Opportunities
StudySEMin partnership with
Medical elective at Sporting CP
The form opens at 9:00am on Monday 14th September 2026.
The Sporting CP medical elective places two UK medical students with the medical department at Sporting Clube de Portugal, in Lisbon, for four weeks in 2027. It is a clinical placement inside a professional club's medical department, arranged directly with the club, rather than an observership organised through a university.
The placement is directed by Dr Nuno Loureiro, Sporting CP First Team Doctor and Director of Medical Internships. Students are based at the Sporting CP Academy in Alcochete, with afternoon clinics at the club's medical facilities in Lisbon.
StudySEM manages the application process on the club's behalf. We publish the dates, receive applications and handle correspondence with applicants. StudySEM and Sporting CP select the successful candidates together.
Applications for the 2027 placement open on Monday 14th September 2026 and close on Sunday 11th October 2026. Any future intake will be announced on this page and in the StudySEM newsletter.
The placement at a glance
- Places
- Two UK medical students
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- When
- 2027, for four weeks: ideally between July and August, alternatively between March and May, agreed with the selected students
- Location
- Sporting Clube de Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal
- Based at
- Sporting CP Academy in Alcochete, with afternoon clinics at the club's medical facilities in Lisbon
- Directed by
- Dr Nuno Loureiro, Sporting CP First Team Doctor and Director of Medical Internships
- Open to
- UK medical students in their penultimate or final year
- Cost
- Self-funded. Accommodation and travel are not funded by Sporting CP or StudySEM
- Applications
- 14th September to 11th October 2026
Eligibility
- Enrolled at a UK medical school
- In the penultimate or final year of your course at the time of the elective
- Eligible to undertake a university elective during the placement period
- A valid DBS check is required
Funding and accommodation
Accommodation and travel are not funded by Sporting CP or StudySEM. Students are expected to use their university or NHS elective bursary where eligible, or alternative university elective funding.
Staying near Campo Grande in Lisbon is strongly recommended. It is the daily meeting point for the team bus, and it is also where the afternoon clinics are held.
How to apply
Applications open
14th Sep 2026
The form opens at 9:00am and is linked from the button on this page.
Applications close
11th Oct 2026
The form closes at 9:00pm.
Interviews
Nov 2026
Held online.
Final selection
Dec 2026
Made by StudySEM and Sporting CP together.
Placement
2027
Four weeks, ideally between July and August, alternatively between March and May, agreed with the selected students.
Applications are made through the application form linked from the button on this page while the window is open. State your preferred placement period on the form.
StudySEM receives applications on the club's behalf and handles all correspondence with applicants.
What a day looks like
Mornings at the academy
Most days start at 8:00am at the Sporting CP Academy in Alcochete. Students travel out each morning on the club team bus, which leaves from Campo Grande in Lisbon.
The morning is spent observing sports and exercise medicine clinics and injury assessment, working within the multidisciplinary team alongside doctors, physiotherapists and performance staff.
Rehabilitation and return to play
The placement includes exposure to rehabilitation, physiotherapy and return to play pathways as they are used day to day within the department.
Afternoon clinics in Lisbon
Afternoons are spent at the club's medical facilities in Lisbon, where athletes receive specialist assessment and treatment across a range of modalities.
Your timetable
A detailed timetable is provided to successful applicants before the placement begins.
Questions and answers
No. Portuguese is not required for the placement.
Two UK medical students will be selected for this intake.
No. Sporting CP and StudySEM do not provide financial support. Accommodation and travel are self-funded, and students are expected to use their university or NHS elective bursary where eligible.
The placement is split between Sporting CP's Academy in Alcochete and the club's medical clinics in Lisbon.
On the Sporting CP team bus, with daily pick-up and drop-off at Campo Grande in Lisbon. The exact meeting point is provided after selection.
Most days begin at 8:00am, with academy sessions in the morning and clinic exposure in the afternoon. The exact schedule varies and is shared by Dr Nuno Loureiro.
Yes. A valid DBS check is required for this placement.
UK passport holders do not need a visa for a placement of this length. Applicants who do not hold a UK passport are responsible for checking and arranging their own entry requirements for Portugal.
You do. Students are responsible for arranging their own travel insurance and medical indemnity for the placement. Neither Sporting CP nor StudySEM provides cover.
You are responsible for confirming with your own medical school that the placement meets their elective requirements, and for obtaining any approval they need before you travel.
contact@studysem.com
StudySEM and Sporting CP select the successful candidates together. Applications are managed by StudySEM.
StudySEM manages applications for this elective on behalf of Sporting Clube de Portugal. StudySEM and Sporting CP select the successful candidates together.
The form opens at 9:00am on Monday 14th September 2026.