For all immigrant parents, one of the most important questions after moving to a new country is which kindergarten to choose for their child. What’s the situation with languages? Where will the child adapt most easily? How much will it cost? Are there waitlists, and where do you even sign up? Xpat.Land and Alena Khazinurova looked into this.
Are there state-run nurseries in the country?
In Portugal, a child can be enrolled in kindergarten from three months old up to age six. Up to age three, it’s officially called creche (nursery), and from 3 to 6, it’s jardim de infância or pré-escolar.
There are no state-run nurseries in Portugal, but many private ones participate in the Creche Feliz program, under which the state reimburses the organization for the cost of caring for the child (€473.80/month). As a result, parents can either send their child to nursery for free or pay a discounted fee calculated based on family income.
You can track which nurseries participate in this program and whether they have open spots through the Creche Feliz app, or by checking directly with the nursery’s administration. It’s not uncommon for a child attending a nursery on a paid basis to be switched to free enrollment once a spot opens up.
Is it hard to get into a state kindergarten?
In Portugal, every child from age three is legally entitled to free preschool education, even if they’re a foreigner. But in practice, there aren’t enough spots, especially for three-year-olds. According to the Ministry of Education, as of July 2025, 12,475 children were unable to get a kindergarten spot. Of these, 8,965 (72%) were in the Greater Lisbon municipalities.
Still, it’s worth trying to place your child in a state kindergarten. Enrollment opens online from April to May through the Portal das Matrículas — you fill out an application and list up to five state kindergartens in order of priority. You can submit the application on any day during these months; it doesn’t affect placement odds. Lists of enrolled children are published in early July.
Whether a child gets into their preferred kindergarten depends on many factors: for instance, five- and four-year-olds are enrolled first, then three-year-olds (which is why spots often run out for them). Children who have siblings already attending the same institution get priority. Each kindergarten also has its own list of streets whose residents have better enrollment chances. That’s why many expats, upon arriving in Portugal, first choose a kindergarten or school for their child and then look for housing nearby.
It’s hard to judge which state kindergarten is better than another — apart from visiting kindergartens in person and looking for other parents’ reviews on maps and social media (expat, parent, and neighborhood chats on WhatsApp and Telegram, Facebook groups). You can also refer to the official ranking of Portuguese schools, which is based on the exam results of graduating students. Many parents try to enroll their child directly into the kindergarten attached to the best school, so they won’t need to transfer later.
What if it’s already too late to apply?
If you missed the window to submit documents to state kindergartens, you can try showing up in person or calling the Agrupamento de Escolas (school grouping) that the kindergarten you’re interested in belongs to, and ask to be put on a waiting list. Spots sometimes open up in July or August because some families on the list change their minds or find another school for their child.
The ideal option is to enroll your child in the kindergarten attached to the state school where you want them to continue their education — that gives them priority for admission there later.
How do I enroll in a private kindergarten?
You can apply directly to a private kindergarten, as with nurseries, at any time of year — each one sets its own admission rules. There are various aggregators for finding them, but many parents simply search for private kindergartens on Google Maps in their area and then call or email to arrange a tour.
Prices in Greater Lisbon start at €300–400/month, with the most common range being €500–700/month including meals. Kindergartens attached to international schools can charge up to €1,800/month. In any case, you’ll also need to pay a non-refundable annual fee to reserve a spot. Extra clubs and activities at private kindergartens usually need to be paid for separately.
An important tip few people know about: you can get a state subsidy for a private kindergarten. The system is called contratos de associação. Here’s how it works: if you submitted an application to state kindergartens, listed the maximum five kindergartens where you wanted a spot, and didn’t get into any of them, the state may partially subsidize a spot for your child at a private kindergarten that participates in this program.
How do I find English-language kindergartens?
For those who want their child to grow up not only in a Portuguese-speaking environment but also an English-speaking one, there are international and English-language schools and kindergartens. Many parents plan for their child’s entire education there, so they try to enroll them in the kindergarten attached to that school from the start.
Some of the most popular:
PaRK International School accepts children from age one. Instruction is bilingual, in English and Portuguese. Kindergarten costs about €980–1,000/month, plus an admission fee of around €950. Getting in is difficult — there’s a long waitlist for the youngest groups.
Redbridge International School accepts children from age three. Instruction is in English, with children also studying Portuguese and French. Tuition is about €1,000–1,200/month, with meals billed separately. The school is very popular among expats, and spots are often scarce.
St. Julian’s School is Portugal’s largest and oldest British school, accepting children from age three. Preschool tuition is about €1,200–1,500/month, with meals and some extra activities billed separately.
The British School of Lisbon accepts children from age three and follows the British curriculum. It costs €1,150–1,400/month, with meals billed separately. The school is considered one of the strongest British schools in the city and has high competition for admission.
The Lisboan International School is one of the newest and fastest-growing international schools in Lisbon. It follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, with instruction entirely in English. It costs about €1,100–1,400/month depending on the child’s age. Due to the small campus, the number of spots is limited.
Carlucci American International School of Lisbon is located in Sintra and follows the American curriculum. It accepts children from preschool age. Tuition starts at around €1,300–1,600/month.
Oeiras International School accepts children from age three. Instruction is entirely in English under the IB program, with Portuguese taught as a separate subject. Tuition is about €1,150–1,250/month.
What if you want something really different?
Alternative education organizations also have a stable following among both Portuguese families and expats. Some parents specifically move closer to these kindergartens and schools.
Waldorf schools: Casa da Floresta (located in Monsanto Park in Lisbon), Jardim de Infância São Jorge, Escola Jardim do Monte, and others (full list). Instead of an academic curriculum, the main focus here is on child development through movement, creativity, and everyday activities. Children spend a lot of time outdoors, play with natural materials, grow plants in a garden, cook, sculpt, and do handicrafts.
Montessori kindergartens: São Lourenço Montessori School (and their affiliated nursery, Atelier Montessori), Lisbon Montessori School (Cascais), Montessori Bright Academy, and several others. A system that primarily fosters independence in children, letting them choose their own activities. Adults only observe and assist when needed. At Atelier Montessori and São Lourenço Montessori School, instruction is also bilingual — Portuguese and English.
Alternative kindergartens in Portugal don’t receive state support. Their cost is roughly in line with the private kindergarten market average, from €500 to €800/month.
