In this guide

  1. What bilingual schooling means in Lisbon
  2. How we chose these schools
  3. Bilingual schools to investigate
  4. Questions to ask each school
  5. Related guides
  6. Frequently asked questions

What bilingual schooling means in Lisbon

Bilingual is a broad label in Lisbon and it pays to know which version a school is offering. At one end are dual language settings, often in the Montessori tradition, where children spend real teaching time in both English and Portuguese from the early years. At the other end are English medium international schools that timetable Portuguese as a taught subject, sometimes streamed by fluency, so a child leaves with strong spoken Portuguese without the whole curriculum being delivered in it. Both can be an excellent fit, but they produce different outcomes, so the useful question is not whether a school calls itself bilingual but how many hours a week are taught in each language and from what age.

Portugal also expects most resident children to study Portuguese language and culture, which is why even the most English focused schools here build it into the timetable. Treat the language model as something to confirm in the same enquiry as curriculum and international school fees in Lisbon, and read our overview of primary school fees so the language provision sits in context. The wider picture starts with the Lisbon city guide.

How we chose these schools

This shortlist is drawn from established Lisbon schools that offer either genuine dual language teaching or a strong structured Portuguese pathway alongside an international curriculum. We have not scored or ranked them for bilingualism, because there is no independent, verified rating for it and it would be wrong to imply one. Instead we point you to schools worth an early enquiry and tell you what to confirm. Several run a recognised curriculum such as the IB curriculum or the British curriculum, both of which sit comfortably alongside a second language. Every school named below links to its full profile, and you should verify the current language model directly with each one.

Bilingual schools to investigate

Each school below has a full profile on this site. The notes describe the language approach to confirm rather than a verified grade, because provision and places change each year.

  • International Montessori School of Lisbon, an AMI Montessori school in Cascais for younger children that describes itself as bilingual in English and Portuguese. Ask how the two languages are balanced across the day and at which age the mix shifts.
  • Bilingual Montessori School of Lisbon, a Montessori setting on the Cascais side of greater Lisbon delivered in English with Portuguese support. Ask how much Portuguese is timetabled and how children new to either language are settled.
  • United Lisbon International School, a modern IB World School in Marvila teaching ages three to eighteen. Ask about its language pathways, how Portuguese is grouped by fluency and how second language learners are supported into the diploma years.
  • Carlucci American International School of Lisbon, an American school near Sintra with a genuinely mixed community that includes many Portuguese families. Ask how Portuguese language and culture is taught and whether a first language Portuguese route is available.
  • British School of Lisbon, an English National Curriculum school in the centre that adapts its programme to include local Portuguese language and culture. Ask how the Portuguese strand is staffed and assessed as children move up the school.

Compare schools side by side

Our school comparison tool lets you put up to three Lisbon schools head to head on curriculum, fees and stage range, then note your language questions for each admissions team. For a shortlist tailored to your child's profile, book a short call through contact. We take no school referral commissions.

Questions to ask each school

A few precise questions quickly separate a truly bilingual offer from a lightly badged one. Ask how many hours a week are taught in Portuguese and in English, and whether that split changes as children move up the school. Ask whether Portuguese is offered as a first language as well as an additional language, since a child from a Portuguese speaking home needs a different route from a beginner. Ask how classes are grouped by fluency, how quickly a new arrival with no Portuguese is supported, and who leads language provision. Ask to see how children are assessed in each language so progress is visible rather than assumed. Finally, ask what any additional language support costs on top of tuition and to put that figure in writing.

It also helps to visit during a normal school day rather than at an open evening, and to listen for how naturally both languages are used in corridors and playgrounds. A school where Portuguese is lived rather than merely timetabled tends to produce more confident bilingual children. Return to the Lisbon city guide to line these visits up alongside the rest of your shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a bilingual school in Lisbon?

Provision ranges from schools that teach across two languages to English medium schools that include structured Portuguese lessons. Ask each school how many hours a week are taught in each language and from what age.

Will my child learn Portuguese at an international school in Lisbon?

Most Lisbon international schools teach Portuguese as part of the timetable, and some integrate it more deeply. Confirm whether it is offered as a first or additional language and how classes are grouped by fluency.

Are bilingual places limited in Lisbon?

Popular bilingual and Montessori settings are small, so early years and primary places fill quickly. Contact admissions early and ask about the current waiting position for your child's year group.

Do bilingual schools cost more?

Fees vary by school rather than by bilingual status. Read our Lisbon fees overview and ask each school to confirm current tuition and any language support charge in writing.