Free online English course from Santander and the British Council: apply by 19 November, take the tests by the 20th
Santander and the British Council, the UK's cultural organisation, are taking applications for a free online English course until 23:59 Lisbon time on 19 November 2026 (programme page). Anyone aged 18 or over who lives in Portugal can apply. You don't need a degree or a Santander account. There are 10,000 places, shared across 12 countries: Portugal, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil and six other Latin American countries (Jornal Económico).
Selection is not based on your English. Once you have applied, you will be emailed a link to skills and aptitude tests, and the organisers recommend taking them in your native language. The programme also recommends registering with a personal email address rather than a work or university one. The British Council will pick the applicants with the best results and contact them from 1 December. You must confirm your place within seven days, or it goes to the next person on the list.
The tests must be completed by 20 November: without them, your application will not be considered.
The first part of the course runs from 11 January to 8 March 2027: eight weeks of lessons on the platform, at your own pace. Your level, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is set by a placement test. The lessons cover six topics: three about everyday life and three about work. You can also join a webinar on grammar and pronunciation four times a month.
The 1,500 best learners will go on to a further 20 weeks, from 15 March to 2 August: a weekly lesson with a teacher in a group of people from different countries, at a time they choose themselves. At the end of the course, the British Council issues a certificate of participation. It is not an official certificate, but it shows how much your level has improved.
