Internacional

Erasmus+ Incoming Program

Our School

Incoming Students

Page navigation

Our school

Incoming Students

Erasmus+ departmental coordinators

Contacts

Our School

The Alcoitão School of Health Sciences (ESSALCOITÃO), established by the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML), is a Private Higher Education Institution, pioneering in Portugal in the training of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech and Language Therapists. Since its foundation, it has been the reference school in this field.

Although it only recently (1994) became a higher education institution, ESSAlcoitão has more than 50 years of experience in training Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists, having been a pioneer in the training of these professionals in Portugal.

A pioneering and reference school in its field, the first Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists trained by ESSAlcoitão were the founders of the respective National Professional Associations. For this reason, it has developed a strong relationship with these professional associations. Many of the current and former teachers at ESSAlcoitão were, or still are, professional leaders who are well known and recognized nationally and internationally.

Participation in networks

One of ESSAlcoitão’s main objectives is to consolidate its long-term participation in European school networks of:

Physiotherapy – ENPHE – European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education

Occupational Therapy – ENOTHE – European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education

Speech Therapy – NetQues – Network for Tuning Standards and Quality of Education Programs in Speech and Language Therapy

Regarding European mobility, ESSAlcoitão aims to increase student mobility by 5 to 10% and internal teacher mobility by 15 to 20%, as well as considerably increasing the remuneration of foreign teachers. It is ESSAlcoitão’s internal concern to have as a basis for cooperation programs the establishment of teaching quality assurance mechanisms based on nationally and internationally agreed parameters.

Bologna Process

In the 2008/09 academic year, study plans were adapted to meet the requirements of the Bologna Process. The first cycle of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy has a total of 240 ECTS over 8 semesters, 4 academic years.

Incoming Students

Application process

To apply, you must make sure that your University has a Bilateral Agreement with ESSALCOITÃO. If your University has a bilateral agreement with ESSALCOITÃO, our Erasmus, Information and Communication Office will be happy to help you.

Students who wish to study at ESSALCOITÃO must complete the Student Application Form to formalize their application. This form includes information such as personal data, academic data, language skills, current and previous studies, period of study abroad and others. Students must complete this form with the assistance of their teachers, mentioning the study program they intend to pursue at ESSALCOITÃO (including the course code and the number of ECTS credits awarded). To complete the form, students must request assistance from the respective Faculties and professors responsible for their mobility. Students must also take into account that they will only be officially admitted after acceptance by ESSALCOITÃO.

Study Plan

The Study Plan must be signed by the student, by the home institution (institutional coordinator and professor responsible for mobility) and sent as soon as possible to the Erasmus, Information and Communication Office at ESSAlcoitão.

A copy of the documents will be returned after they have been signed by ESSAlcoitão’s Local and Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinators.

For various reasons (coinciding schedules, changes to the curriculum, etc.), students may need to change the previously agreed study program, before or after their arrival at the host institution. These changes must be accepted by the parties and the document must be signed by the professor responsible for mobility and by the Coordinators of the home and host institutions. All parties involved must keep a copy of the new document and a new document on academic recognition must be prepared.

Although candidates must preferably complete the ESSAlcoitão Application Form, Application Forms from Partner Institutions will be accepted.

Fees

The Erasmus+ Program presupposes exemption from fees at the host institution, including registration fees, exams, access to laboratories and libraries, etc. All foreign students at ESSALCOITÃO under the Erasmus+ Program are covered by this criterion. However, students may have to pay small expenses such as school insurance, student associations, photocopying, etc. – like all other students at ESSALCOITÃO.

Other information

One of the problems that students face when they decide to study abroad is health. Community provisions on social security offer solutions in this matter – the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card guarantees you access to healthcare and medical assistance in the vast majority of European countries. As a beneficiary of a social security system, and whether you are traveling temporarily or long-term, we strongly advise you to take it with you.

What is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?

It is the card that allows you to access medical assistance or healthcare when traveling to any of the 28 member countries of the European Union. Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein are also included. The CESD is individual and non-transferable, which means that each family member must have their own. The card is a unique model and common in all 28 members of the European Union, and also Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein.

The health care provided to you, a CESD holder, will be the same as that provided to beneficiaries of a social security system in the country where you are located. It is worth remembering that health services may not be free, they may involve the payment of a moderate fee or a contribution.

The CESD must be requested from the social security service in your country and is proof of how you are registered with that social security system, allowing you to benefit from health services in Portugal. In this case, students must pay the same as national citizens under the same circumstances. This form must mention the applicable period of stay for medical assistance in Portugal and must be communicated to the Social Security Center where the student will stay.