Portugal has had no consular section in Baku, so national visas for residents of Azerbaijan have been handled by its embassy in Ankara; a temporary stay visa covers the whole semester with no residence permit to chase. In Lisbon, the NIF tax number opens bank accounts, leases and monthly phone plans, and everyday transfers between people run on MB WAY, which needs a Portuguese bank. Rooms are expensive and rarely heated, so start looking early and pack for cold flats.
Money
Euro (€)
Language
Portuguese
Time
UTC+0, UTC+1 from the last Sunday of March
Plugs
Type C and F; 230 V
Tipping
Not expected; rounding up or 5–10% for good service is common
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking4
Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; MB WAY needs a Portuguese bank account, which needs a NIF, and bills paid by Multibanco reference are easiest with one too.
Mu
Multibanco
National ATM network that also pays bills by reference
On arrival
Why you need it: Withdraw euros with your home card on landing, and later pay utility bills or Iscte fees that come as an entidade and referência.
Use a machine marked MULTIBANCO rather than an independent cash machine (often branded Euronet)
Choose English on screen and decline any conversion offer, so your bank converts at its own rate
To pay a bill, choose Pagamentos de serviços and enter the entidade, referência and amount
Before you rely on itWithdrawals run from €10 to €200 a time, and your own bank may charge for foreign withdrawals. Paying by reference is built for Portuguese cards; with a foreign card, check the receipt or pay the bill another way.
Source: sibs.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
MW
MB WAY
Send money to a phone number, pay in shops and online
Optional
Why you need it: Portuguese students split rent, dinners and trips with MB WAY, and many small shops and online sellers prefer it; without it you are the one asking for an IBAN.
Before you rely on itIt works only with an account at a bank operating in Portugal, so an Azerbaijani card cannot be linked.
Source: sibs.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
CG
Caixa Geral de Depósitos
The state-owned bank, opened at a branch with your passport
Optional
Why you need it: A Portuguese account gives you MB WAY, Multibanco bill payments and an IBAN for rent; CGD opens accounts for foreigners at its branches.
Cost variesVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Book a branch visit with your passport, visa, NIF, proof of address and Iscte enrolment
Sign the contract in person and ask about a no-fee account for young people or students
Before you rely on itCGD’s account-opening sheet asks every new client to sign at a branch with original documents, including the NIF, proof of address and proof of occupation, and a residence permit for foreign residents; ask the branch what it accepts on a temporary stay visa. For one semester, many students manage without a Portuguese account.
Source: cgd.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
Re
Revolut
App bank account with a euro IBAN and a card
Optional
Why you need it: Once you live in Portugal it can give you a euro IBAN and a card quickly, which helps with rent and deposits if a branch account is slow.
Free, paid extrasVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Wait until you have a Portuguese address and your visa
Sign up in the app with your passport and a selfie
Upload proof of address or of your right to stay if asked
Before you rely on itFor residents of Azerbaijan: Revolut opens accounts by country of residence, and Azerbaijan is not on its list, so sign up only once you live in Portugal. Whether it accepts a temporary stay visa as proof of residence was not confirmed, so approval is not guaranteed; bring a Visa or Mastercard from home as well.
Source: help.revolut.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Essential apps4
Bolt and Uber handle rides and food, Glovo delivers; the rest of daily life runs through bank and transport apps.
Bo
Bolt
Ride-hailing, scooters and food delivery in Lisbon
Before departure
Why you need it: It is the usual way to get from the airport with luggage or home late at night, at a fixed price shown before you book and paid by card.
Before you rely on itDelivery and service fees add up; for weekly shopping, a supermarket is far cheaper. Bolt Food and Uber Eats cover similar restaurants.
Source: glovoapp.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ci
Citymapper
Journey planner for Lisbon metro, buses, trains and ferries
On arrival
Why you need it: Lisbon has several operators with separate apps; Citymapper plans across all of them, including the ferries across the Tagus.
Get your NIF first if you are under 24 and want to try for the free youth pass
Order a personalised navegante card online or at a navegante space, with ID and a photo
Load the Municipal pass if you only travel within one municipality (Lisbon, for example), or the Metropolitano for the wider area
Renew it each month at a machine, a Multibanco ATM or in the navegante app
Before you rely on itYoung people up to 23 can load free travel (gratuitidade jovem) on a personalised card, but it requires a Portuguese NIF, and whether a one-semester exchange student qualifies is not stated; ask at a navegante space or Iscte’s Social Action Services. A standard card takes about ten working days, so tap a bank card or use a navegante occasional card until then.
Source: metrolisboa.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
MD
Metro de Lisboa
Four metro lines across central Lisbon
On arrival
Why you need it: Iscte is a short walk from Entrecampos and Cidade Universitária on the yellow line; from the airport, take the red line and change to the yellow at Saldanha.
Paid · Single €1.92 by contactless bank card, €1.72 with Zapping credit (2026)Varies by city
Tap a contactless bank card at the gate for your first rides
Tap the same card on the way out of the station if the gate asks for it
Switch to the navegante pass once you travel daily
Before you rely on itTap the card, not the wallet: with two contactless cards together, the gate can charge the wrong one or both.
Source: metrolisboa.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
CA
Carris and Carris Metropolitana
Lisbon city buses and trams, and buses to the wider region
Optional
Why you need it: Carris runs the buses and historic trams inside Lisbon; Carris Metropolitana runs the buses to Odivelas, Amadora and beyond, where cheaper rooms are.
Before you rely on itBoth take the navegante pass. Tram 28 is crowded with tourists and pickpockets; the bus is usually faster.
Source: carris.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
CC
CP – Comboios de Portugal
Suburban trains and intercity trains to Porto and the Algarve
Optional
Why you need it: Suburban lines run to Sintra and Cascais at weekends, and anyone aged 25 or under gets up to 25% off the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades to Porto, Coimbra and Faro.
Pick the Jovem (youth) fare if you are up to 25 on the day of travel
Carry your passport on board as proof of age
Before you rely on itYouth fares on the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades are rounded up to the nearest 50 cents, so the saving is a little under 25%. Suburban trains around Lisbon are covered by the navegante Metropolitano pass.
Source: cp.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
SIM, eSIM & internet2
A prepaid SIM bought with your passport costs a few euros a month; monthly contracts may want a NIF and a Portuguese bank account.
DI
DIGIEssential
Cheap prepaid or monthly SIM with large data, no lock-in
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a Portuguese number for landlords, Iscte and delivery apps, and DIGI’s prepaid plans suit a five-month stay with no contract to cancel.
Paid · SIM €10, loaded as credit; plans from €4 a month for 50 GB, €5 for 150 GB (2026)
Take your passport to a DIGI shop or official DIGI seller, which activates the SIM on the spot
Choose a prepaid (pré-pago) plan and top up
Install the My DIGI app to see your balance and recharge
Before you rely on itPrepaid plans have no monthly obligation, but a top-up is needed at least every six months to keep the number. Monthly (pós-pago) plans may want a NIF and a payment method; ask in the shop what they need. MEO, NOS and Vodafone have more shops and coverage but cost more.
Source: digi.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
EA
eduroam at Iscte
Campus wi-fi with your Iscte login
On arrival
Why you need it: Iscte’s wi-fi covers most of the campus under eduroam, so lectures and the library are online without burning mobile data.
Log in with your full Iscte username (…@iscte-iul.pt) and password
If it fails, set it up with the official geteduroam app
Before you rely on itYour Iscte account arrives only after registration; until then, use mobile data. Whether an ADA login works on eduroam abroad was not confirmed; ask ADA IT.
A temporary stay visa, applied for through the embassy in Ankara for now, covers a semester; in Lisbon, the NIF tax number is the one number you need.
NT
National temporary stay visa for studyEssential
Entry visa for a study stay of more than 90 days and under a year
Before departure
Why you need it: A spring semester runs longer than 90 days, so you need a national visa; for a stay under a year it is the temporary stay visa, and it covers the whole semester.
Ask Iscte for your acceptance letter as soon as ADA nominates you
Email the consular section of the Embassy of Portugal in Ankara (sconsular.ankara@mne.pt) for a national visa appointment
Gather the MNE checklist: passport, two photos, form, travel insurance, apostilled criminal record, proof of means, return ticket, the Iscte admission letter and proof of housing
Apply at least two months ahead: Iscte says a visa usually takes up to 60 days
Before you rely on itFor residents of Azerbaijan: the MNE lists the Embassy of Portugal in Ankara for national visas, and France’s embassy in Baku takes only short-stay Schengen visas for Portugal. Portugal decided in April 2026 to raise its mission in Baku to a full embassy, so ask Ankara whether you can now lodge in Baku before booking travel to Türkiye. Do not travel on a Schengen short-stay visa: it allows at most 90 days in any 180, less than a semester. Unlike a residence visa, a temporary stay visa is valid for the whole stay with multiple entries, and needs no residence permit from AIMA.
Source: vistos.mne.gov.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
CR
Criminal record certificate with apostilleEssential
Police clearance the national visa application requires
Before departure
Why you need it: The visa checklist asks for a criminal record certificate with a Hague apostille, and the apostille step has to be done in Azerbaijan before you apply.
For citizens of Azerbaijan: request the certificate (məhkumluq barədə arayış) at an ASAN xidmət centre; it is free and usually issued the same day
Have it apostilled in Azerbaijan; ask at ASAN xidmət where and for what fee
Ask the embassy whether it needs a certified translation into Portuguese or English
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan and Portugal are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille replaces consular legalisation. The certificate may come from your country of nationality or from a country where you have lived for over a year.
Source: vistos.mne.gov.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
NT
NIF (tax number)Essential
The tax number asked for by banks, landlords and phone contracts
On arrival
Why you need it: Without a NIF you cannot open a Portuguese bank account, sign most leases or claim free youth travel on a navegante card, so it is the first errand in Lisbon.
FreeVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Book an appointment at a Serviço de Finanças (tax office) or a Loja do Cidadão on Portal das Finanças, under “Pedido de NIF”
Bring your passport with the Portuguese visa in it, and a document showing your home address abroad
Ask for a NIF as a non-resident (residente no estrangeiro)
Keep the printed certificate with your number
Before you rely on itWalk-ins are not the rule: Finanças asks for an appointment first. Documents in a foreign language must come with a certified translation, so ask in advance what your address proof needs. No fiscal representative is required when the number is issued; one (or electronic notifications on Portal das Finanças) becomes necessary only if you later take on tax obligations such as a job in Portugal. Paid agencies sell NIF services online; the tax office issues the number itself for free.
Why you need it: Iscte asks students from outside the EU to upload a private policy with medical cover when they register, and the visa checklist asks for travel insurance too.
Buy a policy valid in Portugal for the whole stay, covering medical care, emergencies and repatriation
Get the certificate in English or Portuguese
Upload it to the Iscte system when you register
Before you rely on itThe €30 Iscte registration fee includes a school insurance that covers only Iscte activities; it is not health insurance. The MNE checklist exempts some students at officially recognised institutions from insurance and means; ask the embassy whether that applies to you.
Source: iscte-iul.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
Housing & daily life3
Rooms are scarce and expensive; apply for an Iscte residence first, insist on a written lease and never pay for a room unseen.
IR
Iscte residences
University rooms, including the Mosteiro de Odivelas residence
Before departure
Why you need it: Private rooms in Lisbon are scarce and expensive, and Iscte’s residences are open to its exchange students, after its own scholarship students.
PaidVaries by universityVaries by residence status
Fill in the Iscte residence application form as soon as you are nominated
Email sas@iscte-iul.pt to ask about places and prices for the spring semester
Line up a private room as a fallback until a place is confirmed
Before you rely on itExchange students come third in the allocation order, after renewals and scholarship students, so a place is not guaranteed. Mosteiro de Odivelas is near Odivelas station on the yellow line, the same line as Iscte. The published price (about €161 a month for 2026/2027) is for scholarship holders; ask what mobility students pay. The form asks for an active Iscte email, so if you do not have one yet, ask sas@iscte-iul.pt how to apply.
Source: iscte-iul.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
Un
Uniplaces
Booking platform for student rooms in Lisbon
Before departure
Why you need it: It lists Lisbon rooms let to students for a semester, booked online before you arrive, which matters when you cannot view rooms from Baku.
Filter Lisbon rooms by your exact dates and by commute time to Entrecampos
Read the landlord’s cancellation policy and the service fee before booking
Pay only through the platform, never by bank transfer to a landlord you have not met
Before you rely on itListings run from about €190 to over €1,000 a month (2026); cheap ones go first. Many rooms are booked unseen, so check reviews and photos closely. Idealista lists more private rooms, but deals there are direct with the landlord.
Source: uniplaces.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
WL
Written lease and rent receipts
Why your lease should be declared to the tax office
On arrival
Why you need it: A written, declared lease is your proof of address for the bank, the NIF and the health centre, and protects your deposit.
See the room in person or by live video before paying anything
Ask for a written contract in your name with your NIF
Ask for a rent receipt (recibo de renda) for each payment
Before you rely on itLandlords must declare leases to Finanças, and most must issue an electronic receipt for every rent payment, deposits included; small landlords without an electronic mailbox may file a yearly declaration instead. A landlord who refuses both a contract and receipts is usually renting off the books. Never wire a deposit for a flat you have not seen.
Iscte registration gives you the student card and the enrolment statement that discounts and banks ask for.
IR
Iscte registration and orientation weekEssential
Enrol on arrival, get the student card, meet the IRO
On arrival
Why you need it: Your student card, Iscte login and enrolment statement all come from this registration, and you need the statement for the bank and any student transport discount.
Paid · €30 registration fee, covering the student card and Iscte activity insurance (2026)Varies by university
Arrive in time for the orientation week the International Relations Office runs before classes
Upload your health insurance to the Iscte system and pay the €30 fee
Ask the IRO for an enrolment statement (declaração de matrícula) in Portuguese
Before you rely on itSpring dates are set each year; check them with the IRO, not from older guides. Housing questions go to the residence or the Social Action Services (sas@iscte-iul.pt), not the IRO.
Source: iscte-iul.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
Request the ESNcard online and pick it up at the ESN office or a welcome day
Before you rely on itESN Portugal lists ESN Lisboa as its section in the city; ask the Iscte IRO which section runs events for Iscte students.
Source: esnlisboa.org · the provider or a government body · Checked
CJ
Cartão Jovem
Free youth card with discounts for ages 12–29
Optional
Why you need it: It gives discounts on culture, travel and shops across Portugal and other European countries, which adds up over a semester of museums and weekend trips.
Request it online at cartaojovem.pt and see whether the form accepts your passport
Show the card when you pay and ask whether a Cartão Jovem discount applies
Before you rely on itThe standard card is free for a year. The FAQ mentions passports only for the municipal version, which costs up to €10 a year and is for residents of that municipality; whether the free card accepts a non-EU passport is not stated.
Source: cartaojovem.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language4
English works on campus and in central Lisbon; offices, contracts and Finanças work in Portuguese.
WA
WhatsAppEssential
The messaging app everyone in Portugal uses
Before departure
Why you need it: Landlords, classmates, ESN groups and many small businesses use WhatsApp; Telegram is far less common.
Install the app and download Portuguese for offline use
Try camera mode on a printed page before you need it
Before you rely on itIt can give Brazilian words where Portugal uses others (autocarro for bus, comboio for train), so check signs against what it says. Have Iscte check any contract before you sign it.
Before you rely on itMonolingual Portuguese: useful once you know a little Portuguese, not on day one.
Source: dicionario.priberam.org · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
PA
Portuguese as a Foreign Language at Iscte
30-hour Portuguese courses for international students
On arrival
Why you need it: English carries you on campus and in central Lisbon, but a beginner course makes offices, shops and landlords far easier, and it can count towards your semester load.
Paid · €180 for a 30-hour course (2026)Varies by university
Check the spring course dates on the Soft Skills Lab page
Enrol by emailing lct@iscte-iul.pt or through the International Relations Office, and ask whether exchange students pay the fee
Ask ADA whether the credits transfer before you count on them
Before you rely on itIscte lets exchange students take up to 36 ECTS instead of 30 if one course is Portuguese as a Foreign Language. Spring 2027 courses start between 2 February and 2 March, so enrol early.
Source: iscte-iul.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
Do you want your tax number on the receipt? Answer “Não, obrigado” if you do not
A conta, por favor
The bill, please
Socorro! Chame uma ambulância
Help! Call an ambulance
Emergency & safety3
112 covers every emergency; save your embassy’s number before you go; Azerbaijan’s is in Rome until the new one in Lisbon opens.
EO
Embassy of Azerbaijan accredited to PortugalEssential
Consular help for citizens of Azerbaijan, from Rome
Before departure
Why you need it: If your passport is lost or stolen, the embassy arranges an emergency travel document to get you home; Portugal is covered by Azerbaijan’s embassy to the Holy See in Rome.
Save +39 06 9151 1172 and vatican@mission.mfa.gov.az
Save the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baku as a backup: +994 12 596 90 00
Keep a scan of your passport and visa in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. A decree of June 2026 established an Azerbaijani embassy in Lisbon; check mfa.gov.az before you travel to see whether it has opened and taken over consular work. The current embassy is at Via della Conciliazione 10, 00193 Rome.
Source: vatican.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
S2
SNS 24
National health line: triage and advice when you are ill
Before departure
Why you need it: If you fall ill and do not know whether to go to a hospital, the line tells you where to go; its psychological counselling service also answers in English.
Call before going to a hospital emergency department unless it is a real emergency
For anything life-threatening, call 112 instead
Before you rely on itClinical calls are answered 24 hours a day, in Portuguese by default; ask at the start whether English is possible. Keep your insurance details at hand, since hospitals and health centres may charge you and leave the claim to your insurer.
Source: gov.pt · the provider or a government body · Checked
QE
Queixa Eletrónica (online police report)
Report a theft or a stolen document to the police online
Optional
Why you need it: If your phone, wallet or passport is stolen, a police report is the first thing your insurer and the embassy will ask for.
Open the site and choose the type of crime, such as furto (theft)
Identify yourself and describe what happened; without a Portuguese Citizen Card or Chave Móvel Digital, you may be asked to confirm your identity in person
Save the confirmation for your insurer and, if a passport was taken, for the embassy
Before you rely on itNot for emergencies: for a crime in progress, call 112. The site is in Portuguese and covers only certain crimes, such as theft and taken documents; anything else, or any doubt, goes to a PSP police station.
Meals, greetings and cold winter flats catch newcomers out more than the language does.
01Flats are cold in winter
Most Lisbon flats have no central heating and little insulation, so February indoors can feel colder than outside. Ask whether a room has a heater or air conditioning, budget for electricity, and air rooms daily against damp and mould.
02“Contribuinte?” at every till
Shops ask whether you want your NIF on the receipt. Portuguese residents say yes for tax deductions; on a short exchange you can simply say no.
03The couvert is not free
Bread, olives and cheese put on the table before you order are charged if you eat them. Send them back if you do not want them. Tipping is not expected; rounding up is enough.
04Lisbon is steep and slippery
The city is built on hills paved with polished limestone (calçada) that turns slippery in rain. Wear shoes with grip and allow extra time when a map shows a short walk.
05Portuguese is not Spanish
Speaking Spanish to people is often taken badly; English is the safer fallback in Lisbon, and a few words of Portuguese go a long way.
06Lunch is a proper meal
Many cafés serve a cheap prato do dia (dish of the day) at lunch, often with soup and coffee; it is the best-value meal in the city. Dinner starts around 20:00.
07Bills often come as references
Utility bills, deposits and some fees are paid by Multibanco reference (entidade and referência) or MB WAY rather than by card. Agree with your landlord how bills are split and paid before you move in.
08Watch your phone on trams
Pickpockets work the crowded tourist trams, Baixa and the viewpoints. Keep your passport at home with a copy on your phone.
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