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Basic Education (Educação Básica)

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What is it?

In Portugal, children between the ages of 6 and 18 are required to get their education. However, prior to the mandatory entrance, after turning 3, children can enter the Portuguese education system, which is organized into different levels:

  • pre-school education, attended by children between the ages of 3 and 6
  • the 1st cycle of basic education, from the 1st to the 4th grades 6-9 years old
  • the 2nd cycle of basic education, from the 5th to the 6th years 10-11 years
  • the 3rd cycle of basic education, from the 7th to the 9th years 12-14 years
  • secondary education, from 10th to 12th grade. 15-17 years

Students who have successfully completed compulsory education can continue their studies in higher education.

Anyone can be enrolled in Portuguese public education, neither parents nor children need to have residence permits in order to enroll in school.

Why would I need it?

  • In many countries, including Portugal, education up to a certain age is compulsory by law. Therefore, you would need to get a basic education to comply with legal requirements. Also, having basic education credentials is often a prerequisite for many jobs. Even for entry-level positions, basic literacy and numeracy skills are essential.
  • If you are planning to live in Portugal, having a basic education can help you integrate into society more effectively by allowing you to communicate effectively, understand cultural norms, and engage in various activities.
  • Progressive integration into the Portuguese curriculum and reinforcement of Portuguese language learning
  • Ação Social Escolar

Step-by-Step guide

Enrollment

1. The student's guardians- O encarregado de educação- have to enroll the student.

2. How to find the school?

  • Search within your Junta de Freguesia the “Agrupamento de Escolas”, once you find it that should be your first option when you are enrolling since probably it will be the closest school to your home.
  • If you don’t know your Freguesia, you can find it by entering your postal code here.

3. You can register your child online by going to the website linked here (Portal das Matrículas), be aware of the enrollment dates and documents you need to have in hand before starting enrollment:

Level of School
  • Period for Enrollment/Changes
Pre-school to first year
  • April 22 to June 1
2nd year to 5th year
  • July 1-13
6th year to 9th year
  • June 16-29
10th year
  • July 15-24
11th year
  • June 16-29
12th year
  • July 15-24

4. You will need a Chave Móvel Digital or access to Portal das Finanças to access the Portal das Matrículas.

5. Enrollment is free; parents only pay for food, which comes in three levels depending on monthly household income. The bracket is assigned on the day of registration, so bring proof of household income.

6. You can also do it directly in the school office of the school of your residency area, search for a school in your Junta de Freguesia area, if there are no schools there or no vacancies left, search within the municipality.

If your child’s native language is not Portuguese and her/his previous education was not in a school with Portuguese as the language of instruction, you should indicate that during the enrollment process so that your child can be given an aptitude test and enrolled in the appropriate classes of Portuguese as Non-Mother Tongue (PLNM) in place of the normal Portuguese classes in school. If your child does not speak Portuguese, it might be useful to go over the list of useful phrases in this pamphlet of the Aga Khan Foundation.

8. Once the child is enrolled the registration is automatically renewed for the next year, even though you must go to the school every year to sign in for your child.

Documents Required

Enrollment

  1. Your identification document;
  2. Your child's identification document;
  3. A digital photograph of your child;
  4. Your Tax Identification Number and that of your child;
  5. Your child's Social Security Number if they wish to benefit from School Social Action.
  6. Declaration of domicílio fiscal- fiscal domicile (obtained from the Portal das Finanças: Certidões, Modelos e Formulários/Certidões/Pedir Certidão and then select “Domicílio Fiscal (Morada) from the dropdown menu) of residence in the area of the school where you want to enroll the child
  7. If your child was previously enrolled in foreign schools, you will need to request equivalence for her/his previous education, as described below.

Step-by-Step guide

Equivalency of Foreign Educational Credentials

Portuguese schools allow you to establish the equivalence of foreign education credentials to determine the level of school in which your child will be enrolled, as well as specific qualifications. You need to apply for this in person at a school at least 30 days before you need it (preferably longer). You may be charged fees for this process, which can vary.

Documents Required

Equivalency of Foreign Educational Credentials

When you go to apply, you should bring the following documents if you can get them:

1. Certificates of successfully completed school qualifications (in a foreign language):

  • Authenticated either (a) by the consular services or embassies of Portugal based in the country to which the qualification relates, (b) by the consular services or embassies of foreign countries in Portugal, OR (c) by a Hague Apostille, for countries that have signed up to the Hague Convention
  • Translated into Portuguese
  • Indicating the year(s) of schooling, cycle of studies or course successfully completed and the respective final grades.

2. A legible photocopy of an up-to-date identification document (identity card, citizen's card, passport or residence permit).

3. This form which should be completed in advance.

Additional documentation may also be required: (i) A statement, issued by the competent authority for the purpose, with information on the grading scales used and the minimum grade/concept for approval. (ii) Information on the foreign education system to which the qualification relates (e.g. number of years of schooling, entry conditions, school certification).

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

  • A sworn statement from the student him/herself, the guardian or whoever legally replaces him/her, indicating the period of school attendance or the qualification completed in the foreign country (home or host)
  • A statement issued by a competent authority – AIMA, Portuguese Council for Refugees (CPR), High Commission for Migration (ACM), I.P. -justifying the exceptional situation.

Where we are

Rua Carvalho Araújo 66-B
1900-140 Lisboa
Portugal

How to Get Here

  • Metro: Linha Verde (Green Line) - Intendente Station
  • Bus: 708, 730, 742, 794

Opening hours

Mon, Tue, Thu
10:00–12:30 & 14:00–17:30
Wednesday (Extended)
Until 19:30
Friday
Until 18:30
No appointment needed. Just walk in.

Contact info

+351 964 809 959