Paying for university as a Cape Verdean student
Cape Verde has no general public student loan: students combine FICASE grants, family support, the university line of Banco Jovem e Mulher and, since 2024, a scheme that partly covers unpaid tuition fees.
Cape Verdean higher education is expanding
The public University of Cape Verde and several private institutions in Praia and Mindelo take in most students. The government aims to raise the share of young people entering higher education from about 23% to 25% in the coming years.
FICASE, the mainstay of student grants
FICASE, the Cape Verdean foundation for school social action, funds around 3,500 grant holders in Cape Verde and abroad. Students from low-income families and from the most disadvantaged islands are given priority when grants are awarded.
No widely available bank student loan
Unlike Portugal, Cape Verde offers no publicly guaranteed student loan open to all. Banks can grant a personal loan to a salaried parent, who then pays for their child's studies under their own responsibility.
The Banco Jovem e Mulher university line
Launched in 2024, Banco Jovem e Mulher announced state-guaranteed lines for university students and vocational trainees. Applicants aged 18 to 35 must contact the partner banks to find out the amounts available and the conditions.
Sharing unpaid tuition debts
For students whose diploma was withheld over unpaid fees, the state approved a split: 70% paid by FICASE, 20% by the institution and 10% by the student. The state allocated 50 million escudos to the scheme in 2024.
Extra help for families in the social register
Students in groups 1 and 2 of the single social register receive 80% coverage from FICASE, capped at 100,000 escudos. The remainder is split between the student and the institution they attend.
Housing and travel for island students
A student from Brava or Maio moving to Praia needs somewhere to live and must travel. The state has announced 233 low-rent university rooms and free inter-island sea travel for students, two items often heavier than the fees.
Going to study in Portugal
Many Cape Verdeans continue their studies in Portugal, where specific grants have been opened. The budget must include the flight, housing and insurance, often paid by family living in Europe, with Lisbon and Coimbra among the favourite destinations.
From secondary school to university, different needs
Spending on basic and secondary education, such as uniforms or textbooks, calls for other solutions. These are covered on our page about school costs in Cape Verde, written for parents, where the amounts involved are smaller.
The parent borrows instead of the student
In practice, a parent who is a civil servant or an emigrant often borrows. Their salary paid into the bank forms the basis of the calculation, and the student does not appear as a debtor in the Banco de Cabo Verde credit register.
Unemployed graduates and repayments
A young graduate who is slow to find a job may struggle to repay a family or bank debt. Options when out of work are described on our page about borrowing without a job in Cape Verde, since FICASE stops helping after graduation.
Placing this support within the Cape Verdean system
In Cape Verde, grants, guaranteed lines and family loans still form a patchwork. Our overview of credit in Cape Verde helps place these options among the other kinds of finance available to households in the archipelago.
Building the funding for your studies in Cape Verde
- Apply for a FICASE grant within the deadlines set for the academic year.
- Check your ranking in the single social register, which determines access to some enhanced aid.
- Ask Banco Jovem e Mulher and its partner banks about the line reserved for students.
- Cost tuition, housing, transport and materials in escudos for the full length of the course.
- If a parent is borrowing, compare personal loan offers from several banks.
- If fees are in arrears, find out about the debt-sharing scheme with FICASE and the institution.
Higher education budget in Cape Verdean escudos
| Item | Possible funding | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees | FICASE grant, family, student line | Depends on public or private institution |
| Fee arrears | Shared by FICASE, institution and student | 70 / 20 / 10%, indicative |
| Aid for groups 1 and 2 | Enhanced FICASE coverage | 80%, capped at 100,000 CVE, indicative |
| Housing | Low-rent university residences | Depends on city and places available |
| Inter-island travel | Free sea travel announced for students | Air tickets not covered |
Paperwork for a grant or study aid in Cape Verde
- Student's CNI or passport
- Enrolment certificate or letter of admission
- Secondary school or previous semester transcripts
- Proof of household income
- Single social register certificate where applicable
- Borrowing parent's documents for a bank loan
Missteps by Cape Verdean students on funding
- Letting unpaid tuition fees build up until the diploma is withheld, instead of approaching FICASE early.
- Forgetting to budget for housing and food in Praia or Mindelo, often costlier than the enrolment fees.
- Paying an agency that promises a guaranteed grant in Portugal in return for fees paid upfront.
- Having a parent borrow without considering their upcoming retirement, which will cut their income during repayment.
Cape Verdean higher education: how to pay for it
Is there a state-guaranteed student loan in Cape Verde?
There is no general student loan comparable to those in some European countries. Banco Jovem e Mulher has, however, announced a guaranteed line for university students, whose conditions must be checked with the partner banks.
How many students receive a FICASE grant?
The authorities report around 3,500 grant holders, in Cape Verde and abroad. Awards favour students from low-income families and from the most disadvantaged areas, according to criteria published each year.
What can I do if my Cape Verdean diploma is withheld for unpaid fees?
The scheme approved in 2024 splits the debt between FICASE, the institution and the student. Eligible people should contact their university and FICASE, which pays the institution directly so the certificate can be released.
Do Cape Verdean students in Portugal receive help?
Some FICASE grants cover study abroad, and specific grants have already been opened for students enrolled in Portugal. The cost of living in Europe is nevertheless still largely borne by families.