Astoria International School, also known as Colegio Europeu Astoria, is a private bilingual school in central Lisbon, part of the wider market mapped on our Lisbon city hub. Founded in 2010, it fuses the Cambridge curriculum with the Portuguese national curriculum and builds a multilingual programme that starts in English and Portuguese and adds German and then French as pupils move up the school. It runs from nursery through lower secondary rather than to sixth form, which makes it a school families consider for the early and middle years before they decide where a child will sit senior qualifications.
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At a glance
Curriculum and academics
Astoria fuses the Cambridge curriculum with the Portuguese national curriculum, so pupils gain an internationally recognised English language framework while staying aligned to the Portuguese system. In the third cycle pupils follow Cambridge Lower Secondary, and the school is a certified Cambridge English examination centre, which lets children sit the graded English qualifications from Starters and Movers through to higher levels as they progress. Teaching is bilingual in English and Portuguese in the early years, with German introduced in the later primary years and French from the fifth year, building a genuinely multilingual profile.
The pedagogy is described as student centred and active, drawing on the ideas of the Modern School Movement and on multiple intelligences, with an emphasis on practical learning and autonomy. Because the school runs to lower secondary rather than to a senior qualification, families weighing the Cambridge route should read our British and Cambridge curriculum guide to understand how the stages map onto IGCSE and the sixth form elsewhere, and to plan the onward step for the senior years.
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Astoria International School fees
Astoria publishes a current fee schedule by stage rather than a single headline figure, so nursery places sit on a different rate from primary and lower secondary. As a city based bilingual school it is priced differently from the large English medium internationals on the Cascais coast, so you should check any quoted figure against the range in our Lisbon international school fees guide rather than assume it tracks the premium tier. Treat any number as a published figure that changes each academic year and confirm the current schedule with the school.
Tuition is only part of the cost. Expect a registration fee on top of annual tuition, and budget for lunch, materials and any optional extras or clubs. Use our fee calculator to model the full annual cost across the stages, and ask the school how fees are staged across the year and whether a deposit or sibling discount applies before you commit a place.
Admissions
Astoria recruits mainly for a September start and admits children from a few months old into nursery, so the early years are the busiest entry points and a common way for relocating families to secure a place before moving up the school. The school typically asks for recent records for older applicants and may meet the family to confirm the right stage and the language support a child will need to settle into a bilingual programme.
Mid year entry is reviewed subject to space, which suits families relocating to Lisbon outside the usual cycle. Anyone moving during the school year should contact the school directly to check availability in their child's stage before assuming a place, as a city campus has finite room in each class.
Location and who goes there
Astoria is in central Lisbon on Avenida Almirante Gago Coutinho, a city campus with indoor learning spaces and outdoor play areas rather than a large suburban site. Its central position suits families living in the city itself, in contrast to the international schools clustered along the Cascais and Estoril coast, and it places the school within easy reach of the neighbourhoods where many working international families settle.
The intake blends Portuguese families seeking a strong English language education with international families who want a bilingual city school for the early and middle years. For the wider landscape of who settles where, and the full spread of schools across the region, see the Lisbon city hub.
Reviews
We do not yet have verified parent reviews for this school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish reviews only once we can confirm they come from real families. If your child attends or has attended this school, we would value your first hand account. Share your experience through the school reviews hub and help the next relocating family decide with better information.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Astoria International School fees?
Astoria publishes a current fee schedule by stage rather than a single figure, with nursery on a different rate from primary and lower secondary. Expect annual tuition plus a registration fee and extras such as lunch and materials. Confirm the latest schedule with the school and check it against the Lisbon fees range before you budget.
Is Astoria International School a good school?
Astoria is a private bilingual Lisbon school that fuses the Cambridge curriculum with the Portuguese national curriculum and is an official Cambridge English examination centre. Whether it is the right fit depends on your child's age, your language goals and how long you plan to stay, since the school runs to lower secondary rather than to sixth form. We do not publish a rating without verified reviews.
What curriculum does Astoria International School follow?
Astoria fuses the Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary curriculum with the Portuguese national curriculum, taught bilingually in English and Portuguese, with German added in the later primary years and French from the fifth year. It is a certified Cambridge English examination centre.
Where is Astoria International School located?
Astoria is in central Lisbon, on Avenida Almirante Gago Coutinho, with indoor learning spaces and outdoor play areas on a city campus.
When do Astoria International School applications open?
Astoria recruits mainly for a September start and admits children from a few months old into nursery, so the early years are the busiest entry points. Families planning a move should enquire early, and mid year entry is reviewed subject to space.
