Migrants: Education in Portugal for children, youth and adults

Education is present at all stages of life. If you are considering coming to live in Portugal, you should know that everyone has the right to education, as well as access to vocational and continuing training. 

You can find information on:

Education system in Portugal

Entry into education in Portugal only takes place from the age of 3. If you would like to know what support there is for children under 3 years of age, please consult the Practical Guide to Family Support.

After the age of 3, children can enter the Portuguese education system, which is organised into different levels:

  • pre-school education, attended by children between the ages of 3 and 6
  • the 1st cycle of basic education, from 1st to 4th grade
  • the 2nd cycle of basic education, from the 5th to the 6th grade
  • the 3rd cycle of basic education, from the 7th to the 9th grade
  • secondary education, from the 10th to the 12th grade.

Attendance at basic and secondary education is compulsory for students aged between 6 and 18. Students who have successfully completed secondary education may continue their studies in higher education.

Pre-School Education

Pre-school education, which is optional, is attended by children from the age of 3. The enrolment can be made in two ways:

Online

Face-to-face

  • directly in the school office of the child's area of residence

The enrolment is automatically renewed for the following years, except if the child is transferred to another establishment.

Basic education

In the year in which children turn 6 years old (completed until 15 September), they enter the 1st year of the 1st cycle of basic education. The enrolment process is the same as for pre-school education.

Education of refugee children and youth

To facilitate the integration of children and young people under international protection in the Portuguese education system, Portuguese schools allow:

  • equivalence of foreign qualifications and/or integration in the appropriate year of schooling and educational offer
  • progressive integration into the Portuguese curriculum and reinforcement of Portuguese language learning
  • School Social Action.

Requesting equivalence of educational or professional qualifications

If there are documents proving educational or professional qualifications, equivalence is made by means of the complete years of schooling that have been completed in the country of origin. 

Find out how to request the equivalence of foreign qualifications on the ePortugal portal. 

If there is no information or document proving the foreign school qualifications (e.g. certificates or diplomas), the equivalence of the same qualifications, can be requested by presenting:

  • sworn statement by the person concerned, the guardian or the person legally replacing him/her, stating the period of school attendance or qualification completed in the foreign country (of origin or host country)
  • statement issued by a competent entity for that purpose - Immigration and Borders Service, Portuguese Council for Refugees, Alto Comissariado para as Migrações, I.P. (High Commission for Migrations), justifying the exceptional situation.

Progressive integration into the Portuguese curriculum

The educational establishment is responsible for promoting the students' progressive integration into the Portuguese curriculum, accompanied by reinforcement of Portuguese language learning. Access the Frequently Asked Questions section, provided by the Directorate-General for Education, to find out more information about the integration of refugee children and young people in Portuguese education.  

School Social Action Support

Refugee children and young people covered by the educational measures for integration of refugee children and young people in the education system benefit from School Social Action support, namely for food, transport and other resources. The application is made in the school grouping or nongrouped school where the student is enrolled.

Offer of Portuguese as a non-native language (PLNM)

Newly arrived students in Portugal, whose mother tongue is not Portuguese or who did not learn the language at school, can attend the subject of Portuguese as a non-native language (PLNM) instead of Portuguese.

To be admitted to the course, each student has to take a language test. Based on the result, the school decides if they have access to the subject of Portuguese as a non-native language and what support they can receive.

Depending on the result of the test, each student can be in one of these classes:

  • beginner (A1/A2)
  • intermediate (B1)
  • advanced (B2/C1).

For more information, see the page 'Request information about the discipline of Portuguese non-maternal language'.

Access the Frequently Asked Questions section, provided by the Directorate-General for Education, to find out more information about the Portuguese as a Non-Native Language offer. 

PLNM also available for adults

In the cases of Education and Training Courses, Vocational Courses and Specialised Artistic Courses, the offer of PLNM is also foreseen.

Access the Frequently Asked Questions section, provided by the Directorate-General for Education, to find out more information about the Portuguese as a Non-Native Language offer.

For adults, there is also an offer of Portuguese as a Host Language (PLA) courses. See the information on the portal of the High Commission for Migrations (ACM).

School and vocational education for young people and adults

Education for young people

Education in Portugal offers several dual certification pathways (school and vocational) for young people. They can thus complete their basic education (9th year) and secondary education (12th year) with practical learning, associated with a profession, and allowing them to continue studying or even enter the labour market. 

The courses available for young people are as follows:

  • Education and Training Course - for those aged 15 or over and who have completed the 2nd cycle of basic education. It lasts two years and young people are left with the basic level of education completed and can continue their studies to the secondary level.
  • Specialised Artistic Courses - last 5 (basic level courses) or 3 years (higher level courses), and allow the completion of basic and/or secondary level education. Young people can enter the labour market. 
  • Professional courses - for those who have completed the 9th grade or equivalent training. The courses last 3 years. 
  • Apprenticeship courses - are a secondary education pathway, with dual certification. Young people can continue their studies at higher level or enter the labour market. 

Consult the courses available, as well as the schools and training providers on the Oferta Formativa (Educational Offer) portal. 

Adult education

The Portuguese education system offers several qualification paths that, throughout life, allow obtaining school certification at basic level (4th, 6th or 9th grade), at secondary level (12th grade) and/or a professional certification. 

The pathways available for adults are as follows:

Equivalence of studies obtained abroad

The equivalence of studies obtained abroad to Portuguese basic or secondary education qualifications is requested at the school where the student is enrolled. However, it should be noted that the enrolment is only made after the assignment of the equivalence. To make the request, the following documents are required:

  • the completed application form for equivalence, which is also available from the school where the application is made
  • proof/official qualification certificate, authenticated by a Portuguese embassy or consulate in the foreign country, or by the embassy or consulate of the foreign country in Portugal, or by The Hague Apostille, for countries that joined the Hague Convention
  • the supporting documents of secondary education qualifications shall indicate the subjects attended, the respective final grades or final average grades obtained and information about the grading scale applied in the evaluation, including the minimum and maximum classification for approval
  • documents must be officially translated into Portuguese.

Find out more about Foreign Equivalences in the Frequently Asked Questions section provided by the Directorate-General for Education.

Recognition of foreign qualifications

The recognition of qualifications obtained in foreign countries may be requested by Portuguese citizens and by foreign citizens residing in Portugal, who prove to be holders of qualifications obtained in education and training systems of foreign countries. 

The application should be made by filling in and sending a form available at any Qualifica Centre, as well as the following documents:

  • copy of updated identification document
  • title or qualifications obtained in a foreign country, authenticated by the Portuguese embassy or consulate or of the foreign country in Portugal, and duly translated
  • document explaining the professional outcome associated with the qualification obtained abroad, or the professional profile, curricular structure, syllabus and associated workloads of the qualification to be recognized, duly translated 
  • academic qualification certificate obtained in Portugal or school equivalence certificate issued by the competent services of the Ministry of Education and Science, if applicable.

For more information on the recognition of foreign qualifications, please consult the website of the National Agency for Qualifications and Vocational Education (ANQEP).

Support resources for migrant students

Telephone translation service 

The High Commission for Migration (ACM) has a telephone translation service (STT) available to help migrants overcome the language barrier. 

The telephone translation service is available in 69 languages and dialects and puts together a conference call:

  • the person representing the service provider
  • a person to do the translation 
  • and the immigrant.

To access the service, you must call 808 257 257 (via the landline network) or 218 106 191 (via the mobile network).

The telephone translation service operates from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 8pm, and on Saturdays, from 9am to 5pm. 

Vocabulary 

Ciberescola offers lists of basic vocabulary, level A1:

Welcome to school leaflet

The Aga Khan Foundation offers a "welcome to school" leaflet with useful phrases that may be needed to facilitate communication on the first days of school.