Transfer from Porto back to Germany: Credit Recognition for Higher Semesters

The author's view

Porto is still a comparatively young location in Medschool Experts' consulting practice. Enquiries about it are, however, noticeably increasing. What stands out: students from Porto often bring solid clinical certificates with them, because Universidade Fernando Pessoa incorporates patient-related instruction into the curriculum early. This makes the later classification in the credit recognition process easier, even though there is not yet a large body of completed cases from which fixed patterns could be drawn.

Marcel Kloos, a Swiss-licensed dentist, began his own medical and dental studies in 2015 in Sofia, at the age of 24 and via a non-traditional path. This experience shapes how Medschool Experts, which he leads from Bern, advises to this day: with the understanding that studying abroad is not a detour. It is its own well-trodden path – including the path back from Porto to Germany.

Frequently Asked Questions: Transferring from Porto to Germany

Can I transfer my medical studies from Porto to Germany at any subject semester?

No. A transfer is possible up to the 5th year of human medicine. Entry into the final year is excluded throughout Europe, as the final institution bears responsibility for the degree.

Will my studies at Universidade Fernando Pessoa be automatically recognised in Germany?

Your completed degree will be automatically recognised as an EU degree under Directive 2005/36/EC for licensure purposes. This does not apply to the recognition of individual subject semesters during your studies. That is decided by the competent state examination office on an individual basis.

How many semesters will concretely be recognised for me?

This cannot be stated as a blanket figure. It is always an individual decision by the competent state examination office based on your certificates. The 2+2 rule provides a rough guide; Medschool Experts does not yet have specific internal experience values for Porto.

What documents do I need for the credit recognition application?

You will generally need your grade transcript, course descriptions of your completed modules and an enrolment certificate. The competent state examination office may request additional evidence on a case-by-case basis.

How long does the credit recognition process take?

Allow around three months before the relevant application deadline to receive the credit recognition decision in time. The actual processing time varies between state examination offices.

Can I apply to several German universities simultaneously?

Yes, this is possible. Applying to several universities in parallel considerably increases your chances of securing a study place in the right subject semester, as each university evaluates received applications independently.

What is the difference between a place-changer and a lateral entrant?

You qualify as a place-changer if you are already enrolled as a medicine student at another university, as is the case when studying in Porto. Lateral entrants, by contrast, come from a different programme. Place-changers are given priority in the allocation of study places.

Does my first subject semester in Porto also count towards credit recognition?

In principle, all passed certificates count, regardless of which semester you acquired them in. What matters is how many comparable performance records are ultimately accumulated.

Which German universities are most likely to accept students from Porto?

According to Medschool Experts' internal statistics, universities such as Gießen, Göttingen, Cologne, Mainz, Münster, Tübingen and Würzburg accept applications in virtually every subject semester. Which university suits you depends on your target subject semester.

Can I also transfer into the final year of study?

No. Entry into the final year of study is excluded throughout Europe. The final institution bears responsibility for the practical training through to the degree and therefore does not allocate these places to transferring students.

What happens if my credit recognition application is rejected?

You can then reapply with fewer recognised semesters, or have it checked whether another state examination office has jurisdiction. A rejection does not mean the end of the plan. Individual advice helps to clearly identify the remaining options.

Does it matter how many semesters I have already studied in Porto?

Yes, indirectly. The more passed certificates you can present, the more subject semesters are in principle eligible for recognition. What ultimately counts, however, is always the assessment of the individual performance records by the state examination office.