International Schools in Cascais for Expat Families: A Detailed Guide

Cascais gives international families access to several established British, IB and American schools, with campuses in Cascais, Carcavelos, Bicesse, Linhó, São Domingos de Rana and nearby Oeiras. Annual tuition for 2026/27 can range from approximately €11,000 to more than €23,500 per child, before registration, meals, transport and extracurricular activities.

The best school is not necessarily the most famous one. The right choice depends on your child’s age, curriculum, learning needs, university plans, available places and the real weekday journey between school, home and work.

Based in Cascais since 2004, RE/MAX Cidadela regularly helps relocating families align their school shortlist with the most practical residential areas in Cascais, Estoril, Carcavelos, Oeiras and Sintra.

International Schools in Cascais: Quick Summary

• Cascais and its surrounding areas offer British, International Baccalaureate and American education from early years to secondary school.
• St. Julian’s, IPS Cascais and King’s College School Cascais are the main British-pathway options.
• St. Dominic’s and Oeiras International School provide IB-focused programmes, while CAISL offers an American High School Diploma with an optional IB Diploma.
• Tuition is only part of the total budget. Registration, capital fees, meals, transport and learning support can add several thousand euros, particularly during the first year.
• Applications should begin early because availability varies significantly by school and year group.
• Families should shortlist schools before choosing a neighbourhood, especially when daily travel involves Cascais, Carcavelos, Linhó, Oeiras or Lisbon.

Planning your move around a school shortlist? Our guide to where to live in Cascais explains the main residential areas, property prices and lifestyle differences.

What are the best international schools in Cascais for expat families?

The main international schools in and around Cascais are St. Julian’s School, IPS Cascais, King’s College School Cascais, CAISL, St. Dominic’s International School and Oeiras International School.

They should not be ranked only by reputation. Each school follows a different curriculum, serves different age groups and creates a different daily commute depending on where the family lives.

Quick comparison table

St. Julian’s School

Best suited to: Families looking for a British academic pathway followed by the IB Diploma or Career-related Programme.

Additional costs: Application fees, meals, transport, activities and other optional services may not be included in the published tuition.

CAISL

Best suited to: American families, internationally mobile students and families considering universities in the United States or other international destinations.

Additional costs: Registration, capital fees, transport, lunches and extracurricular activities may be charged separately.

IPS Cascais

Best suited to: Families looking for an English National Curriculum education in a smaller international-school environment, particularly those living in Cascais, Estoril, Alcabideche or nearby areas.

Additional costs: School transport, meals, uniforms, extracurricular activities, registration fees and other optional services may be charged separately from annual tuition.

King’s College School Cascais

Best suited to: Families seeking a premium British education based on the Cambridge pathway, modern facilities and a school designed to accommodate pupils from the early years through secondary education.

Additional costs: Registration, enrolment, transport, meals, uniforms, devices, extracurricular activities and other school services may not be included in the published annual tuition.

St. Dominic’s International School

Best suited to: Families looking for a continuous International Baccalaureate education through the PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme, particularly internationally mobile students accustomed to inquiry-based learning.

Additional costs: Application and registration fees, school transport, meals, educational trips, extracurricular activities and learning-support services may be charged separately.

Oeiras International School

Best suited to: Families seeking a full International Baccalaureate pathway and considering residential areas in Oeiras, Barcarena, Porto Salvo, western Lisbon or the eastern side of Cascais.

Additional costs: Registration, transport, lunches, educational trips, extracurricular activities and other optional services may not be included in the annual tuition fees.

Why do so many expat families choose Cascais for school-age children?

Cascais attracts expat families because it combines coastal lifestyle, international community, strong private-school access and quick reach to Lisbon’s western corridor. In practice, families are not only buying a home; they are buying a daily routine that needs to work for school drop-offs, after-school activities and one parent often commuting toward Lisbon or business hubs nearby.

For expat families, Cascais works well because it is not just a “nice place to live”. It is a decision hub where schooling, residential choice and lifestyle can be aligned within a relatively short coastal corridor. That reduces friction in the move and makes long-term settlement easier.

From our experience

In our experience at RE/MAX Cidadela, families relocating with children almost always narrow their home search after they shortlist two schools. Once the school is clear, the housing decision becomes faster, more rational and much less emotional.

Which curriculum is better in Cascais: British, IB or American?

There is no universal winner. The British pathway usually suits families who value structure and a familiar UK-style progression. The IB pathway often suits internationally mobile families who want breadth and strong global recognition. The American pathway is usually the clearest fit for families who may return to the US or want that academic style with the option of IB later.

St. Julian’s follows the National Curriculum for England from age 3, leading to GCSEs and then IB Diploma or Career-related Programme in Years 12 and 13. King’s College Cascais uses the Cambridge British curriculum, while IPS Cascais offers British-style education from nursery to iGCSE, with A-Levels announced as coming soon.

St. Dominic’s positions itself as an IB World School for ages 3 to 18, and Oeiras International School presents an IB pathway across its programmes. St. Julian’s also offers the IB Diploma and Career-related Programme in the final years, which is useful if you want British schooling first and IB later.

CAISL states that all students graduate with an American High School Diploma, and students in Grades 11 and 12 may also pursue the IB Diploma Programme. It also says it enrolled 755 students from 62 nationalities at the start of the 2025–2026 school year, which gives a good sense of its international mix.

How much do international schools in Cascais really cost?

For the 2026/27 academic year, published annual tuition at international schools in and around Cascais generally starts at approximately €11,000 and can exceed €23,500 per child, depending on the school, curriculum and year group.

However, tuition alone does not represent the full cost of international education. Application fees, registration charges, capital levies, meals, transport, uniforms, examinations and learning support can increase the first-year budget considerably.

International School Tuition Fees for 2026/27

Among the schools publishing official 2026/27 fees:

• IPS Cascais: approximately €11,049 to €17,811 per year.
• St. Julian’s School: fees start at approximately €12,693 and increase according to the year group.
• CAISL: approximately €12,128 to €23,532 per year.
• Oeiras International School: approximately €13,980 to €22,406 per year.

For schools that do not publish a complete fee schedule online, families should request an updated written quotation directly from admissions. Prices and payment conditions should always be reconfirmed before applying.

Costs Not Normally Included in Tuition

Depending on the school, families may also need to budget for:

• application or assessment fees;
• registration and annual enrolment charges;
• capital, building or development levies;
• meals and school transport;
• uniforms, laptops or other devices;
• external examinations and educational trips;
• extracurricular activities and after-school care;
• English-language or individual learning support.

Some of these charges are optional, but others may be required to secure or maintain a place.

What Should a Family Budget in Total?

A school advertising annual tuition of €15,000 does not necessarily create a €15,000 annual education budget.

At some schools, first-year registration and capital charges can add €4,000 to more than €7,000. Meals and round-trip transport may add several thousand euros more during the academic year.

Families should therefore compare three figures:

1. Annual tuition for the child’s exact year group.
2. First-year compulsory charges, including registration or capital fees.
3. Recurring services, such as transport, meals, activities and learning support.

Before choosing a school, request a complete written simulation of both the first-year cost and the recurring annual cost.

Practical tip: Do not compare schools using tuition alone. A lower published fee may become more expensive once registration, transport, meals and other compulsory charges are included.

Which areas are best to live in near each international school?

The best area is the one that protects your family’s weekday rhythm. In other words, the right neighbourhood is not just about prestige or views. It is the area that keeps mornings calm, after-school activities realistic and commuting acceptable for the adults in the household.

When choosing where to live near an international school in Cascais, the central metric is not straight-line distance. It is daily friction: school access, traffic pattern, transport options, after-school logistics and whether the rest of family life still fits around that route.

Best areas near St. Julian’s

Because St. Julian’s is in Carcavelos, families often look first at Carcavelos, Parede, São Pedro do Estoril and parts of Estoril. This can make sense if one parent also needs easier access eastward toward Lisbon.

Best areas near IPS Cascais

IPS is more natural for families who want to live in Cascais, Estoril, Birre, Quinta da Marinha, Alcabideche or nearby areas without pushing daily school life toward Carcavelos. For many buyers, that is the practical attraction: a British-style school inside the Cascais side of the equation.

Best areas near King’s College School Cascais

King’s is also a strong fit if you plan to live in central Cascais, Alcabideche, Birre, Quinta da Marinha or nearby. Its campus model and local positioning appeal to families who want premium infrastructure without moving the family routine too far east.

Best areas near CAISL and St. Dominic’s

Because CAISL is in Linhó, it often works well for families open to Linhó, Beloura, Quinta da Beloura, parts of Sintra, Alcabideche and some western Oeiras routes. St. Dominic’s, in the São Domingos de Rana corridor, can suit families balancing Cascais access with Oeiras and Lisbon links.

Best Areas Near Oeiras International School

Because Oeiras International School is located in Barcarena, families commonly consider Barcarena, Oeiras, Porto Salvo, Carnaxide and parts of western Lisbon. It may also work for families living on the eastern side of Cascais, but the real journey should be tested during morning school traffic before choosing a home.

Choosing a neighborhood isn't just about the view; it's about the commute. For a deeper look at the lifestyle in each parish, see our full breakdown of where to live in Cascais

When should expat families apply to schools in Cascais?

As a rule, the earlier, the better. Families targeting a September start should ideally begin serious research months in advance, especially if they want a specific school, year group or a more selective entry point. Waiting too long narrows options and can force you into a home-search decision before the school place is really secure.

For a September school start near Cascais, families should begin research early and contact admissions well before the summer. Year-group availability, assessments and document timelines can affect both the school choice and the housing search.

A practical timeline I like is this:

• 9–12 months before move: shortlist schools, compare curriculum and likely areas to live.
• 6–9 months before move: contact admissions, request visits, confirm year-group fit and fees.
• 3–6 months before move: align school progress with home search and financing.
• Last-minute relocation: keep a wider radius and more than one school option open.

Documents Commonly Requested During Admissions

Requirements vary by school and year group, but families are commonly asked to provide:

• the child’s passport or identification;
• previous school reports;
• academic transcripts for older students;
• teacher or school references, when required;
• a completed application form;
• an assessment or interview;
• proof of payment of the application fee;
• information about language, learning or additional support needs.

How should you choose the right school for your child, not just the most famous one?

You choose by fit, not by reputation alone. A famous school can still be the wrong school for your child if the learning style, distance, cost structure or social environment do not suit your family. This is where calm decision-making beats prestige chasing.

Expert Tip

If I were advising an expat family with no strong curriculum loyalty, I would usually decide in this order: child profile first, daily route second, curriculum third, prestige last. That order avoids one of the most common relocation mistakes: paying for a famous name that makes everyday life harder.

Here are the seven questions I would ask before choosing:

1. What age is my child now, and what transition years are coming next?
2. Do we want a British, IB or American route for likely university plans?
3. How resilient is our child with change, language and new environments?
4. What total annual budget are we actually comfortable with?
5. How long is the real weekday route from the neighbourhoods we like?
6. Do we need school transport, after-school care or specialist support?
7. Are we choosing the school that is best for our child, or the one we have heard of most often?

Expert Insight

We have seen families save months of stress simply by dropping one overly ambitious commute from the shortlist. Once the school-home route becomes realistic, the property search usually becomes more focused, and better buying decisions follow.

What do the main schools actually look like in practice?

This is where the decision becomes more human.

St. Julian’s often appeals to families who want an established name, a British base and strong senior outcomes. Officially, the school reports an IB average of 34.5 for the Class of 2025, with a 97% diploma pass rate in 2025, which reinforces its reputation for academic consistency.

IPS Cascais often appeals to families who want a smaller British-style environment inside the Cascais municipality itself. IPS states it has 440 pupils as of September 2025, from 40–45 nationalities, with English as the common language used by children.

King’s College School Cascais often attracts families who value a newer, purpose-built premium campus. The school says its campus was fully inaugurated in September 2025 and serves children from age 1 to 16, growing year by year.

CAISL stands out when the American system matters. It says it educates students from age 3 through Grade 12, that all students graduate with an American High School Diploma, and that students in Grades 11 and 12 may also pursue the IB Diploma Programme.

St. Dominic’s is the clearest fit for families who want a school with a strong full-IB identity from early years onward. The school describes itself as an IB World School for ages 3 to 18.

Oeiras International School often appeals to families seeking a continuous IB pathway and a location that works well for Oeiras, Barcarena, Porto Salvo and western Lisbon. It offers the PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme and is particularly relevant to families who want the full IB approach without placing their daily routine in central Cascais.

FAQ

Which is the best international school in Cascais for British curriculum?

For many families, the leading British-path options are St. Julian’s, IPS Cascais and King’s College School Cascais. The right choice depends on your child’s age, desired atmosphere, budget and where you plan to live.

Which school is best near Cascais for an American curriculum?

CAISL is the clearest American-system option in the wider Cascais-Lisbon corridor. It offers an American High School Diploma and an optional IB Diploma in the final years.

How Much Do International Schools in Cascais Cost in 2026/27?

Published tuition generally ranges from approximately €11,000 to more than €23,500 per child, depending on the school and year group. Registration, capital fees, meals, transport and extracurricular activities can increase the total first-year cost considerably.

Is it better to choose the school before choosing the home?

Usually yes. For expat families, the school decision often determines the best daily geography for the home search, which then reduces commuting stress and improves the quality of daily life.

Can children enrol without speaking Portuguese?

Yes, many international schools around Cascais teach primarily in English and welcome non-Portuguese-speaking students. Some schools also use bilingual or multilingual support depending on programme and age.

Is Cascais better than Lisbon for expat families with children?

For many families, Cascais feels easier for family life because of its coastal environment, lifestyle and school access. Lisbon may suit families who prioritise city energy, but Cascais often wins on routine, space and family rhythm.

Which Schools Near Cascais Offer the Full IB Pathway?

St. Dominic’s International School and Oeiras International School offer the IB continuum through the PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme. St. Julian’s combines a British pathway with the IB Diploma and Career-related Programme in the senior years.

When Should Families Apply for a September 2027 Start?

Families should ideally begin researching and contacting schools between nine and twelve months before the intended start. Applications made later may still be accepted, but availability can be limited in particular year groups.

Final Thoughts: Choose the School and Home as One Decision

Choosing an international school in Cascais is not only an academic decision. Curriculum, availability, total annual cost and the daily journey between school, home and work should be considered together before committing to a neighbourhood or property.

Planning a family move to Cascais? Send RE/MAX Cidadela your shortlist of two or three schools. Our local team can help you compare the residential areas, property options and daily routes that best fit your family’s budget and routine.

Once you have shortlisted your schools, our guide to buying a home in Cascais or Lisbon explains the legal and financial steps international buyers should prepare for.

Plan Your Family Move to Cascais

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By Pedro Pettermann
Pedro Pettermann is a Broker at RE/MAX Cidadela in Cascais, with over 20 years of experience in the real estate market across the Cascais coastline, Lisbon, Oeiras, and Sintra. With an MBA from IE Business School, he combines strategic vision with deep local expertise. Recognized as a specialist in the real estate market, mortgage financing, and digital marketing, he helps owners and buyers make confident and profitable decisions.

At RE/MAX Cidadela, we have already helped more than 4,800 families successfully sell or buy the home of their dreams.