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Is the word universitário the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No.

While the spelling, grammar, and fundamental meaning of "universitário" are identical in both dialects, the answer is No because there are significant differences in typical usage and pronunciation.

In Brazil, "universitário" is frequently used as a noun to refer to a university student (e.g., "O universitário chegou"). In Portugal, while the word is understood, it is much more natural to use "estudante" or "aluno" to refer to the person, and "académico" to refer to the university environment or its aspects. Additionally, pronunciation differs: Brazilian Portuguese features more open and clearly articulated vowels, whereas Continental Portuguese features "vowel reduction," where unstressed vowels are often closed or nearly silent.

Brazilian Portuguese Usage

  1. O universitário perdeu o prazo da matrícula. (The university student missed the registration deadline.)
  2. A vida universitária é muito intensa. (University life is very intense.)
  3. Os universitários organizaram uma manifestação. (The university students organized a protest.)
  4. Ele é um pesquisador universitário. (He is a university researcher.)
  5. Ele conseguiu uma bolsa universitária. (He got a university scholarship.)

Portuguese (Continental) Usage

  1. O estudante perdeu o prazo da matrícula. (The student missed the registration deadline.)
  2. A vida académica é muito intensa. (Academic life is very intense.)
  3. Os estudantes organizaram uma manifestação. (The students organized a protest.)
  4. Ele é um investigador académico. (He is an academic researcher.)
  5. Ele conseguiu uma bolsa de estudo. (He got a scholarship.)