Prime School - Lisbon vs Santo António International School
Prime School - Lisbon and Santo António International School are both in Lisbon, about 24 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A Levels programmes. Prime School - Lisbon also offers Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary) and Bespoke, and Santo António International School also offers British. Published annual fees are €9,253 - 22,160 at Prime School - Lisbon and €11,160 - 14,860 at Santo António International School, which puts Prime School - Lisbon roughly 21% higher. Prime School - Lisbon takes pupils from 3 to 18, and Santo António International School from 5 to 18. Typical class sizes are 17 at Prime School - Lisbon and 23 at Santo António International School.
British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils
Pupils
900
Pupils
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Typical class size
Typical class size
17
Typical class size
23
Instruction language
Instruction language
English, Portuguese
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
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Opened
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Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
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Location
Estoril, Portugal. Avenida Sabóia, 662 A, 2765-277 Estoril. The school is in the heart of Estoril and is a full K-12 British international school. It is a Catholic independent institution.
Stages
Stages
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Stages
Full K-12; 5 to 9 years (Year 2–5); 10 to 13 years (Year 6–9); 14 to 15 years (Year 10–11); 16 to 18 years (Year 12–13).
School type
School type
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School type
Full K-12 British international private Catholic 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
—
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
Portugal; Cambridge International Examinations (UK) accreditation.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
Catholic
School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
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Fee details
Enrollment & one‑time fees
- Yearly admission fee (non‑refundable): EUR 1,500 per pupil. - School deposit (non‑refundable): EUR 1,050 one‑time payment upon acceptance. - Reservation fee (non‑refundable): EUR 1,150 upon admission. - School insurance: EUR 210 annual.
Tuition fees by year group (per term and annual totals for the 2025/2026 academic year)
- Primary School (P1 – P5 / Year 1 – Year 5): Term 1 = EUR 3,650; Term 2 = EUR 3,650; Term 3 = EUR 3,650; Annual total = EUR 10,950 (meal pack noted with primary fees). - Middle School (A1 – A4 / Year 6 – Year 9): Term 1 = EUR 3,950; Term 2 = EUR 3,950; Term 3 = EUR 3,950; Annual total = EUR 11,850. - IGCSE (A5 – A6 / Year 10 – Year 11): Term 1 = EUR 4,300; Term 2 = EUR 4,300; Term 3 = EUR 4,300; Annual total = EUR 12,900. (CAIE / external examination fees are excluded.) - A'Level / AICE (A7 – A8 / Year 12 – Year 13): Term 1 = EUR 4,600; Term 2 = EUR 4,600; Term 3 = EUR 4,600; Annual total = EUR 13,800. (CAIE / external examination fees are excluded.)
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Invoice method: Tuition fees are invoiced by email. - Termly payment windows: - Term 1: payment expected between 30 August and 8 September (Term 1 is due on admission for new entrants). - Term 2: payment expected between 2 January and 8 January. - Term 3: payment expected between 1 April and 8 April. - Annual/termly payments are expected; there is a stated 5% discount for yearly fees paid at the beginning of September (discounts are non‑cumulative). - Overdue policy: late payments incur a 15% increase on amounts received after the due date; outstanding debts are prioritized against the eldest outstanding charge and pupils with outstanding fees may be denied return or admission.
Boarding fees
- The school operates as a day school; no boarding fees apply.
Other costs and optional fees
- Monthly Meal Pack (recommended / mandatory for Primary pupils when ordered termly): EUR 210 per termly order (Morning snack + Lunch + Afternoon snack). - Daily lunch ticket (when used): EUR 15 per day. - Field trips, after‑school activities, homework club, external summer school and similar services: charged as required and billed separately. - CAIE / external examination fees: charged separately and are excluded from tuition. - Student planner replacement: EUR 15 (charged if replacement is required). - Overtime / late‑collection fee: EUR 35 per 30 minutes (charged after a 30‑minute tolerance period). - Uniform: school uniform is compulsory for all pupils and may be purchased at the school office; specific item costs are not listed in the fee schedule.
Refunds, withdrawal and related policies
- Admission/registration fees, reservation fee and the school deposit are non‑refundable. - Early withdrawal: written notice of withdrawal with a full term's notice (90 days) is required when a pupil leaves during the academic year; failure to provide formal notice results in charge of the equivalent term's fees. - If a pupil does not attend after payment of registration/fees, the registration fee remains non‑refundable.
Fee payment options
- Accepted payment methods: payments in Euros may be made in cash, by bank transfer, or by account debit (débito directo). All payment slips should include the pupil's first and last name.
Discounts and sibling policy
- Discount for early payment: 5% reduction on yearly fees if paid at the beginning of September. - Sibling discount: 5% discount applied to the tuition fees for the second and subsequent pupils from the same family (applied to the younger sibling); discounts are non‑cumulative.
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
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Curriculum details
The Cambridge Pathway Curriculum is followed from Primary KS2 through Middle School KS3, leading into IGCSEs and A Level/AICE Diploma years. It has been a Cambridge International School since 2013 and operates as a Cambridge examination center. The curriculum spans ages 5 to 18, with 5-9 years (Year 25) including English, Portuguese, Mathematics, Topic, ICT, Religious Education, Performing Arts, Arts & Crafts and GP. For 10-13 years (Year 69) the program includes English Language & Literature, Portuguese Language & Literature, Mathematics, Sciences, History, Geography, Arts & Design, ICT, GP, Religious Education, Performing Arts, HCP and Music. For 14-15 years (Year 1011) it includes English Language & Literature, Portuguese Language & Literature, Mathematics, Sciences, History, Geography, Business, Global Perspectives, ICT, DT, Art & Design, Physical Education, Religious Education, Ethics. For 16-18 years (Year 1213) there is a Range of Mathematics & Science Subjects, a Range of Languages, a Range of Humanities & Arts, Global Perspectives (Compulsory CAIE Subject), Ethics and Physical Education.
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
Examination routes include SAIS A'LEVEL/AICE Diploma and SAIS IGCSE, with results updated yearly. World University SAIS Placement shows graduates progress to universities such as Faculdade de Direito da Universidade do Porto, Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, and Bangor University in Wales, with results updated yearly.
Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
Graduates progress to universities such as Faculdade de Direito da Universidade do Porto, Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, and Bangor University in Wales.
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)
—
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
—
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
—
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
—
Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
—
Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
—
Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
—
Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
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Admissions
1. Pre-enrolment registration: Complete the Pre-enrolment Form with your child's details: Name, Birth Date, Nationality, Gender, First Language, Second Language, Current School, and Current Academic Year. The form also collects Parent/Guardian Information such as Name, Email, and Phone Number, and requires acceptance of the Privacy Policy. After submission, you will be contacted for an interview, and the admissions process continues from there.
2. Interview and next steps: Interviews are scheduled as part of the admissions process. You should expect to be called for an interview after completing the pre-enrolment form. The next steps are determined by SAIS's internal requirements.