The Portuguese School Year and Term Dates: What to Expect
There is no single calendar shared by every school in Portugal. Here's how the Portuguese school year generally works, how international schools' calendars can differ, and why you should always check a specific school's own dates.
Quick answer
How the Portuguese school year and term dates typically work, how international schools' calendars can differ, and how to plan a family relocation around them.
At a glance
- Country: Portugal
- Sections: 10
- Questions answered: 9
- Schools listed: 7
- Read time: 12 min read
Why there is no single school calendar in Portugal
It is a common assumption among relocating families that a country has one school year every school follows. In Portugal, as in most countries with a mixed state and international schooling sector, this is not the case. The Portuguese state and state-curriculum private schools follow an academic year set with reference to national guidance, generally running from around September to June, but international schools set their own calendars independently, and while many roughly mirror that broad shape, the exact start and end dates, half-term or break timing, and total number of teaching weeks can all differ meaningfully from school to school.
This matters in particular for families with children in more than one type of school, or comparing two schools with different curricula, since "the school year" can mean genuinely different specific dates depending which school you're asking about. Every general statement in this guide describes a common pattern, not a guarantee, and a specific school's own published calendar for the relevant academic year is always the reliable source.
This becomes particularly relevant for families juggling more than one calendar at once, for example a parent working to a UK or US tax or school-holiday calendar while their child attends a school on a different structure, or siblings attending two different types of school in the same city. In these cases, it is worth building a simple shared calendar early in the planning process rather than assuming the dates will naturally align.
The general shape of the academic year
Common structures, described generally
- State and Portuguese-curriculum private schools: broadly September to June, often organised into three periods with reporting points
- British-curriculum international schools: often three terms, each commonly with a half-term break
- American-curriculum and many IB schools: often two semesters, sometimes with a mid-semester break
- French, German and other national-curriculum schools may follow their home country's calendar tradition rather than a Portuguese or British pattern
Most schools in Portugal, whether state, private or international, run an academic year broadly spanning September to June, aligning with the common northern-hemisphere pattern seen across much of Europe. Within that broad span, the state system and many Portuguese-curriculum private schools structure the year into three periods often referred to as terms or trimesters, each ending with a reporting point, with breaks around the December holiday period, around February or March, and the long summer break between academic years.
International schools generally follow a similar overall span but structure the year according to their own curriculum tradition: British-curriculum schools commonly use a three-term structure with a half-term break roughly midway through each term, while American-curriculum and many IB schools more often use a two-semester structure with a mid-semester break. Neither structure is universal even within a curriculum type, so always check a specific school's own calendar rather than assuming a pattern from its general curriculum label.
How French, German and other national curriculum schools may differ
Schools following a French, German or other national curriculum sometimes align more closely with their home country's academic calendar tradition than with a generic Portugal-based pattern, particularly around the timing and length of breaks. This is not universal and depends on the specific school, but it is worth checking explicitly if you are considering one of these schools, rather than assuming it follows the same shape as a British or American-curriculum school nearby.
Portuguese public holidays and school closures
Portugal observes a number of national public holidays through the year, and schools generally close on these dates, though the exact list of closure days observed, and whether any additional local or regional observances are added, can vary somewhat by school and by municipality. Some holidays and school breaks are also affected by movable dates linked to the religious calendar, meaning specific dates shift from year to year rather than falling on a fixed day, which is one reason a school's calendar must be checked fresh for each academic year rather than assumed to repeat exactly.
If a specific date matters to your planning, such as an already-booked flight or a visa appointment, do not infer a school's position from a general list of Portuguese public holidays; check the school's own published calendar or ask its office directly.
How the calendar affects admissions and entry points
A school's calendar shape has a direct practical effect on when it is easiest to secure a place for your child. Most schools, whether state, private or international, treat the start of the academic year in September as the natural and largest entry point, since a full cohort turns over together and the most places open at once. Entry at the start of a later term or semester is usually the next most comfortable point, since the class has reached a natural pause. Starting mid-term or mid-semester is generally the most disruptive option, particularly for older children partway through assessed coursework, though it is manageable for many younger children and is sometimes unavoidable given a family's relocation timing.
Our guide to how to enrol in a school in Portugal covers the practical admissions steps in more detail; understanding the calendar shape early helps you time an application to land at the most comfortable entry point realistically available.
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Examination years and why timing matters even more
For a child in an examination year, whether working towards Portuguese national exams, IGCSEs, A-levels, the IB Diploma or another qualification, the school calendar becomes more than a scheduling convenience. External examinations are set on fixed timetables the school cannot move, and internal assessment, coursework and mock exam schedules are built backwards from those fixed points.
A mid-year move during an examination year is one of the highest-risk transitions a family can make, for reasons unrelated to a child's ability: coursework or internal assessment components already under way may not transfer cleanly to a new school, and subject combinations may not map directly onto what the receiving school offers in that specific year group. If a mid-year move during an examination year is genuinely unavoidable, involve both the sending and receiving schools directly and as early as possible, specifically asking about coursework already completed and syllabus alignment.
Planning a relocation around a school's calendar
Once you have a shortlist of schools, request each one's current academic year calendar before committing to a moving date. This document should show term or semester dates, half-term or mid-semester breaks, main holiday periods, and, where published, internal exam or assessment windows. Treat it as one of the core planning documents for your move, alongside any offer letter and fee schedule.
Where you have flexibility over your exact moving date, arriving shortly before a term or semester begins generally gives a smoother settling-in period than arriving once it is already under way, since your child joins a class at a natural starting point rather than into an established routine. If your own timeline genuinely cannot be shaped around a term start, say so to the school directly and early; admissions teams can give you an honest sense of how disruptive a mid-term arrival is likely to be for your child's specific year group.
Coordinating with school holidays back home
A Portugal-based school's calendar will not necessarily line up with school holidays in a family's home country, and this is worth checking before booking flights for visits to or from grandparents and extended family, or for planning your own leave around a child's holidays. The gap can be as small as a week's difference in half-term timing or as large as several weeks' difference in when the long summer break falls, depending on the specific school and home country system involved. Mapping both calendars against each other early, ideally before the first full academic year of flights are booked, avoids both unnecessary cost and the disappointment of a mismatched visit.
Regional variation across Portugal's main school hubs
Term date patterns broadly follow curriculum type rather than region, but regional factors can still influence the practical experience of a school year. Schools in greater Lisbon and Cascais, serving the largest and most established international community, tend to have the most predictable, long-published calendars, often available more than a year ahead. Porto's schools generally follow similar patterns but, being fewer in number, may publish calendars with somewhat less lead time in some cases. The Algarve's schools, spread across several towns, occasionally set slightly different break timings from one another even within the same curriculum type, reflecting local circumstances rather than a shared regional calendar. Braga's more limited set of schools each publish their own calendar independently, so this is not an area where you can generalise from one school in the city to another.
Wherever you are considering, request the calendar directly rather than assuming any regional pattern applies uniformly.
What to do if you cannot avoid a mid-term move
Sometimes a mid-term or mid-semester move is genuinely unavoidable, whether because of a work relocation date, a visa timeline, or family circumstances. If this applies to you, tell prospective schools early and honestly, and ask specifically what support they typically offer children joining outside the normal entry point: whether there is a buddy system, how the school catches a child up on work already covered, and how it communicates with parents during the settling-in period. Schools that regularly receive relocating families, particularly larger schools in Lisbon, Cascais and Porto, tend to have more developed processes for this than smaller schools with less turnover, though this is not a fixed rule and should be asked about directly.
Where you do have some choice over timing, arriving even a few weeks before a natural break, such as before a half-term, can sometimes ease the adjustment, since the child has a shorter initial stretch before a natural pause in the school routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every school in Portugal follow the same academic calendar?
No. While most schools broadly run from around September to June, exact term or semester dates, half-terms and holiday timing are set independently by each school or, for the state system, according to national guidance that can still vary somewhat by school or region. Always check a specific school's own published calendar.
When does the Portuguese school year typically start?
Most schools in Portugal, across the state, private and international sectors, generally begin their academic year around September, though exact start dates vary by school and by year. Confirm the specific date with the school you are considering.
Do international schools follow the Portuguese state school calendar?
Not exactly. International schools generally follow a broadly similar overall shape but set their own specific term or semester dates and break timing independently, based on their own curriculum tradition rather than the state calendar.
Is it better to move to Portugal at the start of the school year?
Starting at the beginning of an academic year, or at least at the start of a term or semester, is generally easier for children than joining mid-term, since a class is at a natural starting point. It is not always possible, and admissions teams can advise honestly on how disruptive a mid-term start is likely to be for your specific circumstances.
How do I find a specific school's term dates?
Request the school's current academic year calendar directly from its admissions or main office, or check its official website for the published version, rather than relying on general guidance from a third party.
Do French and German curriculum schools in Portugal follow a different calendar?
Some may follow their home country's academic calendar tradition rather than a generic Portugal-based pattern, though this is not universal. Confirm directly with the specific school.
Will Portuguese school holidays match holidays in my home country?
Not necessarily, and the difference can be a matter of days or several weeks depending on the school and your home country's own system. Compare both calendars directly before booking travel.
What happens if my child needs to move schools mid-year during an exam year?
This is a higher-risk transition, since coursework and internal assessments may not transfer cleanly between schools. Involve both the sending and receiving schools as early as possible to discuss coursework already completed and subject alignment.
Do Portuguese public holidays always close schools?
Most schools close for major national public holidays, but the exact list of observed closure days and any additional local observances can vary by school and municipality, and some dates move from year to year. Check the specific school's calendar for the relevant academic year.
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