Several studies on the access to public higher education in Portugal have analysed the students' migration flows. Those studies, in general, do not consider the micro-level migration decisions of students. This study analyses the students' migration flows by fields of study or programmes, grades, social background and region of origin for a small Portuguese public university located in the hinterland, in a second-tier city. Local candidates with higher grades, tend to leave and enrol outside in a larger city. This migration flow induces a social downgrading in the region of origin. There are however counter flows of students coming from the outside to the region and that is why the university accommodates a very large segment of mobile students; this can have a high potential for the university and the city as attracting students from all over the country may change the social environment and create innovation.