Master's in Building Rehabilitation

Transforming buildings, preserving heritage.

Building Rehabilitation is a set of actions aimed at improving the quality level of existing buildings, often with the aim of improving their functionality, energy efficiency and structural safety, as well as preserving their architectural and cultural value.

Rehabilitation activities can cover a wide range of areas, including inspection and diagnosis of anomalies, structural consolidation, hygrothermal behaviour, eco-efficient construction techniques, among others, to make the building usable according to current standards.

The Master in Building Rehabilitation is your opportunity to integrate a fundamental field for urban sustainability and the preservation of architectural and cultural heritage.

"Impulso Mestre 2026" Scholarship

These scholarships, worth 450 euros, are available to all students who:
a) Are applying, for the first time to the first year of a Master’s degree at NOVA FCT;
b) Have completed their Bachelor’s degree with a final grade equal to or higher than 15 (out of 20);
c) Have completed their Bachelor’s degree at a higher education institution in Portugal or in another Member State of the European Union.

Note: Only candidates whose course edition takes place at NOVA FCT are eligible.

The results will be announced in November 2026.

Check the regulations (in Portuguese only)!

Why this Master's?

The course is designed to allow students to tailor their studies according to their previous educational background, by offering several optional curricular units;
A Master's degree in a highly relevant field such as the conservation of the built heritage;
Emphasises the project-based learning method, with the development of work involving groups of students with different training and experience, in order to promote multidisciplinary approaches;
Partnerships and protocols with prestigious companies and institutions;
Master's theses can be included in ongoing research projects and in the work of technical committees at RILEM, ICOMOS and the Portuguese Quality Institute (IPQ).

Applications 2026/27

1st Phase: February 4 to March 27, 2026

2nd Phase: June 1 to July 17, 2026

3rd Phase: August 19 to September 4, 2026

Single application phase for international students: February 4 to May 10, 2026

Vacancies: 25

Duration: 3 semesters

Format: In-Person, Daytime

Language: Portuguese and/or English

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

Course Coordinator: Luís Baltazar, mre.coordenador@fct.unl.pt

Academic division: mestrados@fct.unl.pt

I want to apply:

NATIONAL APPLICATIONS

INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS

Program

The Master's Degree in Building Rehabilitation is based on the excellent research carried out by the Department of Civil Engineering and the NOVA FCT research centres (including CERIS - Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability). The professors associated with this Master's degree are developing research in cutting-edge areas of civil engineering.

Curriculum

For whom

Holders of a bachelor's degree or equivalent (higher education studies of at least 3 years' duration) in Civil Engineering or related fields;
Holders of a foreign higher academic degree awarded after a first cycle of studies organised in accordance with the principles of the Bologna Process by a State adhering to this Process, in the fields referred to in the first point;
Holders of a foreign higher academic degree recognised by the Scientific Council of NOVA FCT as fulfilling the objectives of the degree, in the scientific fields referred to in the first point;
Holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum, in the fields referred to in the first point, which is recognised by the Council of Civil Engineering as attesting the ability to carry out this cycle of studies.