Porto is a great destination for studying, with a great climate, good food, an interesting city and a couple of good universities. It’s no wonder that it’s a popular choice for both domestic and international students to do their degrees, as well as for Erasmus students doing a year abroad.

Student.com will make finding student accommodation in Porto nice and simple. We currently list over 1,000 student rooms, from shared rooms where you’ll stay with flatmates to luxurious studios where you’ll have a whole residence just for yourself.

If you have any questions about booking a student apartment in Porto, just give us a call or send us a message on live chat on the bottom-right hand corner of this page.

Get to know Porto

Porto, also known in English as Oporto, is located in northern Portugal and it’s the second largest city in the country, after the capital, Lisbon. About 1.7 million people live in the Porto metropolitan area, but the actual Porto municipality has only just over 200,000 inhabitants, meaning the city is a compact size and in the city centre it’s nice and easy to walk everywhere.

Porto was settled at least in the 3th century BC, but it’s possible there were human settlements at the mouth of the Douro River already in the 8th century BC. In any case Porto is one of the oldest European centres and the city centre was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.

Porto is a great city with lots of interesting things to see and do for students and tourists alike. It was named the Best European Destination in 2014 and 2017 by the Best European Destinations Agency.

Port wine

One of Porto’s best known claims to fame is port wine. Port wine is a fortified wine that is typically a sweet red wine served with dessert. Inside the European Union, only wines from Portugal are allowed to be called port, and the Porto area is its real home. Port is produced especially in Vila Nova de Gaia, an area just across the Douro River from Porto city centre.

Football in Porto

Porto is known for its wine, but it’s also known for football. FC Porto is one of the three biggest football clubs in Portugal, along with the Lisbon clubs Benfica and Sporting. They play their home games at the Estádio do Dragão and won the Champions League in 1987 and 2004. Make sure to catch a game during your stay in Porto. Even if you’re not a football fan, the atmosphere in the stadium on match days alone is worth the experience.

The city is also home to Boavista FC. Like FC Porto, they play in the Primeira Liga, the highest level of Portuguese football and have won the Portuguese football championship once, in 2001.

Student life in Porto

Porto is a great city for students. A comfortable climate with warm, sunny summers and mild winters is a great starting point for a good student experience. It’s also a really beautiful city with an easily walkable city centre with lots of places to hang out and enjoy your free time. Porto is also an affordable city, so you won’t have to spend a fortune to have a good time.

When it comes to eating out, make sure to check out Café Piolho. This popular meeting spot was founded in 1909 and has been a favourite among students for decades. It serves both great coffee and food, so you can just sit there with a coffee or, if you’re hungry, have some food like a traditional francesinha, a native dish of Porto. For a more high-end dining experience, but still without breaking the bank, check out Cantinho do Avillez on Rua Mouzinho da Silveira.

Only a two-minute walk from Café Piolho is Livraria Lello, often called the most beautiful bookstore in the world. It’s so pretty and popular that you literally have to buy a ticket to get into the store. It’s definitely worth it though, as the store really is quite stunning. The value of the ticket is discountable from any book you buy in the store as well, so if you buy a book, you’ll practically get back the money you paid for the ticket.

With so many cool things to see and do, it’s no wonder that Porto is the most popular city in Portugal for Erasmus students.

Queima das Fritas

Queima das Fritas (literally “ribbon burning”) is an annual festivity organised by university students in Portugal. In Porto it is traditionally held in the first week of May. Live concerts are held every day of the week, and the event culminates with a students’ parade through the city.

Where to study in Porto?

Being the second-largest city in Portugal, Porto is home to a couple of good universities, most notable of which are the University of Porto and the Polytechnic Institute of Porto.

University of Porto

The University of Porto (in Portuguese Universidade do Porto) is the second-largest university in Portugal after the University of Lisbon. In the 2022 QS World University Rankings, it was ranked as the 295th best university in the world. Founded in 1911, it’s noted for its high-quality research output. About a quarter of its 30,000 students are from outside Portugal, so you’ll be part of an international group of people at the University of Porto.

Polytechnic Institute of Porto

The Polytechnic Institute of Porto (Instituto Politécnico do Porto) was founded in 1985 to offer more practically-oriented courses, than the traditionally more theoretical subjects taught at other universities in Portugal. It offers courses in fields such as engineering, design and sports to its almost 20,000 students.

Frequently asked questions about student residences in Porto

How do I rent a student apartment in Porto on Student.com?

Renting a room with us is very nice and simple. You can use the filters on the top of this page to narrow down your options from the over 1,000 student residences we currently list in Porto. You can also use the map to see apartments in a particular area of the city.

Once you’ve chosen a place you like, click on ‘View rooms’ to go to the property page. On the property page you’ll need to choose the room type you’d like, and the dates that you need the apartment for. Then click ‘Book now’ or ‘Enquire’ if you still have some questions. One of our booking consultants will contact you shortly to answer your questions and to take you through the next steps in the booking process.

What are the different types of student rooms you offer?

We offer three different types of room for you to choose from in Porto:

In a Shared room you’ll share a bedroom with a roommate. Your bathroom and kitchen are also shared.

In a Private room you’ll get your own bedroom just for you. Depending on the property, your bathroom may be either shared or private. Other facilities will be shared with fellow students.

In an Entire place option, you’ll have your own studio apartment just for you. You’ll have your very own, private bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette without having to share with anyone else. The perfect choice if you love your privacy!

Are bills included in the rent?

Bills are included in most of the properties we list, but not all of them. You can use the filters on the top of this page to only see properties where bills are included. You can also check the property page of a property you like to see what bills are included in the rent in that property.

Are the apartments fully furnished?

Most of the apartments we list in Porto are not furnished, but there are a few that can be rented fully furnished. You can use the filters to find these properties.

Do you offer accommodation for Erasmus students in Porto?

Yes, absolutely! As long as you are a full-time student, you can rent any accommodation listed on Student.com.

Can I rent a room for both long-term and short-term stays?

Yes, many of the properties we list are very flexible with the dates you book for, so whether you are looking for a short-term stay or looking to rent for the whole year, you can find lots of options to choose from.