A Guide to Education & International Schools in Portugal

Jump right in:

• The Education System in Australia
• Daycare and Kindergarten
• Primary and Secondary Schools
• International Schools
• Higher Education
• Language Schools

The education system in Portugal

Portugal’s education system is mixed, with both public and private institutions providing education from kindergarten through to higher education.

Education facts about Portugal

• Portugal has a mixed public-private school system. • School is mandatory from 6 to 18 years of age (or until the completion of 12th grade, whichever comes first). • Public education is free with the exception of universities, for which you have to pay a relatively small fee. • Some of Portugal’s universities feature in the QS World University Rankings.

What is the education system like?

Public school is free for all citizens and foreign residents.

Basic education, 1st cycle (Ensino básico, 1º ciclo)

Basic education, 2nd cycle (Ensino básico, 2º ciclo)

Basic education, 3rd cycle (Ensino básico, 3º ciclo)

Secondary education (Ensino secundário)

The school year starts mid-September and ends in June. There are three school terms in a year, usually preceding holiday breaks.

The first term is from September to December, followed by two weeks of holiday for Christmas and New Year. The second term starts in January and ends two weeks before Easter. After Easter break comes the third and final school term, from the Tuesday after Easter to mid-June.

The grading system in Portugal

When attending a Portuguese school, you should expect different grading scales in different school levels.

Basic education (years 1–9) uses a five-point qualitative grading scale:

The minimum passing grade is 50%, which corresponds to suficiente or satisfactory.

Secondary Education (grade 10–12) and higher education use a 20-point scale.

With this scale, decimals of 0.5 and higher are rounded up to the nearest whole number. For example, a 9.5 becomes a 10, which makes 9.5 the minimum passing grade.

What are the main differences between public and private schools?

Public schools in Portugal are state-subsidized. This means education is free for all Portuguese nationals and foreign resident children. The quality of education in public schools has been improving over the years. However, public schools still struggle with issues like an aging teaching workforce and low graduation rates.

State schools’ curriculum is taught in Portuguese. If your kid does not speak the language yet, it’s a good idea to enroll them in an international school in the country. You can choose an international school that follows the Portuguese curriculum to ease the process of integrating them into public schools later on.

Private schools in Portugal are perceived as being of better quality versus public schools. These tend to be stricter with school hours, attendance, and compliance with school rules. For this reason, parents may choose to send their kids to private school to ensure they have a stricter and more demanding learning environment.

How to enroll your child in school: Requirements and documents

Enrollment for first-year students is done between April and June. For all other school levels, enrollment deadlines may vary depending on the school or municipality. You can enroll your child in public school in two ways — online at Portal das Matrículas or in person at the public school of your municipality.

Each school typically provides a list of required documents on their website. You can also call in advance to find out which documents you should have handy. The standard required documents for most schools are:

• child’s ID or birth certificate • one photograph of the child • completed enrollment form (provided to you by the school) • child’s immunization records (boletim de vacinas) • School transcripts or academic certificates • parent’s or legal guardian’s ID

Besides these standard documents, private schools may also require an interview.

Appointed parent or legal guardian (Encarregado de educação)

Encarregado de educação (appointed legal guardian for schooling purposes) is the person who assumes the main role in the child’s education and handles all matters related to school. You are asked to appoint an encarregado de educação for your kid at Portuguese schools. This is typically one of the parents or legal guardians, but in case this is not possible, it can be whoever is in charge of caring for the child.

Being the encarregado de educação means you become the school’s first point of contact and official spokesperson for the child. For example, they can be asked to sign the child’s tests, official notes the child may bring to or from school, and attend parent-teacher meetings, among other responsibilities.

Daycare and kindergarten

Whether you need to find options for daycare, preschool, or kindergarten in Portugal, we guide you through early education in the country.

Nurseries: Infantários

Nurseries are known as infantários or creches in Portugal. These take in children as young as four months old (which is when maternity leave ends) until the age of three. Most nurseries in Portugal are private. The few public nurseries available in the country are run by social security and are usually reserved for families with low income.

Preschool: Pré-primária

Preschool or kindergarten is not mandatory in Portugal. This school level is known as pré-primária or jardim de infância. Children start preschool at the age of three and finish at the age of five or six, when they are ready to attend primary school. You can find both public and private preschools in the country. The educational approach will vary slightly from school to school, but should cover five hours of educational activities for their social, affective, cognitive, psychomotor, and moral development.

Other options for daycare include ATLs which stand for Atividades de Tempos Livres. These are private institutions that receive children from six years of age, and usually fill the gap between school hours and when parents finish work.

Cost of preschool

Public preschools are free of charge. Since vacancies are limited, priority is given to children between four and five years of age, and to children affected by social disadvantages (e.g., disability, children of young parents (minors), etc.).

Portugal is currently facing a shortage of preschool spots, as the number of available places does not meet the demand. As a result, families make decisions based on their individual circumstances. Some choose public preschools, while others opt for private ones depending on convenience, perceived quality, or educational approach.

Private preschools or kindergartens cost between 300 and 400 EUR (approx. 350–450 USD) a month, but prices can be even higher. Some municipalities have agreements with private schools to take in children when there are no vacancies in public preschools. Even then, parents can be made to pay up to 70% of the cost.

Primary and secondary schools

Get to know the best primary and secondary schools in Portugal.

Basic education: Primary school

Primary school, or ensino básico – 1.º ciclo in Portugal, corresponds to the first cycle of basic education, years 1–4. This is the equivalent of elementary school in the US. School hours in the country vary as these are established at a municipal level. School could start anywhere between 8:30 and 9:30 and last until 16:00 or 17:00. In total, schooling must make up five hours a day, including breaks.

You can choose to send your kids to public or private school. Public schools give priority to students who live in the area or whose parents work in the area, but you can apply to any school in the country, provided they have vacancies. You can list up to five schools of your choice, in order of preference, and your kid will be placed in the first one with available spots.

Children learn the following subjects:

• Portuguese • math • sciences • arts and sports • English (in 3rd and 4th grade)

Basic education: second and third cycles

These two cycles, which correspond to grades five through nine, are often grouped together. Schools are called EB 2/3 (abbreviation for ensino básico de 2º e 3º ciclo), or simply básico.

School hours depend on the school, since these are chosen at a municipal level as well. However, they must meet the minimum of 25 hours weekly.

The following subjects are taught in 5th and 6th grade: Portuguese, English, history and geography of Portugal, math, sciences, physical education (PE), visual education, information technologies, music. From 7th to 9th grade, the following subjects are added: second foreign language (Spanish, French, or German), history, geography, chemistry and physics. For all of these grades, moral and religious education is optional.

Secondary education or high school

Ensino secundário, or simply secundário, is the equivalent of high school in the US. It’s at this level that the Portuguese education system starts branching out, preparing students for either university or the workforce.

The most common courses at this stage are:

• científico-humanísticos courses — for students who wish to proceed to university • científico-tecnológico courses — for students who wish to study in university but with an added practical and professional component • professional courses

Choosing an area of specialization and national exams

If students choose one of the courses that grant access to higher education, they will need to pick a main area of specialization:

• sciences and technologies • socioeconomic sciences • languages and humanities • arts

These share a common curriculuPortuguese, foreign language (German, Spanish, or French), philosophy, and PE. The other five subjects are related to the field of study.

At the end of high school, students take national exams, which make up a percentage of their final grade. Universities typically list the national exam that is required for entry in their courses.

School costs

Public schools up to this education level are free, although families are expected to cover expenses such as school materials, meals, and in some cases, textbooks. Depending on the family's income bracket, some of these costs may be subsidized.

Private schools, on the other hand, can be quite costly. Prices will vary from school to school, but on average, you will pay between 400 and 500 EUR (approx. 450–600 USD) a month for private schooling, from primary level to high school. You are asked to pay enrollment fees, which are around 300 EUR (approx. 350 USD) a year, and you should take into account that school insurance may cost around 50 EUR (approx. 60 USD), meals approximately 100 EUR (approx. 120 USD) a month and books can cost up to 300 EUR (approx. 350 USD) per year as well.

The best schools in Portugal

According to a national ranking, the best basic education schools are:

• Colégio Nossa Senhora do Rosário – Porto • Colégio da Rainha Santa Isabel – Coimbra • Grande Colégio Universal – Porto • Colégio D. Diogo de Sousa – Braga • Colégio Luso-francês – Porto • Salesianos do Estoril – Lisboa • Colégio Manuel Bernardes – Lisboa • Colégio Moderno – Lisboa • Colégio São Tomás – Lisboa • Colégio St. Peter´s School – Lisboa

The best high schools in Portugal are:

• Colégio Nossa Senhora do Rosário – Porto • Academia de música Santa Cecília – Lisboa • Colégio D. Diogo de Sousa – Braga • Colégio Nossa Senhora da Conceição – Braga • Colégio dos Plátanos – Lisboa • Colégio Nossa Senhora da Paz – Porto • Grande Colégio Universal – Porto • Externato Escravas Sagrado Coração de Jesus – Porto • Colégio João Paulo II • Colégio Moderno

While escola is a more universal term, it usually refers to public schools. Private schools are almost always colégios. As private schools are known to be of much better quality than public schools, it is no surprise the list of best schools in Portugal is topped by private schools or colégios.

International schools

Some of the best international schools in Portugal can be found in Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve, as these are home to a significant number of expats. In this section, we introduce you to some of the best schools in Portugal for international students, from British, to French, or German schools, along with their costs.

International schools: Admission requirements

Usually schools post the required documents for admission on their websites, so it is always a good idea to read up on your preferred schools.

You’ll typically need the following documents:

• school’s enrollment form (available at the school or on their website) • parent’s and child’s IDs • passport photos • proof of legal residence • school reports from previous years • medical certificates or proof of the child’s immunizations • proof of payment of the application fee • language tests, if needed

Most schools require the child to be interviewed by the school director or other school staff as part of the admission process.

International schools: Tuition fees

If you‘re thinking of enrolling your kids at an international school, be prepared for high tuition costs. Prices vary significantly depending on the institution and the education level. Annual fees can range from 2,315 EUR to 28,113 EUR (approx. 2,700–33,000 USD), depending on the school and grade level. In addition, families must also pay for registration, meals, and sometimes uniforms and school materials . Here is an example of total costs at some of the most well-known international schools in Portugal:

British schools in Portugal

Portugal is home to a few British schools. Some of the most well-known British schools are:

• Julian’s School in Lisbon • Peter’s International School in Setúbal • Oporto British School in Porto • CLIP in Porto

The Oporto British School is the only school in the north that offers an International Baccalaureate (IB).

French schools in Portugal

Some of the most prominent French schools in the country are:

• Lycée Français Charles Lepierre in Lisbon • Lycée Français International de Porto in Porto • Colégio Luso-Francês in Porto

German schools in Portugal

• Deutsche Schule zu Porto in Porto • Deutsche Schule Lissabon in Lisbon • Deutsche Schule Algarve in the Algarve

Catholic schools in Portugal

Portugal has a long tradition of Catholic schools, and these tend to be the best schools in the country. Catholic schools in Portugal teach the Catholic religion and follow Catholic values. Although no child is excluded on the basis of the family’s religion, parents should be aware that Catholicism will play some part in their child’s education at these schools.

However, this pedagogic approach can be very different from school to school. While some Catholic schools may simply include the subject of morals and religion as part of their curriculum, others such as Opus Dei schools may have compulsory prayer before classes, preparation for confession and first communion, and other religious celebrations, either mandatory or optional.

Some of the best Catholic schools are:

• Colégio Nossa Senhora do Rosário in Porto • Colégio Rainha Santa Isabel in Coimbra • Salesianos do Estoril in Lisbon • Colégio Manuel Bernardes in Lisbon

Higher education

Most of the best universities in Portugal are public schools, although you’ll find some private schools near the top of the rankings as well. These are also the best universities for international students in Portugal. Education is high quality and classes will be taught in English whenever possible to accommodate international students.

You are considered an international student if you’re not a national of Portugal or the EU. However, if you have been a legal resident in Portugal for two years, or you have been living in Portugal as of 1 January of the year you wish to enroll in university, you may apply as a resident. All other students are subject to a quota of 30% of the enrollment of a given course.

The highest-ranking universities in Portugal

Portugal has nine universities listed in the QS World University Rankings 2025. These are:

• University of Lisbon • University of Porto • Universidade Nova de Lisboa • University of Coimbra • University of Aveiro • University of Minho • ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) • Universidade Católica Portuguesa • University of Algarve

University degrees in Portugal

Higher education in Portugal is organized into the following education levels:

• Licenciatura (bachelor’s degree) — three years • Mestrado (master’s degree) — two years • Doutoramento (doctorate) — varies

Many courses in Portugal, known as “mestrado integrado”, combine both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. For these degrees, students would enroll only once and continue their school years all the way to completion of their master’s. These are common for medicine, engineering, architecture, and psychology.

You may also obtain a pós-graduação (postgraduation), usually after your master’s degree, which is considered a specialization and not a university degree.

How much does it cost to study in Portugal for international students?

Unlike other school levels which are entirely free in public institutions, higher education in Portugal is not free. Students are asked to co-pay some of the costs.

Public universities

Tuition fees for public universities in Portugal vary by course, but the average cost is about 1,250 EUR (approx. 1,500 USD) per year for bachelor's and master's programs. PhD programs typically range between 2,500 and 3,000 EUR (approx. 3,000–3,500 USD) per year.

Students enrolled part-time usually pay about 70% of the full tuition cost. Exchange students may be exempt from tuition fees depending on bilateral agreements between their home university and the Portuguese institution.

Private universities

Private universities in Portugal set their own tuition rates, which are generally higher than those of public universities. Annual fees typically range from 3,500 to 3,900 EUR (approx. 4,100–4,600 USD) for all levels of study. Some programs may cost significantly more depending on the institution.

Higher fees usually apply to students from outside the EU/EEA, although some private Portuguese universities offer discounts of up to 100% based on academic performance. Most private universities charge tuition on a monthly basis, unlike public institutions, which typically bill annually.

Language schools

Attending language school is the fastest way of learning the local language. There are several language schools in Portugal for foreigners, and you’ll find no shortage of options with a quick online search. Besides specialized schools, you can take Portuguese classes with several public universities as well such as Universidade do Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon, to name a few. You will find courses with different durations, from short courses of just a few hours, to more intensive classes of several weeks. Language school fees are usually around 300 EUR to 400 EUR (350–450 USD) for a 60-hour course.

Programa PPT

A government initiative called Programa PPT offers language classes free of charge. This is available to all foreign residents in Portugal regardless of their employment status or earnings. These have a duration of 150 hours for an A2 or a B2 certification. The entire course can be spread throughout several weeks or months, depending on the education center.