Education in Portugal
The Educational System in Portugal is regulated by the State through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. The public education system is the most widely used and best implemented, with private schools also existing at all educational levels.
The school year, called “ano letivo,” runs from September to June/July of the following year, depending on the school or education level. (The school year lasts between 9 to 10 months).
In Portugal, education becomes mandatory for all students in the year they turn 6 years old. Compulsory education ends when the student turns 18 years old (12th grade).
Compulsory education is divided into three main parts: primary education, basic education, and secondary education.
Higher Education is optional and for those who want to pursue their studies at a higher level.
The adult literacy rate stands at 97%. Primary school enrollment is close to 100%.
The Bologna Declaration has been adopted since 2006 by Portuguese universities and polytechnic institutes.
School Calendar
In basic and secondary education, each academic year is divided into 3 Terms:
1st Term – Start – around September 15th; End – around December 14th 2nd Term – Start – around January 3rd; End – two weeks before Easter 3rd Term – Start – Tuesday after Easter; End – between early and late June
In the middle of the 2nd Term, there are usually 3 days of interruption of school activities, commonly called Carnival holidays.
It should be noted that the dates are not fixed. Usually, a term begins on a Monday and ends on a Friday. However, this varies greatly depending on different schools and different grade levels. Note also that the end of the third term varies from year to year, depending on the exams that students of each year may be enrolled in. Although it is not mandatory for classes to start on a Monday, this is the most common situation. Exceptions occur in situations where, if the term cannot begin on a Monday, and the following Monday would be too late to complete the academic programs, classes start on another day of the week.
Higher Education, which is not part of compulsory education, is divided into two semesters. The academic year runs from September to June/July, with the first semester from September to January/February and the second semester from February to June/July. The dates of school calendars and exams are determined by each educational institution.
Basic Education
Basic education is divided into three cycles: 1st cycle, 2nd cycle, and 3rd cycle.
1st Cycle: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Years
In the 1st Cycle, evaluation ranges from Very Insufficient to Excellent. The curriculum matrix implemented in this cycle includes the teaching of Mathematics, Portuguese, Environmental Studies, Artistic and Physical-Motor Expression, English, Moral and Religious Education, Study Support, and other curriculum enrichment activities, which are the school’s responsibility.
2nd Cycle: 5th and 6th Years
Grade Correspondence for 2nd and 3rd cycles
| Grade | Percentage | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0% to 19% | Insufficient |
| 2 | 20% to 49% | Insufficient |
| 3 | 50% to 69% | Sufficient |
| 4 | 70% to 89% | Good |
| 5 | 90% to 100% | Very Good |
In the 2nd cycle, student evaluation is done on a numbered, non-linear scale from 1 to 5, where each grade corresponds to one of the percentages in the table above. The curriculum matrix implemented in this cycle includes the teaching of the following subjects:
- Portuguese
- English
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- History and Geography of Portugal
- Citizenship and Development
- Musical Education
- Technological Education
- Visual Education
- Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
- Physical Education
- Moral and Religious Education (optional)
Each school must also offer a certain number of study support hours and is free to have other curriculum enrichment activities at its discretion.
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3rd Cycle: 7th, 8th, and 9th Years
Education is the same for all students until the 3rd cycle of basic education, except for those who need special guidance, such as students with disabilities, who have specific guidelines. In this cycle, student evaluation is done in the same way as the previous cycle.
The curriculum matrix implemented in this cycle includes the teaching of the following subjects:
- Portuguese
- English
- 2nd foreign language
- History
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- Physics-Chemistry
- Citizenship and Development
- Visual Education
- Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
- Physical Education
- Moral and Religious Education (optional)
The second foreign language is chosen by the student and can be one of the following:
- Spanish
- French
- German
Each school must also offer a certain number of study support hours and is free to have other curriculum enrichment activities at its discretion.
Assessment Tests
First Cycle
Students in the 2nd year are evaluated through assessment tests to verify if they are capable in the subjects of Artistic Expression, Physical-Motor Expression, Portuguese and Environmental Studies, Mathematics and Environmental Studies. Four tests are conducted, commonly during July.
Second Cycle
Students in the 5th year are evaluated through assessment tests in the subjects of Musical Education, Visual Education and Technological Education, Portuguese and Portuguese Second Language. These two tests are commonly conducted during July.
Third Cycle
Students in the 8th year are evaluated through assessment tests in Mathematics and Portuguese. These two tests are commonly conducted during July.
National Exams
In the 9th year, students are evaluated through National Exams in Portuguese and Mathematics. This exam averages with the student’s grades throughout the year, unlike the assessment tests.
Secondary Education
In secondary education, students are invited to choose one of the following paths:
- Scientific-Humanistic Courses
- Courses with Own Plans
- Specialized Artistic Courses
- Professional Courses
- Secondary Education in Recurring Education Mode
- Vocational Courses
Of the six options, the most common are options 1 and 4.
However, Secondary Education is organized differently. As this is pre-university education, students must choose an area of study in which they wish to enroll, thus ending the uniformity in content taught to all students. The evaluation is done on a linear scale from 1 to 20 points (also using decimal values, for example 10.1 or 18.3), where passing a subject requires a grade equal to or higher than 9.5 points (as this grade is rounded to 10 points).
Scientific-Humanistic Courses
Scientific-humanistic courses constitute an educational offering aimed at pursuing higher education studies. They are intended for students who have completed the 9th grade or equivalent.
They last 3 academic years, corresponding to the 10th, 11th, and 12th years of schooling, and award a Secondary Education completion diploma (12th year).
There are four Scientific-Humanistic courses:
- Sciences and Technologies Course (former Natural Sciences);
- Visual Arts Course;
- Socio-economic Sciences Course (former Economics course);
- Languages and Humanities Course.
The course study plans integrate:
General Training Component
Common to all four courses, aims to contribute to the construction of young people’s personal, social, and cultural identity. It consists of the following subjects:
- Portuguese
- Foreign Language I, II or III (German, Spanish, French, or English)
- Philosophy
- Physical Education
Specific Training Component
Aims to provide consistent scientific training in the domain of the respective course. The constituent subjects of this training depend on the course in question:
- One mandatory three-year subject (10th, 11th, and 12th years)
- Two two-year subjects (10th and 11th years), to be chosen from among the options of each course, both necessarily linked to its nature
- Two annual subjects (12th year), to be chosen from among the course options
Religious and Moral Education is optional.
National Exams
Students in Scientific-Humanistic courses must take four national exams:
In 11th year:
- Two two-year subjects from the specific training component, or one of the two-year subjects from the specific training component and Philosophy from the general training component, according to the student’s choice.
In 12th year:
- Portuguese
- The three-year subject
These national exams count towards the final subject grade, having a weight of 30%. The remaining 70% is determined by the simple arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the 2/3 years in which the student studied the subject in question.
For access to higher education, the exams needed to enter a course are those already taken in secondary school, with no need for additional entrance exams.
Professional Courses
Professional education in Portugal is the responsibility of the National Agency for Qualification and Professional Education.
Professional Courses, characterized by a strong connection with the professional world, constitute an educational offering focused on developing skills for exercising a profession, in articulation with the local business sector.
They are commonly pointed out as more appropriate for students seeking more practical education oriented toward the job market, while not excluding the possibility of pursuing further studies.
The study plan includes three training components, within which the following subjects are included:
Sociocultural:
- Portuguese
- Integration Area
- Foreign Language I, II or III (German, Spanish, French, or English)
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Physical Education
Scientific:
- 2 to 3 subjects
Technical:
- 3 to 4 subjects
These courses culminate with the presentation of a project, called Professional Aptitude Test (PAP), in which students demonstrate the skills and knowledge developed throughout their training.
Professional Courses are distributed across 39 training areas, listed on the ANQEP website.
Higher Education
The higher education system in Portugal is divided into two main types: University and Polytechnic.
University Education
University Education is oriented towards “research and creation of scientific and cultural knowledge.”
University education institutions offer:
| Type | Duration | EQF Level | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degrees | 3 to 4 years (180-240 ECTS) | 6 | Secondary Education |
| Master’s Degrees | 1.5 to 2 years (90-120 ECTS) | 7 | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Integrated Master’s | 5 to 6 years (300-360 ECTS) | 7 | Secondary Education |
| Doctorates | Generally 3 years | 8 | Master’s Degree |
Polytechnic Education
Polytechnic Education is oriented towards “applied research and creation of professional knowledge.”
Polytechnic education institutions offer:
| Type | Duration | EQF Level | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Technical Higher Courses (CTESP) | 2 years (120 ECTS) | 5 | Secondary Education, or Over 23 years old, or DET holders or higher education |
| Bachelor’s Degrees | 3 to 4 years (180-240 ECTS) | 6 | Secondary Education |
| Master’s Degrees | 1.5 to 2 years (90-120 ECTS) | 7 | Bachelor’s Degree |
Problems in Portuguese Education
The various problems in Portugal’s education sector include:
Shortage of Young Teachers
As a consequence of the financial crisis in Portugal, teacher recruitment has significantly reduced, with currently less than 1% of teachers being under 30 years old in public education.
Lack of Public Investment
As a consequence of the financial crisis in Portugal, the country has less investment capacity in areas such as research and education. Currently, public investment in education is 4% of GDP, or 8 billion euros, while the ideal would be at least 8% of GDP.
