Can my child start a public school in the middle of the year?
Image: Teleporto.
We arrive in Porto in January with a child of 8. International schools are full or far above what we can pay. Is a public school even possible mid-year?
1 answer
- Accepted answer
Yes, children who live here are enrolled in the public system, including after September. The school is tied to the address where the child actually lives, so the lease or the proof of address comes before the classroom. Go to the school group for that address, or to the municipality’s education desk, with the child’s identity document, vaccination record, and anything the previous school can send about the year they were in. Teaching is in Portuguese. A child can start without being fluent. That is normal, and it is also hard for the first months.
International schools are a different market, with their own vacancies and fees. Ask them directly. A January seat is not something a forum can promise.
Checked 24 October 2026. This is not legal, tax or immigration advice. If an official page disagrees, follow that page.