escolaridade obrigatória
Published 5 November 2026, 03:36
escolaridade obrigatória — compulsory schooling
Schooling in Portugal is compulsory from age 6 to 18 or until the end of year 12, whichever comes first. The state has a duty too: a child of this age who lives in the country must be given a school place, whether or not the family has papers and whether or not it applied on time.
Where you come across it. Enrolling a child at school, talking to the head teacher or the câmara when there are "no places", moving in the middle of the school year.
A place must be given, but not necessarily at the nearest school and not necessarily straight away: late applications are dealt with individually, after the general allocation. If the school offered is far away, this is sorted out through the school and the câmara, not through the portal.
Official website: portaldasmatriculas.edu.gov.pt