Schools in the Algarve
Every international school in the Algarve in one guide, Lagos to Tavira, plus language schools and the essentials of state schooling. Contacts, reviews and the map, all on the Circle.
Choosing a school in the Algarve
International schools
Teaching is mostly in English, with British, International Baccalaureate or Montessori curricula depending on the school. Fees vary widely and waiting lists are real in the busiest areas, so it pays to enquire early and visit more than one.
Portuguese state schools
Free and open to residents, organised into local school groupings by where you live. You enrol through your local agrupamento, and younger children tend to pick up the language quickly. For many families it is the fastest route to genuinely settling in.
Learning Portuguese
For the adults of the household, language schools and tutors help with day-to-day life and the A2 exam for citizenship. See the learn-Portuguese guide.
International schools
10 schools
The West
2 schools
Aljezur International School
The Algarve's only west-coast international school: Cambridge IGCSE, AS and A Level for ages 11-18 from a farmhouse campus near Aljezur.
Vale Verde International School
Cambridge and Pearson international school in Luz-Lagos, bilingual primary, 27 nationalities, 20 years running.
Central Algarve
4 schools
Aspire International School Algarve
British-curriculum international school in Almancil for ages 3 to 18, with maximum 12 students per class and Pearson Edexcel accreditation.
Colégio Internacional de Vilamoura (CIV)
One of the Algarve's longest-established international schools, founded in 1984 in Vilamoura, teaching ages 3 to 18 across Portuguese and IB pathways.
Eden Montessori International School
Bilingual Montessori school in Ferreiras (Albufeira) since 2018, now a Candidate School for the IB Primary Years Programme.
Nobel Algarve British International School
British curriculum international school with two Algarve campuses, Lagoa (since 1972) and Almancil, teaching IGCSE, A-Levels, IB and BTEC.
The East
2 schools
Colegio Bernardette Romeira
Private school in Olhão for ages 3 to 16, teaching the Portuguese curriculum alongside a Cambridge International English Studies programme.
Colegio Santiago Internacional
British curriculum school in Tavira for ages 5 to 18, teaching bilingually in English and Portuguese with A-Level results above the UK average.
Inland
2 schools
Bright International School Algarve
A purpose-built, eco-friendly international school in Loulé, relaunched in 2024 as Bright, teaching a Cambridge pathway from age 3 to IGCSE.
Deutsche Schule Algarve
The Algarve's German school, teaching a bilingual German-Portuguese curriculum from Grundschule through to the Abitur at a campus near Silves.
Language schools
3 schools
Aprenderportuguês
We will support you in your language journey!
Centro de Linguas de Lagos
Language school in central Lagos since 1982, teaching Portuguese, English, French and German in group, private, intensive and online formats.
CIAL Centro de Línguas – Faro
Portuguese-language school in central Faro, part of the CIAL network, teaching general, business and combination Portuguese courses.
Planning a family move? Our Moving to the Algarve guide covers visas, housing, healthcare and first steps, and Living in the Algarve shows what day-to-day life looks like.