So, we’ve covered the Education System in Portugal from our school levels and grading system to the difference from Public and Private schools, but now the question is: “How to transfer my child/teen to a Portuguese school?”.
Indeed, if you have children in school age (6 to 18 years old), one of your top priorities once in Portugal should be to enroll them into a school, as it is mandatory and a legal requirement. It is important to remember that Public schools teach their classes in Portuguese. While some expats (specially with younger kids) are comfortable with this in order to help their children to fully immerse into the Portuguese language, the most common thing is for expats to usually prefer to enroll their children in International schools.
Let’s take a more detailed look at when should you do it and what documentation you will need !
PORTUGUESE PUBLIC SCHOOL’S ENROLLMENT:
IN PRESCHOOL, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
The enrollment due dates depend on the age and grade of your child. Normally,
Pre-school education to the 1st grade: takes place around April-May;
From the 2nd to 7th grades: around July;
From the 8th to 12th grades: around June;
We recommend contacting the school of your residence directly or checking Portal das Matrículas website.
Automatic renewal of enrollment applies to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 11th school years when:
there is no school transfer
there is no change in the guardian
there is no change in the course of study
there is no need to choose subjects.
In all other cases, it is necessary to start the renewal of enrolment process through the Portal das Matrículas (Enrolments Portal).
Upon finding a suitable school in your area of residence, there are two ways in which you can enroll your child. One is through the aforementioned Portal das Matrículas website (Enrolments Portal) and the other is in person at the school.
DOCUMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS
In terms of documentation needed, the standard documents are the following:
Parent’s ID document;
Child’s ID document or birth certificate;
Parent’s and child’s tax ID (NIF);
Parent’s and child’s Social Security number;
Three passport like photos of the child;
Health certificate from the Health Centre (Centro de saúde);
Vaccination book: Your child’s immunization records (boletim de vacinas);
A completed enrollment form (provided to you by the school);
A leaving certificate (confirmation of the last level passed by the student)
Keep in mind that, sometimes different schools may require further documentation, so it’s always best to check directly with the school.
VIA PORTAL DAS MATRICULAS
To authenticate to the Portal das Matrículas you will need one of the following means:
Access data to the Portal das Finanças (Finances Portal);
Digital Mobile Key (CMD);
Citizen Card, smartcard reader and authentication PIN;
Plus the same documents previous mentioned;
Find out what other personal data should be recorded in the request for enrolment.
PRICE TO MAKE REQUESTS FOR ENROLMENT AND RENEWAL OF ENROLMENT
In person, there may be a small fee to pay to enroll your child, around 5€, so it’s quite low.
Regarding annual fees, at a public school there are none, except for individual expenses of school supplies, school books and other potential expenses like transportation.
If you manage to make the entire process online via Portal das Matrículas website (Enrolments Portal), then it's free of charge.
PRIVATE OR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS ENROLLMENT:
IN PRESCHOOL, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Unlike Public Schools, each school sets their own registration deadlines. Usually, the school website provides this kind of information, or you can check with the school directly.
DOCUMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS
To enroll in a Private or International School, you must contact them directly. Just like for Public schools, Private schools also request a standard set of documentation (list above).
Furthermore, it may be necessary to present a motivational letter written by the incoming student, a recommendation letter from previous teachers, and previous school grades. Although, not all of them require all of these documents, a lot of them do require entrance exams and interviews, as well as past school records.
As you can see, some private and international schools (especially the most prestigious ones in Portugal) can be quite demanding and strict in their admission process, so be prepared for a bit of bureaucracy.
Unlike Public schools, International schools besides charging more on registration fees, you may also have to pay an admission fee, first month tuition and a capital levy. Capital levy are non-refundable and can be quite expensive. These charges vary greatly amongst schools, for example St Julian’s School charges a €3,250 levy and €950 fee, Oporto British School charges a €300 levy and €70 fee, etc.
All in all, the best procedement to enroll your child into a Private or International school is to always contact the school of your choice beforehand in order to fully understand the dates for registration, documentos and entrance exams needed as well tuition fees and other school expenses.
WHAT IS THE SUPPORT LEGISLATION?
Decree-law no. 14-G/2020.
Despacho n.º 4209-A/2022, de 12 de abril
Hope this article was helpful, any questions you might have feel free to contact us! We are always available at contact@savvycatrealty.com if you need any assistance ;)