Beyond International School vs Hypha International School
Beyond International School and Hypha International School are both in Lisbon, about 17 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge (Primary) programmes, and Beyond International School also offers Bespoke. Published annual fees are close, at €9,390 - 11,540 for Beyond International School and €9,700 - 10,950 for Hypha International School. Both take pupils from 3 to 10. Beyond International School is the larger school, with around 120 pupils to Hypha International School's 56.
Rua Soeiro Pereira Gomes, n.º 59, 2730-178 Barcarena – Queluz. Located in the Barcarena–Queluz area in the Lisbon region. It is reachable by road and offers a school bus service.
Location
Rua Dr. Sá Carneiro 80, Colares, Sintra, Portugal. Located in Colares within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Situated just a short commute from Lisbon. Accessible to Cascais, Sintra, and surrounding areas.
Stages
Stages
Ages 3 to 10; Early Years (3–5) and Primary (5–10).
Stages
PRE-PRIMARY (ages 3-5); PRIMARY (ages 5-10)
School type
School type
Private bilingual school offering Portuguese and English instruction.
School type
International school
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
Portugal
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
Operating hours are 08:00–18:00. The school day runs 08:30–16:30, with optional after-school activities from 17:00–18:00.
School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
A school bus service is available, with routes scheduled according to the minimum number of participants.
Bus service details
Free van service to Cascais. The transportation service is certified, licensed, inspected and fully insured. Starting in September 2024, the van will pick up at a central location in Cascais at 07:50 and drop off at the same location at 16:30.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application and enrolment fees
- Pre-registration (application) fee: EUR 100 — one-time payment made after the admissions process. - Enrolment fee (paid on acceptance to guarantee the vacancy): varies by year group. Typical values published for the 2025–26 fee schedule are EUR 850, EUR 950 or EUR 1,000 depending on the child's year group (see tuition section below for the enrolment amount shown for each year band). The enrolment fee is payable at acceptance and is non-refundable. - Annual insurance fee: EUR 40 (applies annually to all students).
Tuition fees (by year group) — academic year 2025–26
Note: the published fee schedule gives annual tuition and an equivalent monthly figure presented as "Monthly Tuition Fees (x10)"; the school issues monthly instalments over 10 months (September–June). The values below are the published annual totals and the school's monthly instalment equivalent, followed by a per-term amount (annual ÷ 3) for convenience.
- Early Years 3 (age 3) - Enrolment fee: EUR 850. - Monthly tuition (x10): EUR 850. - Annual tuition: EUR 8,500. - Per term (derived): EUR 2,833.33.
- Early Years 4 (age 4) - Enrolment fee: EUR 850. - Monthly tuition (x10): EUR 850. - Annual tuition: EUR 8,500. - Per term (derived): EUR 2,833.33.
- Years 1–3 (ages 6–8) - Enrolment fee: (published band) EUR 950. - Monthly tuition (x10): EUR 950. - Annual tuition: EUR 9,500. - Per term (derived): EUR 3,166.67.
- Year 4 (age 9) - Enrolment fee: (published band) EUR 950. - Monthly tuition (x10): EUR 950. - Annual tuition: EUR 9,500. - Per term (derived): EUR 3,166.67.
- Year 5 (age 10) - Enrolment fee: (published band) EUR 1,000. - Monthly tuition (x10): EUR 1,050. - Annual tuition: EUR 10,500. - Per term (derived): EUR 3,500.
(Values are taken from the school's 2025–26 published fee schedule and are presented as the school lists them: enrolment fee, monthly instalment (x10) and annual tuition. Per-term figures above are a simple division of the annual tuition by three to provide a term-level reference.)
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Two payment formats are published: - Full annual payment due in September by bank transfer (or by vouchers/tickets where accepted). A prompt-payment discount is published for full payment if made by the published early-payment date. For 2025–26 the schedule shows a 3% discount if the annual tuition is paid in full by the stated deadline. - Ten monthly instalments: paid by direct debit (September through June). The school states that the ten monthly fees are mandatory and payable in full regardless of any change in the child's schooling during the academic year. - Re-enrolment for current pupils is processed in April and is handled via direct debit or vouchers/tickets. Payment of enrolment or re-enrolment confirms a commitment to the entire academic year and these fees are non-refundable.
Boarding fees
- Boarding is not applicable. The published schedule and school information cover day-school tuition and day services only; no boarding fees are listed.
Other costs and optional charges
- Items explicitly listed as not included in tuition (additional costs): uniforms (formal, sports and everyday), textbooks and school supplies, nappies where applicable, regular educational outings (field trips), optional extended care (after-school extension hours), optional school photographs, optional extracurricular activities, optional holiday camps / holiday activities, school transport and transport to external activity venues. The school states that morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack are included in the tuition fee (as published for 2025–26). Aftercare (supervised care 17:00–18:00) is published at EUR 150 per month for the 2025–26 schedule. Holiday camps and other optional services incur additional charges.
Sibling discounts and concessions
- A 10% discount is applied to the tuition fees for the third-youngest enrolled child in a family. - A 20% discount is applied to the tuition fees for the fourth-youngest enrolled child in a family.
Refund and cancellation terms
- Payment of the enrolment or re-enrolment fee confirms a commitment to the entire academic year and is non-refundable. - The published schedule states that all published values are definitive and non-refundable. Further specific refund rules (for example, for partial-year withdrawals or exceptional circumstances) are covered in the school's internal regulations and fees policy. The enrolment/re-enrolment fee and payment-for-year commitments are explicitly non-refundable in the 2025–26 fee document.
Fee payment options
- Accepted payment methods shown in the published schedule for 2025–26 include: - Bank transfer (used for full annual payment and for enrolment fee payments in many cases). - Direct debit (used for the ten-month instalment plan). - Educational vouchers / ticket-based payment schemes where the school confirms acceptance for certain payments (the schedule notes which items can be paid by vouchers/tickets). - The published schedule does not list credit-card payment as a primary method; bank transfer and direct debit are the explicitly referenced payment methods for the options shown.
Short practical notes for parents (factual)
- Meals (morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack) are included in the tuition as published for the 2025–26 academic year. - Aftercare is available at EUR 150 per month (17:00–18:00) for the 2025–26 schedule; an optional extension (18:00–18:30) may be offered with separate charges noted under additional costs.
(Information above is taken from the school's published 2025–26 fee schedule for Beyond International School.)
Fee details
Application fee - EUR 50.
Enrollment (confirmation) fee - EUR 1,500 payable to confirm an offered place.
Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year) - Detailed tuition amounts by year group and the per-term / per-year breakdown are published in the school's formal "Education Fees" schedule. This schedule is hosted in the school's secured admissions materials and is not presented as line-item tuition amounts in the public admissions text that is accessible without that document. Therefore per-term and per-year numeric tuition figures are not available in the publicly accessible admissions content.
Billing schedule and payment terms - The enrollment fee of EUR 1,500 is required to confirm an accepted place. The first tuition payment is due on July 15. No additional publicly posted billing dates, installment schedules, or penalty/late-payment terms are shown in the accessible admissions text.
Boarding fees - Not applicable. The school serves ages 3 through primary and does not offer boarding provision.
Other costs or fees (uniforms, lunches, activities, transport, etc.) - The public admissions information specifies the application fee and the enrollment fee but does not list published charges for uniforms, meals, school trips, extracurricular activities, transport, learning resources, or similar ancillary items. These categories are commonly charged by schools but no line-item amounts for them are publicly posted in the accessible admissions material.
Refund information - No publicly posted refund policy or details about refundability of the application or enrollment fees appears in the accessible admissions text. The admissions material does not state whether the enrollment fee is refundable in whole or in part.
Fee payment options - Publicly accessible admissions content does not specify accepted payment methods (for example, bank transfer, credit card, direct debit). For payment method details and the complete fee schedule, the school's secured admissions materials are used. The school's admissions contact is admissions@hyphaportugal.com.
Summary of available fee facts and missing details - Confirmed, published items: Application fee EUR 50; Enrollment fee EUR 1,500 to confirm a place; the first tuition payment is due on July 15; the school serves ages 3 through primary (no boarding). - Missing from publicly accessible admissions content: the detailed tuition amounts per year group and per term, a full billing calendar and payment terms beyond the July 15 first-payment date, published ancillary fees (uniform, meals, trips, activities), a published refund policy, and explicit accepted payment methods. The school's formal "Education Fees" schedule (hosted in the school's admissions materials) contains the complete numeric fee schedule but is held in the secure admissions document area and was not retrievable without access.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Education for the 21st century is at the core of Beyond International School's curriculum. The school uses a holistic 4D model—knowledge, skills, character and meta-learning—developed by Harvard researchers and aligned with OECD Education 2030. The curriculum is competency-based, with modular and adapted knowledge emphasizing STEM, digital literacy, global awareness and systems thinking, reinforced through a dedicated Be Hour. It features active, student-centred pedagogy that promotes student agency, project-based learning, and continuous, intentional feedback. Social and emotional skills are integrated into learning, focusing on character, values, leadership, empathy and resilience, with a growth culture for both students and teachers. Instruction is bilingual, with two teachers in every classroom (one Portuguese-speaking and one English-speaking), language development driven by inquiry and projects, and meaningful integration of the Portuguese National Curriculum alongside English development.
Curriculum details
The Cambridge International curriculum framework is used in primary to provide an outstanding academic foundation that engages students and prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of the future. The curriculum is complemented by research-informed content- and skills-rich learning. In addition to core subjects, primary students study specialist subjects such as music, physical education, and art, taught by experienced educators; most of these subjects are taught in Portuguese. Starting in Year 2 (Grade 1), students have Portuguese literacy lessons twice a week. Entrepreneurship learning is integrated through project-based time, developing leadership, self-discipline, problem-solving, creativity, and the skill of creating value for others. Nature immersion is a cornerstone of the curriculum, with primary students spending significant time outdoors and engaging in Forest School/Horticulture weekly.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Six steps make up our admissions process: 1. Form and initial contact: Parents fill out the form available on our site (one form per child). The Head of Admissions confirms the visit by email. 2. In-person meeting: A school visit is scheduled where you can tour the campus; a joint session where the Head of Admissions explains the school's culture and clarifies information. 3. Educational interview: The Academic and School Leadership team meets with the parents to get to know the child; both sides share expectations, values and the school's philosophy. 4. Submit the application: Complete the application form; submit the required documents: previous school reports; copy of Passport/National ID; photographs of the child; vaccination proof; provide proof of payment of the reservation fee (100€). 5. Decision and offer: The Admissions team analyzes the process, documentation and interview feedback; a formal offer is sent by email with all information, tuition and enrollment conditions. 6.
Admissions
Visit our Application Portal to book a campus tour or schedule a remote meeting with our team. This starts the admissions journey through the portal. It provides the initial opportunity to learn about the process and arrange a visit or meeting. You begin the application workflow in this portal.
Submit your application in the same portal, including any school reports or assessments. The application fee is €50. The portal centralizes submission of documents for review. This step initiates the formal assessment of your candidacy.
Applications are reviewed in the order received. We'll reply within 1–2 weeks. You will receive a response regarding your application after the review. This step completes the initial review process.
Once accepted, complete the enrollment agreements and submit the €1,500 enrollment fee to confirm your child's place. This action secures your child's enrollment. The enrollment fee confirms your place in the program. After this step you are ready for the next steps in enrollment.
The first tuition payment is due on July 15. Please plan your budget around this due date. The payment marks the start of tuition obligations for the upcoming academic year. This completes the admissions process.