Lisbon, Sept. 29, 2026 (Lusa) – Higher education is the level of education with the highest level of public funding per learner in most OECD countries, but not in Portugal, where a university student costs the state less than a secondary school pupil.
«On average, public expenditure per student is higher at bachelor's degree level and above,» states the report «Education at a Glance 2026», published on Tuesday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
This is the case in most OECD member states, but not in Portugal, which stands out as one of the exceptions where the state pays less per student in higher education than at any other level of education.
From primary school to university, the Portuguese government's expenditure per pupil was around €10,206 per year in 2023, slightly below the OECD average of €11,962.
Up to secondary education, Portugal follows the international trend, increasing funding at each level of education.
In years 1-7, a pupil cost around €9,600 per year in 2023, public expenditure rose to €12,653 for years 7-9 and to €13,222 in upper secondary education, approaching the OECD average in the last two years (11-12) of compulsory education.
The picture is reversed when young people reach higher education, and Education at a Glance 2026 shows Portugal among the 10 countries with the lowest public expenditure per student: €8,239 per year, well below the OECD average, which stood at around €14,428.
Portuguese public funding, however, accounts for only 55% of total expenditure per student, with institutions relying equally on other sources of funding, in particular European funds, as highlighted by the authors.
The report also reveals very disparate situations across member states and partner countries.
Whilst in countries such as Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway or Sweden, private funding accounts for less than a fifth of total expenditure per student, in others, such as the United Kingdom or Australia, public expenditure does not exceed 30%.
«Differences in funding structures are closely linked to policies on tuition fees and student support,» the report states, highlighting the variety of policy choices available to «balance financial sustainability, access and equity in higher education systems».
In the chapter on education funding, Education at a Glance 2026 also examines how expenditure is allocated, and on this indicator too, Portugal stands out as the second of 23 countries with the highest costs for teaching staff.
«In Portugal, 74% of the current expenditure of all higher education institutions was allocated to teaching staff in 2023,» the report states, with only Ireland ranking higher, at 85%.
In contrast, in most countries with available data, this share was less than 40%.
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