposes a minimum number of participants, to be defined by the responsible body.

Organisation of the school/training day and week

Specialised technological courses (CET)

CET last between a year and 18 months, which corresponds to between 60 and 90 credits (ECTS).

The CET training plan includes general and scientific training, technological training and work-based training.

The general and scientific training, as well as the technological training components, last between 840 and 1 020 hours, each being allocated 15 % and 85 % of the total length of the course, respectively.

The technological training component, involving practical, laboratory, workshop and/or project activities, must be allocated at least 75% of classroom sessions. Work-based training may last between 360 and 720 hours.

Apprenticeship+ courses

The weekly workload for Apprenticeship+ courses must be established between 30 and 35 hours, not exceeding 6 or 7 hours daily respectively, with the exception of work-based training, which may be up to 8 hours/day.

For more information on CET courses and/or  Apprenticeship+ courses, see DGEEC, ANQEP I.P. , IEFP, I.P. and IAPMEI I.P. websites.