My understanding is that you need your university to agree to this option, you need to send in your resume and explain in the cover letter. You must be able to complete your studies in LA. You can also have your university/collage send this in for you with your resume.

I'm not sure on anything more specific.

Programming is a good subject to learn young... I think one learns stuff much better when your around this age and younger. I mean at that age you could learn German in a few months :P... although programming is probably more difficult :P

If they have a game programming course then that might be your best bet. However computer science and software engineering are always great. Look for the courses with the most programming related classes.

Sure, I've met game programmers from all over the world including Portugal.

Experience helps. If there are no game companies in Portugal, consider starting your own. Also getting experience at a sibling company (ie the movie industry), contract work or even regular programming jobs can help. You just need to remember your goals after you've worked at these companies for a couple of years.

Skills count. If you have some amazing demos it can help.

You must not be forced to work in a company. I see a game that is called Path of Exile, it has begin with 4 people that are not employees in any company, but a regular friends working from the home of one of them. From 4 now they are 11 and after 4 years their game is close to open beta. From 4 guys that did not work in any companie, but they become..soon.

hehe Hohums is the best after Ymir

You just need the skills, the knowledge, and a bit of luck. If you have those, all will go good

By the way watch my baron steal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X28y-ZX30Ds (plz vote)

are you serious...

Lies... my ego is second to no one.

Hey Hohums, I wanna ask a question: I only started programming this year, my first in college, Learning C,javascript and C++ for now, I found C hard at first but then got into it and most other languages are easier because of it, problem is I'm still noob in programming and most everyone else in class has some experience before college except me, I like the major alot tho even though I'm lazy type, do you think it's okay at age 18-19 to star newly fresh or a bad thing ?

Any age is fine. I've met programmers who started learning at 40. What matters is your resolve, commitment and how much you enjoy it. Don't worry about others... other than what you can teach you.

The best programmers are the ones who realize they don't know everything and keep focused on leveling up their abilities.