Education from the ages of six to fifteen is mandatory in Portugal. Some 85 percent of school-aged children attend tuition-free State schools in which the curriculum is taught exclusively in Portuguese. Children aged fifteen to eighteen can then take secondary education courses geared toward vocational study or further academic interests. The children of EU citizens may attend Portuguese State schools free of charge. Check with your consulate for required forms and transcripts.

Universities offer "bachalareto" (undergraduate degrees) and "liceniatura" (full postgraduate degrees). Many Portuguese university students choose to study abroad as space is limited locally.

There are many private international schools available, although some of them are quite expensive. They offer a variety of courses ranging from the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) program, which includes PYP, MYP and Diploma, to the British GCSE and GCE examination systems. All schools in Portugal are required to satisfy the requirements of the Portuguese national system.

Universities in over 110 countries around the world accept the International Baccalaureate Diploma.