Student Support Office (GAE)
The mission of the Student Support Office (Gabinete de Apoio ao Estudante – GAE) is to guide and support Universidade Portucalense students throughout their academic journey. Entering Higher Education is an opportunity for scientific and professional development, as well as an incentive to foster intellectual, personal, and social growth.
We are here to help students overcome personal, social, academic, or professional challenges. We support students in the transition from secondary school to higher education—promoting their academic success and well-being—and foster connections with UPT Alumni to assist with job market integration and career development.
Highlights
Psychological Support
Psychological support consists of individual counseling aimed at helping individuals cope with difficulties and personal challenges, as well as fostering skills, resources, and strategies to overcome them.
Psychological Consultations are grounded in a relationship of trust established between the student and the psychologist, developing into a collaborative process tailored to the student’s needs.
The Psychological Consultation service is available to support UPT students, regardless of when the request is made or the nature of the concern or difficulty.
As such, any student can book a Psychological Consultation whenever they wish. However, seeking psychological support is recommended in the following situations:
- Academic difficulties (e.g., exam anxiety, concentration issues);
- Personal difficulties (e.g., experiencing unexplained feelings of sadness, intense anxiety);
- Adaptation difficulties (e.g., transitioning to Higher Education and/or from university to the job market);
- Interpersonal difficulties (e.g., unsatisfying personal relationships, conflictual relationships with family and/or friends);
- Personal development and self-knowledge.
Psychological consultations usually last about 1 hour and take place on a weekly basis at the beginning of the process. Frequency is gradually adjusted according to the student’s needs until the end of the support process is agreed upon.
Please note that the entire support process associated with Psychological Consultations is governed by strict confidentiality guidelines.
Consultations are free of charge for UPT students.
You can use the contact form below to book a psychological consultation. Your request will be processed as soon as possible.
Alternatively, you can send an appointment request to gae@upt.pt indicating your availability.
Any questions regarding this service should also be sent to gae@upt.pt.
Personal Development and Academic Success
One of the main goals of the Student Support Office is to promote the integration and adaptation of students entering Higher Education for the first time. The transition from secondary school to Higher Education presents significant adaptation challenges, compounded by the developmental milestones typical of this stage in life.
The adaptation process to this new reality takes place primarily during the first year of higher education, representing a critical period that predicts a student’s success and satisfaction throughout their academic journey. In this context, GAE promotes a Mentorship Program where:
The Mentorship Program developed by the Student Support Office pairs each new 1st-year student (Mentee) with a student from the same degree program in a more advanced year (Mentor). The objective is to promote the mentee’s integration into the academic environment, as well as their intra- and interpersonal development and well-being. Each mentor is responsible for a group of approximately five mentees, working in coordination with fellow mentors and the GAE to implement a joint activity plan focused on the adaptation, integration, and socialization of new students within UPT.
The Student Support Office organizes practical Workshops designed to help UPT students handle academic and professional challenges, particularly upon entering Higher Education and during the transition to the job market.
Participation in Workshops is completely free for all UPT students, and a Certificate of Attendance is awarded to all participants at the end.
The Student Support Office is fully open to receiving workshop topic suggestions from faculty, students, or alumni whenever specific needs are identified that can be addressed through a dedicated session.
Suggestions should be sent to gae@upt.pt.
The Mental Health Promotion Program in Higher Education (PPSMES) at Universidade Portucalense, funded by DGES, was designed to promote the psychological well-being of the student community, prevent situations of vulnerability and mental health risks, and strengthen access to specialized support.
Project implementation is based on the Stepped Care model, prioritizing an integrated, preventive, and multi-level approach. This enables the development of universal interventions for the entire student community, selective responses for groups at risk, and specialized interventions for students with identified psychological needs.
Planned initiatives include mental health promotion, psychological literacy, mentorship, faculty and staff training, socio-emotional skills development, individual psychological support, crisis intervention, and coordination with community resources. The project aims to enhance the institution’s capacity to respond to student needs, consolidating structures and practices that foster healthier, more inclusive, and protective academic environments.
Employability and Career
One of the Student Support Office’s primary objectives is supporting graduating students in entering the job market, facilitating this transition, and driving professional success for recent graduates. To this end, GAE develops and offers the following free services, available to all UPT students—especially final-year students and recent graduates.
GAE invites UPT partner companies to host a student for a one-week job shadowing experience. This provides students with hands-on workplace exposure, helping them develop soft skills and bridge the gap between academic learning and corporate reality.
To assist in the University-to-Workplace transition, GAE hosts Careers UPT annually—a Job Fair featuring companies across various professional fields related to UPT degree programs. During the event, students can attend corporate presentations and workshops, submit their CVs, participate in interviews, and network with potential employers.
Beyond internship and job opportunities, this initiative helps students gain insight into corporate perspectives so they can better define their professional career strategies.
The Student Support Office recently launched the Connect2UPT platform to maintain regular communication with graduates, connect alumni and final-year students, and link both groups directly with companies posting job offers, trainee programs, professional internships, competitions, summer internships, and more.
Through the Connect2UPT platform, GAE manages discussion and support groups to guide Alumni in their professional choices throughout their careers. Examples include:
- Support Group for Recent Graduates Seeking Their First Job
- Support Group for Alumni Facing the Challenges of Their First Professional Experience
In these groups, Alumni can share doubts, questions, and anxieties with peers going through the same process, as well as share success stories and best practices.
With the Alumni community in mind, UPT also uses this platform to share upskilling and reskilling opportunities.
A mentorship tool will soon be available, where Senior Alumni can volunteer as mentors to young graduates starting their careers or to Alumni looking to review their career plans and goals.
Register on Connect2UPT and stay tuned for the opportunities posted on our platform.
The Employment Observatory regularly monitors former students’ employability, providing a clearer understanding of UPT students’ transition into the job market and profiling graduates regarding their academic and professional paths.
Volunteering
The Universidade Portucalense Volunteering Program aims to provide unique opportunities and experiences that encourage active participation in building and transforming society. The Volunteering Program is open to the entire UPT community and seeks to create environments that foster cross-disciplinary skills, particularly in citizenship, moral reasoning, and solidarity. More information at: Volunteering – Universidade Portucalense – Infante D. Henrique
