How to choose a private or international school in Portugal and apply
A guide for parents choosing a fee-paying school in Portugal: a Portuguese private school or an international one with a British, American or IB programme. You will be able to compare programmes and results, work out the full budget, prepare the documents and get through admissions without depending on the state system for allocating places.
Decide on the language and curriculum
First decide where your child is most likely to finish school and go to university. A Portuguese private school usually follows the currículo português (the Portuguese national curriculum): teaching is mainly in Portuguese, and in the upper years pupils sit national exams. International schools offer the British Curriculum, the American Curriculum, the International Baccalaureate (IB) or a combination of several systems.
Check not only the name of the programme but also up to which year it runs. For example, a school may teach the British curriculum up to GCSE and then move pupils on to the IB. Ask which diploma your child will receive, which exams the latest graduating class sat and how leavers get into university in the country you have in mind.
“Because international schools differ in which programme they offer. Some follow the British one, some the American, some IB. There's a French school and a German one too. Personally I'm not keen on the IB system, for purely subjective reasons, and I'd like my daughter, when she grows up, to try applying to university in England, so we narrowed our shortlist to schools with the British programme. And of those we liked St. Julian’s and the British School of Lisbon the most.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal07.03.2025
“The only school I know of is St. Julian’s, it's fully registered with the local ministry of education. BUT! They teach the British programme up to GCSE level and then for the last 3 years switch to the IB system. The one I know plans to do A-Levels specifically is the British School of Lisbon, but their first A Level class will apparently only be in a couple of years, once the kids grow into it (they launch year groups organically), plus I don't know if they're fully registered with the local education ministry or not.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal08.02.2025
Check the school and its right to award the diploma it advertises
Check which stages the school covers: educação pré-escolar (pre-school education), ensino básico (years 1–9) and ensino secundário (years 10–12). The word Colégio in the name does not necessarily mean the school takes children of any age.
For the Portuguese curriculum, check the autorização de funcionamento (the school's licence to operate) and the school's details with the Direção-Geral dos Estabelecimentos Escolares — DGEstE (Directorate-General for Schools). From an international school, also ask for proof of accreditation for exactly the programme and exam centre it advertises. This matters especially if your child later moves into the Portuguese system or applies to university in another country.
Use the ranking as just one filter
The Público and Católica Porto Business School ranking of 2024 exam results shows the average exam score out of 20. The top ten in the country by average score were all private schools. Leading were Colégio Nossa Senhora do Rosário in Porto — 16.71, Grande Colégio Universal in Porto — 16.71 and Colégio Efanor in Matosinhos — 16.35. In Lisbon, strong results came from Academia de Música de Santa Cecília — 16.25, Salesianos de Lisboa — Colégio Oficinas de São José — 15.90 and Colégio de Stª Doroteia — 15.65.
Among state schools in these cities, Escola Básica e Secundária D. Filipa de Lencastre in Lisbon — 13.44, Escola Secundária Infanta D. Maria in Coimbra — 13.20 and Escola Secundária Dr. Joaquim Gomes Ferreira Alves in Vila Nova de Gaia — 13.10 stand out.
Do not choose a school by its position alone. The table also has a ‘value-added’ position: it shows a school's results compared with schools in similar circumstances. The ranking does not measure support for foreign pupils, atmosphere, class size or the child's wellbeing. International schools whose pupils do not sit Portuguese national exams may not appear in such a table at all. A high score also sometimes goes hand in hand with strict selection based on previous grades and language skills.
“So I don't sound like I'm exaggerating, here's an example: Colégio Campo das flores, which is fairly high up in the ranking, doesn't take them, plus it asks for grades from previous years.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal17.02.2026
“Great Portuguese schools that turned us down because of no Portuguese: - Santa Cecilia Music Academy - really strong academics (top of the ranking in Maths and Physics), they prepare kids to get into conservatoires - colégio monte maior - big school, good facilities (swimming pool)”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal26.07.2023
Work out the full annual budget
Ask each school for its tabela de preços (price list) for the school year you need, for example 2026/2027. Look not only at the mensalidade or propina (monthly or annual fee), but also at matrícula (enrolment), inscrição (application), renovação (renewing the place), meals, uniform, textbooks, transport, clubs, exams and summer programmes.
The recent examples here mainly concern Portuguese private schools and their pre-school sections: parents mentioned €400–500 a month in Leiria, around €700 with meals and music at Colégio Mãe Maria, and a rough figure of around €800 a month for a Portuguese private school. These are not official rates for the whole market. There are no current comparable prices for international schools here; ask them separately for a full breakdown for your child's age.
“We go to Colégio Mãe Maria, they have groups from 3 months, from 8.00 to 19.00, annual reg fee 200-250 euros, 700 euros a month with food and music lessons. In August they're closed for 3 weeks, otherwise only public holidays off.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal12.06.2026
“There's a nursery at the private school CCMI and at Colégio Nossa Semhora de Fátima if I'm not mistaken, you'll pay 400-500€ a month, and people also mentioned João de Deus above. Those are the three best schools in Leiria.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkchatleiria09.04.2026
Contact schools as early as possible
Private and international schools have no single state allocation of places: you apply directly to each school. Write to admissions or the secretaria (school office), giving your child's date of birth, current year, programme, languages and preferred start date. Ask straight away whether there is actually a place, whether there is a lista de espera (waiting list), whether the application fee is refundable and when you will get a decision.
At popular schools admissions can open a year or more ahead, and free places depend on the particular year group. Do not assume that paying for an application means a place: in one case CLIP charged €150 per application and then turned the family down for lack of places. In another case parents were advised to register long before the start of school and to start early at the nursery linked to the school.
“In Porto there isn't much choice. CLIP, British School and the new CJD. Everyone sings CLIP's praises, so you can't go wrong there. The huge problem is getting a place at CLIP and British. Be ready to pay 150 euros for them to look at your application and then get turned down because they have no places. And in fact they already know right now whether they have places or not, but they still ask you to pay the non-refundable 150 euros. There's been a lot of outrage about this here. The British one, for example, asked me for the kids' school reports in March, and then basically stopped answering emails asking about the status of the applications.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal02.05.2023
Visit the school and ask practical questions
On a visita à escola (school visit), look at the classrooms, playground, canteen and sports facilities. Find out the class size, staff turnover, timetable, amount of homework, school transport, holiday closure dates and whether there is a psychologist or tutor.
For a child without Portuguese, ask separately about Português Língua Não Materna — PLNM (Portuguese as a non-native language): how many lessons a week, whether they replace other subjects and who helps in ordinary lessons. Having PLNM does not by itself mean strong support. In some Portuguese private schools the teachers do not speak English, so your child may need lessons outside school.
“My daughter goes to colegio bafureira, they take kids without Portuguese. The Salesianos schools (there are several around the country) take them too. But that's out towards Cascais, not Lisbon itself.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal28.08.2025
Find out about the religious side
Many strong Portuguese Colégios are linked to Catholic organisations. Before applying, ask whether catequese (catechism classes), Mass, prayers, preparation for First Communion and taking part in religious events are compulsory.
Practice varies. At one school, religious classes were described as voluntary, and an agnostic child felt comfortable. Another family left a Catholic school because much of school life revolved around church holidays, and the support for a foreign pupil turned out to be inadequate.
“We did a couple of months at a Catholic school — Colégio do Ramalhão — and in the end switched to a completely secular one. There were a number of reasons. 1) because there were very few built-in options for supporting pupils not from Portugal. Big classes, no tutors whatsoever, nobody who could support them during the settling-in period 2) all the life around school is still built around church holidays and events — like First Communion. And you either have to join in with all that, or keep taking them out / not taking part and so on... overall it all depends on personal choice and values, the school was ready to ”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal10.09.2024
“From what I know, at our school Colégio de Santa Maria - in year 2 they sing songs to a guitar (sort of like psalms in meaning, but in simple words kids understand). Once there was an open Mass for parents, where the kids read lines from the Gospel + there was a little costume play about the apostles. In year 5 there's a Catechism lesson, they cover everything from the Old Testament to essays like ‘How I spent Easter’, and this year they also took them to Batalha monastery, told them about the Crusades and knighted them. There are often Sunday services that parents are invited to (at the start of term, at”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal08.05.2024
Prepare school reports and documents
The school usually asks for the child's and parents' identity documents, proof of relationship or guardianship, the latest school reports, details of completed years and sometimes references. For the upper years they may ask for grades from several years and test the child in specific subjects.
If official recognition of the child's schooling is needed, you apply for equivalência de habilitações estrangeiras (recognition of foreign school qualifications). You usually need a document showing the completed years with subjects and grades, the grading scale, legalisation or the Apostila de Haia (Hague Apostille) and a translation into Portuguese. It is best to confirm the exact set of documents in advance with the school that handles the equivalência (equivalence), as the requirements depend on the country that issued the documents.
Go through the interview or entrance assessment
The school sets the format: a meeting with the family, a trial day, a test in English or Portuguese, maths and a look at previous grades. For the upper years language matters especially: even if some subjects are taught in English, compulsory Portuguese literature can be the reason for a refusal.
Before paying, ask whether the fee is non-refundable and what happens if there is no place or the test result is not good enough. Get the decision dates and a list of the next payments in writing.
“This is the kind of presentation I decided to respond to, and I asked for an interview for year 11. I found this college by searching - IB, bilingual. I thought - how great! An IB diploma at an ordinary private school and without costing an arm and a leg. In the end they turned us down (the way I see it) on the formal grounds that my daughter, with her stated A2, wouldn't cope with ‘Portuguese literature’ in Portuguese at year 11 level. More likely they didn't want to take a pupil who'd spoil their ranking. And all their other subjects are in English. They have four colleges, Colégio Fomento. Two in Lisbon. Two in Porto.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal07.07.2023
Accept the place and complete enrolment
Once you are offered a place, read the contrato de prestação de serviços educativos (contract for educational services) carefully. Check the payment terms, deposit refunds, notice period for leaving, the annual price increase, the rules on absences and any compulsory extra services.
Pay the matrícula (enrolment fee) or deposit only after the place has been confirmed in writing. Then hand over medical and contact details, choose meals and transport, order the uniform and confirm the date of the first day. If your child is starting without the language, agree in advance on a settling-in plan and how you will keep in touch with the form tutor.
“In the end we went to Colegio do vale. We chose it because there's lots of extra Portuguese and the school is generally geared towards gentle settling in. Psychologically it really went brilliantly, the kids are happy to go, they get really upset when there are holidays, they want to go with no days off, it's amazing 😅 Hard to say about the quality of teaching yet.”
Translated from Russian; the original is at the linkschoolinportugal08.11.2023
What it costs, according to community conversations
| registration, Colégio Mãe Maria | €200–250 a year, experience from June 2026 | source |
| nursery at Colégio Mãe Maria | €700 a month with meals and music, experience from June 2026 | source |
| private school or nursery, Leiria | €400–500 a month, rough figure from April 2026 | source |
| Portuguese private school | around €800 a month, general rough figure from March 2026, not a specific school's rate | source |
| CLIP application assessment | €150 per child, non-refundable fee based on experience in 2023; check the current price | source |
| monthly fee with meals | €700 | source |
| crèche under Creche Feliz | ~€125 | source |
| a year's tuition, Colegio Julio Dinis | around €8,000 | source |
| Colégio da Torre per month | €533 a month | source |
| school with NISS | €100–200 | source |
| Colégio da Bafureira per month | €460 | source |
What to bring
- The child's passport or Cartão de Cidadão (citizen card)
- Documents of the parents or legal guardians
- Birth certificate or proof of guardianship
- NIF — Número de Identificação Fiscal (tax number) for invoices, if the school asks for it
- Proof of address, if the school asks for it
- School reports for recent years
- Certificate of completed years with subjects and grades
- Description of the previous school's grading scale
- Teachers' references, if they are needed for admission
- Apostila de Haia (Hague Apostille) or legalisation of documents — when required
- Translation of school documents into Portuguese — when required
- The equivalência (equivalence) decision, if you already have one
- Information on vaccinations, health, allergies and educational needs
- A photo of the child, if the application form asks for one
Where people most often trip up
- Confusing a Portuguese private school with an international one: their language, exams and final diploma differ.
- Looking only at the exam ranking without checking how selective the school is.
- Paying a non-refundable fee without finding out whether there is a place in the right year.
- Starting the search in summer, when popular year groups are already full.
- Leaving meals, transport, uniform, textbooks, exams and the annual re-enrolment out of the budget.
- Counting on PLNM without checking the actual number of lessons and the support in ordinary lessons.
- Underestimating Portuguese when joining the middle and upper years.
- Not asking whether religious classes and church events are compulsory.
- Not checking the accreditation of the international programme and recognition of the final diploma.
- Bringing only a report card without a list of subjects, the grading scale, an apostille or a translation.
How it went for people
Settling in before year 1 at a private school
The family had moved a month earlier and began preparing their 7-year-old daughter for year 1 starting in September. Because she had no Portuguese and weak English, she was placed in the pre-school group of a Portuguese private school to settle in. Within a week the girl was already enjoying school, and the other children and the teachers were helping her learn new words.
Different experiences at private and state schools
The child went to several Portuguese schools, where teachers helped with the language and tried to stop the child falling behind. One private school had no PLNM lessons, but the teachers patiently explained the material, and the child was upset whenever they had to miss lessons. At another, a state secondary school, it proved hard to get hold of the teachers, and the form tutor put the blame for the difficulties on the child. Instead of cooperation, the family got stress.
Choosing the British curriculum with university in England in mind
The family chose an international school with their daughter's future university application in England in mind. They ruled out the IB for subjective reasons and focused on schools with the British curriculum. They liked St. Julian’s and the British School of Lisbon the most, but the final choice came down to where to live — central Lisbon or Carcavelos.
Moving to a private school mid-year took two days
A mother decided her son was wasting his time at a state school: his class was very weak, and there was no other class in the same year to move to. Changing state school in the middle of the year is a lottery, and she did not want to lose a year. She wrote to a private colégio, they replied straight away, they met the next day, and it turned out there was exactly one free place in year 2. From 2 November the boy was already at the new school.
A deposit in November, the right to change your mind until January
The family chose a private school carefully: they went to see it, asked questions from a list drawn up in advance, and noted down their impressions, the price and whether there were places. In November they paid a deposit — until January it could still be refunded and they could change their mind. In that time the mother tracked down parents of current pupils and asked them about the school: the most common answer was ‘my children are happy there’, and they praised the school's links with families and how involved it is. After that the family paid the rest. They also compared a nearby school: it was more expensive, with three kinds of uniform, lots of extra payments and classes twice the size, but more modern and preparing pupils for an international programme — but the children were three and six, and the family put settling in, a love of learning and English first.
An interview in English and tests in English and maths
A mother was comparing two international schools. The second turned out to be more spacious: a large car park with a drop-off area, school buses, well-equipped classrooms, a lab, interactive whiteboards, a big library and sports grounds; on the other hand, it was harder to find housing nearby, there were noticeably more children, and they seemed more left to their own devices. There is no uniform, and children can bring their own food, except nuts. Three days before the interview she joined the school's parents' chat and walked straight into a discussion of bullying of Russian-speaking children — there were alarmingly many messages, but when she asked directly, the member of staff showing her round said it was the first she had heard of it. The interview was in English, and then the child did tests on a computer: in English — writing, listening and reading; in maths — twenty questions.
Retold in our own words from messages in open chats. The link leads to the full original message.