Portugal · Sintra
CAISL is a coeducational, non-profit day school in Linhó, Sintra. It teaches in English from age 3 through Grade 12, with Portuguese as a core subject. Graduates earn an American High School Diploma and may add the IB Diploma.
The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL) is an American international day school in Linhó, in the municipality of Sintra. It is governed by the non-profit Fundação Escola Americana de Lisboa.
This is not a central-Lisbon campus. Families should test the journey from their intended home at school-run time. CAISL operates buses in parts of Lisbon and Cascais, but the school warns that it cannot accommodate every address or request.
CAISL has no boarding. Families moving to Portugal must therefore arrange housing, residence permission and any required care or guardianship independently.
CAISL teaches pupils from age 3 through Grade 12. Its divisions are Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School and High School.
All graduates work towards the American High School Diploma, which CAISL assesses on a 4.33 grade-point-average scale. The diploma normally requires 27 credits, earned by completing courses, and a Graduation Project.
In Grades 11 and 12, pupils may also follow the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). IB candidates must still satisfy the CAISL diploma requirements, subject to the policy’s permitted course-distribution adjustments.
The IB Diploma is optional and sits alongside the American diploma. CAISL says about 80% of its High School pupils choose the full IB route. The official IB directory confirms that CAISL is a coeducational, English-medium day school authorised for the Diploma Programme.
The school’s Portuguese licence permits its American programme and both diplomas. CAISL also participates in American Education Reaches Out (AERO), which supports curriculum development at American schools overseas. AERO is not a separate pupil qualification.
CAISL reports accreditation by the Middle States Association through July 2029. This is institutional quality assurance; CAISL itself awards the American diploma, while the IB authorises the Diploma Programme.
High School pupils may take approved online courses through VHS Learning. Its catalogue includes Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are US college-level subjects with external examinations.
The live High School page says CAISL pays for an approved AP course when it materially extends the timetable and the pupil can manage the workload. The Secondary Principal must approve every VHS course.
A family becomes liable for the course cost if the pupil fails or uses it to recover a failed CAISL credit. Withdrawal in the first week costs 25% of the course fee; later withdrawal makes the family responsible for the full fee. CAISL does not publish that fee.
However, the May 2026 compiled policy manual says parents fund approved online courses. Ask CAISL to confirm in writing which rule applies to the proposed course before enrolment.
English is the teaching language. Portuguese is a core subject, with provision for native speakers and pupils learning it as an additional language.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) support may include small groups and extra guidance during ordinary lessons. Pupils may also learn in classes adapted to their English level, with their progress monitored. Portuguese and English language support are included in tuition.
English entry requirements become stricter in the later grades:
The expected level is higher for mid-year entry to Grades 9 or 10 because less preparation time remains. CAISL does not publish numerical cut scores, so ask for the assessment result and its implication in writing.
CAISL accepts applications throughout the year. Entry is possible during the school year when the pupil is eligible and the necessary grade and programme capacity is available.
The school reviews only complete applications. The online file includes the previous three years of school records, where available, and any standardised test results. Families must also disclose relevant educational, psychological and medical reports.
Documents in other languages need an English or Portuguese translation. The application fee is €100 and is non-refundable, even if no place results.
Admissions considers academic and behavioural records. It may also use English or mathematics testing. A High School applicant without clear evidence of sufficient English must complete the school’s language assessment.
Testing takes place only when there is space in both the grade and the required programme. A nominally open grade may therefore be unavailable if EAL, Learning Support, nursing provision or the IBDP is full.
For entry at the youngest ages, the child must be 3 for EC3, 4 for EC4, 5 for Kindergarten or 6 for Grade 1 by 1 September. Early Childhood applicants must use the toilet independently and feed themselves with a fork and spoon.
If an eligible applicant cannot be offered a place, parents may request the wait pool for that school year. Applications do not automatically carry into the next year, and the school says it cannot predict whether a place will open.
When space becomes available, CAISL uses this published priority order:
Priority does not replace the academic, behavioural, language or capacity review. When a place is offered, the school asks for the enrolment contract, annual Registration Agreement, identity documents and the required payments.
A non-American-system pupil seeking the CAISL diploma should normally plan to complete Grades 11 and 12 at the school. The policy allows exceptional Grade 12 entry for an applicant with excellent records.
CAISL evaluates transferred credits and may revise the grade placement during the first six weeks. Confirm the remaining diploma requirements before accepting a late High School place.
CAISL describes its Learning Support as provision for mild learning difficulties. A pupil must be able to learn in the regular classroom and work towards the school’s academic requirements.
Support may include small-group teaching, classroom adjustments, reading and writing help, and coaching in planning and organisation. Staff monitor progress. The school can prepare an Educational or Health Plan when parents provide appropriate diagnostic or medical evidence.
Plans are reviewed annually. Updated psychoeducational evaluations are required every three years, and families must obtain the testing requested by the school.
CAISL does not charge an additional Learning Support fee. However, it has no speech therapist or occupational therapist on staff. Parents must arrange these services externally when needed, although the school says it can help identify local providers.
The policy permits a Board-approved modified curriculum when a diagnosed need can be supported in regular classes with CAISL resource teachers. Modified courses are identified on the transcript, although the pupil may still receive the CAISL diploma.
Admission and continued enrolment remain conditional. CAISL may refuse re-enrolment if it can no longer provide a suitable programme or support for the pupil’s needs.
Counselling and enrichment also sit within Student Support Services. None of these descriptions guarantees capacity for a particular pupil. Send reports before assessment and request a written support plan before accepting.
CAISL publishes quarterly and annual tuition. These amounts apply to the 2026–27 school year; no 2027–28 schedule was public on our research date.
| Grade | Quarterly tuition | Annual tuition | First-year required total* |
|---|---|---|---|
| EC3–Kindergarten | €3,032 | €12,128 | €12,828 |
| Grades 1–2 | €3,515 | €14,060 | €16,713 |
| Grades 3–5 | €3,908 | €15,632 | €18,285 |
| Grades 6–8 | €4,439 | €17,756 | €20,409 |
| Grades 9–12 | €5,883 | €23,532 | €26,185 |
*Our first-year calculation includes the €100 application fee, €600 registration fee and annual tuition. From Grade 1, it also includes the €1,953 Building Fee. It excludes every optional or individually priced cost.
The €600 Registration Fee is a one-time, mandatory and non-refundable charge for a new pupil. The €1,953 Building Fee is mandatory and non-refundable for the first five years of attendance from Grade 1.
Parents of younger pupils may ask in writing to start the Building Fee before Grade 1. Once payment begins, the amount is fixed for the five years in which it is due.
To secure a new place, CAISL requires the registration fee, the applicable annual Building Fee and the first quarter’s tuition. A late entrant owes the full quarter, even when joining part-way through it.
The Director may reduce a late entrant’s first quarter for demonstrated financial need. In that case, the assessed entry-quarter amount and the following quarter’s full tuition are due.
The first-quarter tuition and Building Fee are non-refundable. Missing the payment deadline cancels the reserved place, but the fee schedule says the invoiced amounts still remain due.
The May 2026 policy manual permits CAISL to demand additional quarters’ tuition at admission. This can apply when the grade is at least 95% full, or after a family’s previous late-payment or inadequate-withdrawal record.
The schedule offered a 3% reduction on annual tuition paid by 15 June 2026. The same reduction applied to a Building Fee paid by that date with annual tuition. That deadline has passed, and discounted advance payments were non-refundable.
Sibling reductions apply to tuition and the Building Fee. The third concurrently enrolled child receives 15%, while the fourth and later children receive 25%. CAISL applies the reductions to the youngest children.
Written notice must reach Admissions by these dates to avoid the next quarter’s charge:
| Quarter not attended | Notice deadline |
|---|---|
| Second quarter | 2 October 2026 |
| Third quarter | 18 December 2026 |
| Fourth quarter | 25 March 2027 |
Late notice makes the full next quarter’s fees payable. Any attendance during a quarter also makes the whole quarter payable. The schedule additionally permits fee revision during the year after unusual or unforeseen economic conditions.
Overdue accounts may incur lawful late penalties. After 30 days, CAISL may suspend optional services for every pupil in that family. Outstanding debt or a repeated late-payment history can also prevent re-enrolment.
CAISL offers need-based reductions in tuition and the Building Fee. Only privately paying current families may apply, and the pupil must already have attended for at least one school year.
Aid is not available for a first-time enrollee or for EC3–EC5. It is awarded for one year, normally for no more than two years, although the policy allows limited extensions.
The 2026–27 assistance deadline was 20 February 2026, so the ordinary round is closed. A current family may ask to apply late only after significant circumstances that were both unforeseen and unforeseeable. Funding may already be exhausted.
The May 2026 manual separately provides for six annual CAISL scholarships. They cover tuition, the Building Fee and registration, plus specified curricular trips and school transport within existing routes.
Applicants must be Portuguese citizens or permanent residents, show financial need, strong achievement and positive community engagement. Sintra residents receive priority. The school had not published a current application window on our research date.
Tuition includes technology, online resources, required instructional books, art supplies and team-sport uniforms. It also includes most musical instruments, many extracurricular activities, Portuguese and English language support, and a school laptop from Grade 1.
Lunch is included for EC3, EC4 and Kindergarten. From Grade 1 it costs €11 per meal, €303 per quarter or €1,212 per year.
The bus costs €454 per quarter or €1,816 per year for one direction. Return service costs €908 per quarter or €3,632 per year. An occasional one-way journey costs €17.
Routes are organised around demand and pupil addresses. Not every request can be met, and using several recurring routes can create several route charges. Confirm the actual stop before relying on the service.
Paid after-school care covers EC3/4 through Grade 5. It runs from 15:45 to 17:45 for the youngest pupils and from 17:00 to 17:45 for Grades 3–5, after Homework Clinic.
| Care frequency | Quarterly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| One day per week | €85 | €340 |
| Two days per week | €156 | €624 |
| Three days per week | €217 | €868 |
| Four days per week | €264 | €1,056 |
| Five days per week | €300 | €1,200 |
Occasional care costs €30 per day. Cancellation of lunch, bus or regular childcare takes effect only from the following quarter after written notice.
IB Diploma examination registration, overnight trips and some day trips cost extra. Activities delivered by outside organisations may also be charged. The public schedule does not publish those amounts.
The typical school day runs from 08:20 to 15:45. The academic year normally runs from September to June and is divided into four quarters and two semesters.
CAISL requests valid identification for the pupil and both parents or legal guardians at enrolment. Its public pages do not promise visa sponsorship, immigration advice, accommodation or a local-guardian service.
International families should settle those arrangements separately. Ask Admissions which school documents it can issue only after enrolment, and do not assume that a place offer creates a right to reside in Portugal.
AIMA publishes a separate residence route for qualifying secondary pupils. Its stated conditions include a suitable residence visa, admission to a recognised programme, health cover and other evidence.
However, that page’s document checklist also includes internship requirements and visa-exemption wording referring to another article. Ask AIMA for the checklist and visa rule applicable to the child; do not treat that mixed list as definitive.
CAISL is a strong fit for families seeking an English-medium American education with substantive Portuguese and an optional IB Diploma. Its year-round admission process also suits international moves that do not follow a national application calendar.
The main constraints are equally clear. Older entrants face firm English thresholds, Learning Support is limited to mild needs, and programme capacity can block admission even when a grade appears open.
The Lisbon guide explains local schools and commutes. The wider Portugal guide covers the national education and residence context.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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