International Schools In The Algarve

Settling in the Algarve with family also means getting your children a proper education. Here are some of the top international schools in the Algarve region.

Article by Viv Europe - Legal and Relocation Partner to KipperTree

August 12, 2022

For more information about Viv Europes services please view their site here

Right from the expansive coastline with beautiful beaches to nice golf clubs, you can see why this particular region is an ex-pat magnet. However, while all that is nice to have, other basic family needs are important, especially if you intend to raise a family. One of those basic needs is education. Fortunately, there are plenty of international schools in the Algarve where your children can get a good education should you wish to take the private route.

So which international schools should you take your children to while in the Algarve? Why should you choose international schools rather than public schools as an ex-pat living in the Algarve? Here’s a breakdown of the top international schools in the region that should help you narrow down your options. Stick around to find out more!

What are the best international schools in the Algarve?

While there are plenty of international schools to choose from in the Algarve region, you can always count on the quality of education in most of these institutions. However, just to mention a few, here are our top 7 international schools in the Algarve region.

Nobel International School Algarve – Lagoa

Aljezur International School

Eden Montessori International School – Albufeira

Algarve International School

Vale Verde International School – Luz

Colégio Santiago Internacional – Tavira

Eupheus International School Algarve

The choice of your international school should be informed by the type of curriculum available in a particular school. It’s also important for you to consider the primary language of instruction used in the school. You’ll find plenty of extracurricular activities that your children will participate in and enjoy outside of the class as well. 

International schools in the western Algarve

The western Algarve region has some of the best international schools you can find. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best schools in this region.

Nobel International School Algarve

The Nobel International School Algarve provides an education that’s steered to provide your children with the skills necessary to navigate the 21st century. This school strives to provide an ideal environment where learners can study and also explore their individual talents. The Nobel International School Algarve was founded in the year 1972 and is the largest international school in southern Portugal. 

This school provides an education that goes beyond the classroom; children are encouraged and given skills that are aimed at providing solutions to today’s problems.

Curriculum: English & Portuguese Curriculum

Language of Instruction: English 

Tuition Fee (per annum): between €4,884 to €16,720

Other available languages: French, Portuguese, Spanish, German

Age range: 3 to 18 years

Extra Curricular: Arts Club, Drama & Talents, Sports & Dance, Science

Aljezur International School

Looking for a school that provides a comprehensive approach to education?  Aljezur International School is a good choice. Founded in the year 2010, Aljezur International School has continually been at the forefront of providing education that includes values of sustainability and also the responsibility to the environment. 

Children in this school get the privilege to provide care to an organic garden and also rear a few farm animals just to take part in the food production process. Essentially, teaching is done in small groups, making it possible for the teachers to give individual attention to every student. 

Curriculum: British

Language of Instruction: English 

Tuition Fee (per annum): From €6,300 

Other available languages: English as a second language

Age range: 10 to 18 years

Extra Curricular: Sports, crafts and maths club, science and music

Vale Verde International School

Vale Verde International School is a school focused primarily on providing academic excellence to students. It provides the type of education that enhances the student’s ability and skills to integrate into society as productive individuals. 

Vale Verde International School is well known as the best school for providing top-tier education in science subjects like physics, biology, and chemistry. What’s more, advancement in technology has really changed the teaching method in this particular school. 

Curriculum: British

Language of Instruction: English and Portuguese

Tuition Fee (per annum): Between €6,100 to €11.050

Other available languages: English lessons for nonfluent students

Age range: 5 to 18 years

Extra Curricular: Sports, crafts, science and music, and maths club

Barlavento International Primary School

Barlavento International Primary School works on the mantra of creating a collaborative system between the parent, school, and community, all to the benefit of the student. 

The primary goal of this school is to provide an environment that creates room for creativity, breeds self-confidence, and also allows learners to research and explore. 

Their cocurricular activities are not limited to sports only; there are drama clubs and other creative fields where your children can explore their talents. 

Curriculum: British

Language of Instruction: English 

Tuition Fee (per annum): From €6,000

Other available languages: Portuguese lessons for non-natives

Age range: 5 to 10 years

Extra Curricular: Sports hall, sports pitch, and play area facilities

Eden Montessori International School

Eden Montessori International School is a unique school in Albufeira that offers Montessori education in Portuguese and English. In fact, it is the first of its kind to open in Portugal. This school is quite different from the average international school, from the curriculum to the school’s values. 

Eden Montessori International School operates on a system that offers the learners freedom of choice within the limits of the curriculum. The students are encouraged to celebrate their individual and also shared talents by giving back to the community. 

Curriculum: Montessori

Language of Instruction: English and Portuguese 

Other available languages: French, Portuguese, and English

Age range: 3 to 9 years

Extra Curricular: Piano, Dance, and Yoga

While most of the popular international schools are concentrated in the western Algarve, the eastern region is not left behind either. There are several good schools that you can choose from as an ex-pat living in the Algarve. 

To read further about International schools in the eastern Algarve click here

One of the questions that ex-pats moving with their children to Portugal have to contend with is whether to enrol their kids in public or international schools in the Algarve. Public education in Portugal is great; it’s completely free to nationals and residents with a residence permit. 

So why choose international schools over public schools? Well, the major challenge when it comes to public schools is the language of instruction. 

Public schools in Portugal, including in the Algarve, teach using Portuguese, which can be a huge challenge for ex-pats who don’t understand the language. While you can enrol your children to study in Portuguese, you must realise that the local language is relatively difficult and might take a lot of time before the children master it. 

So are you ready to move to Portugal? Do you need help bringing your family right to the Algarve? Well, fret not! Viv Europe is here to help, right from visa application to getting settled in Portugal; we’d love to help you every step of the way.