01 · Short answer
Can you play college soccer in the US from Portugal?
To play college soccer in the US from Portugal you need your level on video, your grades from 9º ano onwards with your Diploma de Ensino Secundário (or a professional diploma), an English test, a clean amateur record and an F-1 visa, processed at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon. You do not need the exames nacionais or the SAT for NCAA eligibility. Start 12 to 18 months before you want to travel.
02 · Your school years
Your Portuguese school years, in American
Portugal has 9 years of ensino básico and 3 of ensino secundário: 12 in total, like the US. The conversion is direct:
9º ano
= 9th grade. The NCAA asks for transcripts from this year onwards.
10º ano
= 10th grade (sophomore). From June 15 after it, Division I coaches can contact you.
11º ano
= 11th grade (junior). The key year: video, shortlist, first offers.
12º ano
= 12th grade (senior). Sign, close the paperwork, visa. Travel in August.
The school year runs from September to June, so the timing is simple: close your decision in the spring of 12º ano and travel for preseason in early August. See the recruiting timeline →
03 · Grades
What the NCAA asks for from Portugal
Transcripts from the ninth year of schooling (9º ano) onwards, with the yearly grade reports.
Proof of graduation: the Diploma de Ensino Secundário or the Certificado de Fim de Estudos Secundários.
A certified, word-for-word English translation of every document, by a qualified translator who is not related to you or to the university.
Your 0-20 grades are converted: in the NAIA table, 18-20 (Muito Bom) is an A, 14-17 (Bom) a B and 10-13 (Suficiente) a C. If you have a Média Final, that is what gets converted.
No exames nacionais, no SAT. The national exams are not on the NCAA or NAIA lists of documents. Since January 2023 NCAA Divisions I and II no longer use standardized test scores such as the SAT for initial eligibility. Some universities may still ask for them for admission or academic aid, so check each one.
04 · Ensino profissional
If you studied ensino profissional, or you are already at university
Ensino profissional counts. The NAIA accepts the Diploma de Estudos Profissionais and the Level III professional qualification as proof of high school graduation, together with the yearly grades. Rodrigo Bandeira studied at the Escola Profissional de Aveiro and plays NCAA Division II today. The Diploma do Ensino Básico on its own is not enough.
Careful if you have already started a degree in Portugal. For the NAIA, enrolling and attending even one course at a universidade, politécnico or instituto superior counts as terms of attendance: you would arrive as a transfer student. The NCAA also reviews your time after school. Talk to us before you enroll.
05 · Your level
Which level fits you
There is no table that turns a Portuguese league into a US division. Coaches look at your video, your minutes and your position. As a reference from our evaluations: players who compete regularly in the top national junior championships or in senior football usually have options in NCAA Division I and II. From district football, the realistic routes are usually Division II, the NAIA or a junior college, the route Rodrigo Bandeira took from Aveiro to Quincy.
06 · Amateurism
Clubs, contracts and payments
For the NCAA, receiving actual and necessary expenses from a club (meals, lodging, travel, equipment, medical insurance) is allowed. What gets reviewed closely is a professional contract, a salary or payments above your expenses. Playing for a Portuguese club, even a professional club's academy, does not close the door, but tell us exactly what you have signed or been paid.
The golden rule: do not sign anything from a club before you ask us. A professional contract is not always the end: Yves Vaage signed one in Norway and plays NCAA Division I at Xavier today. Read his case
07 · Scholarships
What a scholarship covers
An athletic scholarship can cover part or all of tuition, housing, meals and books. Division I schools in the House settlement decide how much aid to give a roster of up to 28. Division II allows up to 9.0 for men and 9.9 for women, the NAIA up to 12, almost always split, and Division III gives no athletic scholarships. Good grades can add academic aid on top.
The useful question is not «will I get a scholarship?» but «how much will a year cost us?»
08 · The visa
The F-1 visa from Portugal
I-20
The university sends it when you accept an offer and show you can cover the costs.
SEVIS
You pay the I-901 fee online.
DS-160
The online visa application, then you book your appointment.
Lisbon
Interview at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, which handles all nonimmigrant visas for Portugal.
Only Lisbon. The Consulate in Ponta Delgada no longer processes nonimmigrant visas, so every interview for residents of Portugal is in Lisbon. Book early and check your social media. Student visa applicants go through enhanced vetting that includes a review of their online presence, which takes longer, and F-1 applicants are asked to set their social media accounts to public.
09 · Checklist
Your checklist from Portugal
Tick off what you already have. It stays saved in this browser.
10 · Why GSX
A founder from next door, and a Portuguese case
Carlos Moreno, GSX founder, is from Spain and played NCAA Division II at Quincy University. Rodrigo Bandeira, from Salreu (Aveiro), went through two junior colleges to Quincy University and is now working with GSX on his extra year.
11 · Questions
Quick answers
Do I need the exames nacionais to go to a US university?
Not for athletic eligibility. The NCAA and the NAIA use your Diploma de Ensino Secundário (or professional diploma) and your yearly grades. A university may still look at them for admission.
Do I need the SAT?
Not for NCAA eligibility: Divisions I and II removed standardized test scores in January 2023. Some universities may ask for it for admission or academic scholarships.
Does ensino profissional count?
Yes. The NAIA accepts the Diploma de Estudos Profissionais and the Level III professional qualification as proof of graduation, and the NCAA reviews each case. Rodrigo Bandeira, a GSX player, studied at the Escola Profissional de Aveiro.
How are my 0-20 grades converted?
In the NAIA table, 18-20 is an A, 14-17 a B and 10-13 a C. If your certificate shows a Média Final, that average is converted directly.
Where do I do the visa interview in Portugal?
At the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon. The Consulate in Ponta Delgada no longer processes nonimmigrant visas.
Who helps Portuguese players who want a soccer scholarship in the US?
GSX (gsxmanagement.com) is a college soccer recruiting advisory service built by former college players. It works with Portuguese players such as Rodrigo Bandeira, from Aveiro, and its founder, Carlos Moreno, played NCAA Division II at Quincy University.