University of Porto REFARMING Scholarship Grant 2026 is Open
If you have a Bachelor’s degree in geospatial, environmental or agricultural engineering and want research experience in precision agriculture, the University of Porto is offering a 12-month research grant worth €1,090.98 per month.
The position sits within the REFARMING project at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP) and focuses on using spectroradiometry, remote sensing and data analysis to monitor horticultural crops.
Who Can Actually Apply?
This opportunity is aimed at graduates whose academic background is closely connected to the research.
You need a Bachelor’s degree in:
- Geospatial Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Agronomic Engineering
- Or a sufficiently similar field
You must also be eligible to enroll in a Master’s degree in Geospatial Engineering, Agronomic Engineering, or an eligible non-degree course.
There is a useful flexibility here: you do not necessarily have to be enrolled when you submit the application. You can apply if you meet the conditions for enrolment, but proof must be provided before the fellowship contract is signed.
Can International Graduates Apply?
Yes—the call does not restrict applicants by nationality.
Foreign degrees are specifically accommodated, but there is an administrative step you cannot ignore. A qualification awarded outside Portugal must be formally recognised by a Portuguese higher-education institution before the contracting stage.
There is also a selection consequence if your foreign grade has not been converted to Portugal’s grading scale by the application deadline. In that situation, the jury will score the degree classification at the Portuguese minimum of 10 out of 20.
For a scholarship where academic performance carries 60% of the total selection score, obtaining recognition and grade conversion early could materially improve your competitiveness.
What Would You Research?
This is a hands-on research position rather than a scholarship that simply pays you to attend a Master’s programme.
The work explores whether spectral information from plants can reveal their physiological condition without damaging them.
You may be involved in:
- Reviewing research on spectroradiometry and vegetation
- Designing spectral-data collection protocols
- Taking measurements with a spectroradiometer
- Processing and validating spectral datasets
- Calculating vegetation indices
- Studying plant development and physiological condition
- Using statistical and computational analysis
- Programming workflows for automated data processing
Candidates with prior experience in hyperspectral image analysis applied to horticultural crops receive preference.
For someone hoping to build a career around precision agriculture, Earth observation, environmental monitoring or agricultural technology, that practical research exposure may be as valuable as the stipend itself.
How Much Does the REFARMING Grant Pay?
The scholarship provides €1,090.98 per month, paid by bank transfer. The initial grant lasts 12 months and may potentially be renewed, although funding cannot continue beyond the REFARMING project’s current end date of 31 March 2028.
The researcher is also covered by personal accident insurance. For grants lasting six months or longer, FCUP can support the applicable first level of voluntary social-insurance contributions under the programme rules.
How Will Candidates Be Ranked?
Unlike scholarships that rely heavily on an interview, this competition gives applicants a clear scoring formula:
60% — final Bachelor’s classification
30% — relevant experience
10% — motivation letter
That makes two things particularly important.
First, make sure your CV explicitly describes any experience connected with remote sensing, geospatial analysis, agriculture, spectral imagery, programming or data analysis.
Second, do not waste the motivation letter repeating your CV. Explain why this specific REFARMING research problem fits your previous training and what skills you can contribute from day one.
Candidates receiving a final assessment below the programme’s required threshold cannot be contracted.
What Documents Do You Need?
Applications must be submitted through the University of Porto’s Infociências recruitment platform.
Prepare:
- Motivation letter
- Detailed CV
- Academic qualification certificate
- Eligibility declaration
- Other useful supporting evidence
- Up to three recommendation letters
- At least one recommendation letter is compulsory.
There is an important practical detail: referees upload their recommendations separately through the university system, and the letter must arrive before the application closes. Do not invite your referee on the final day.
University of Porto REFARMING Grant Deadline
The last date to apply for the University of Porto REFARMING Research Grant is 28 August 2026 at 23:59 mainland Portugal time.
Applicants with foreign degrees should allow additional time for recognition questions, while recommendation letters should be requested well before the portal closes.
Questions Applicants Are Likely to Ask
Can international students apply?
Yes. Nationality is not listed as an exclusion, and the call provides specific procedures for candidates holding foreign academic qualifications.
Do I already need to be enrolled in a Portuguese Master’s?
No. You can apply before enrolment if you meet the requirements to enrol. Proof of the relevant enrolment is required by the contracting stage.
Can Environmental Engineering graduates apply?
Yes. Environmental Engineering is specifically listed alongside Geospatial and Agronomic Engineering.
Do I need hyperspectral-imaging experience?
It is preferred, not stated as an absolute admission requirement. Relevant experience does, however, account for 30% of the selection score.
Is IELTS required?
No IELTS requirement is stated in this call.
Is this a normal university scholarship?
Not quite. It is a research grant linked to the REFARMING project, meaning the successful candidate carries out a defined research programme while receiving the monthly stipend.
Wondering Whether Your Engineering Degree Is “Similar Enough”?
If your Bachelor’s is in GIS, remote sensing, agriculture, environmental science, geomatics, geoinformatics or another related discipline and you are unsure whether it fits the “similar areas” provision, leave your question in the comments below the article. Mention your exact degree title, country and relevant research skills so the eligibility issue can be considered properly before you spend time preparing the application.