Ana Rita Dias, Mayor of Vila Pouca de Aguiar, told Lusa the measure aims to support university students who depend on road transport to reach their universities.

The measure starts today after the regulations are published in the Diário da República, providing support for six trips per month.

“This is a measure designed to support families and young people, as some struggle to afford frequent trips home. By covering transport costs, students can return home on weekends without the financial burden,” stated Ana Rita Dias.

She added that the Council felt “it would be a valuable contribution to provide this support, as it enables young people to travel between their homes and universities and directly reduces the financial burden of university-related expenses on families.”

The mayor noted that this aid also serves as a supplement to the scholarship already awarded to students attending higher education institutions.

The municipality, located in the district of Vila Real, currently supports 69 scholarship recipients, representing an investment of approximately 63,000 euros.

Students must apply to the municipality to request this support. This measure covers higher education students who have resided in the municipality for at least two years, are enrolled in a public or private higher education institution, and have successfully advanced to the next academic year.

The municipal support—specifically the partial reimbursement of expenses incurred in purchasing road transport tickets for university students—will be provided as a financial refund to families, contingent upon the submission of invoices substantiating the purchase of those tickets.

According to the *Diário da República* (Official Gazette), the regulation enters into force on 19 May and applies starting from the 2026/2027 academic year.