CIAL, Portuguese school in Lisbon
CIAL has taught Portuguese as a foreign language since 1959 and welcomes its students in a historic building in Lisbon. Here is who they are, how they teach, what sets them apart, and the centre we offer.
Who is CIAL?
CIAL — Centro de Línguas — is a Portuguese language school founded in 1959. Its official website states that it was the first in Portugal to offer courses all year round, at all levels, and that it welcomes more than 1,200 students every year from more than 50 countries.
The school has two sites, Lisbon and Faro, in the Algarve. We offer the Lisbon one, open to students from all over the world: the atmosphere is international, with very varied motivations, from leisure to exam preparation or career development.
The teaching staff also publish: according to the official website, members of the team have taken part for more than thirty years in writing textbooks of Portuguese as a foreign language, which have become references in teaching the language.
How they teach
CIAL describes its approach as eclectic: it combines several methods in structured lessons, with clear objectives and communication as the goal. Listening, speaking, reading and writing progress together, while grammar, vocabulary and phonetics are acquired gradually through practice. The teacher acts as a guide rather than a mere transmitter.
Courses follow the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (A1 to C2), each course being described by what the student will be able to do at the end. Classes have at most 8 students; the textbook is included, as is the school’s social activities programme.
In the morning, two blocks of two lessons (9:00 to 10:40, then 11:00 to 12:40) make up the group course. The “group + workshop” option adds one lesson in the afternoon (1:30 pm to 2:20 pm), devoted to conversation, vocabulary, grammar or role-play, depending on what the class wants.
What sets CIAL apart
- A long-established school. Founded in 1959, it claims more than forty years of experience welcoming foreign students.
- National and international recognition. The official website cites recognition by the Portuguese Ministry of Education (1969), recommended-school status from the Instituto Camões, DGERT certification as a training centre (since 1998), founding membership of IALC (1983) and accredited membership of EAQUALS (since 2016).
- An industry award. CIAL won the StudyTravel magazine Star Award “World Language School” in 2015, and has been nominated for it several times since.
- Courses recognised by foreign bodies. According to the school, its courses qualify for Swedish study aid (CSN) and, in most German states, for German paid educational leave (Bildungsurlaub): check with the body concerned before enrolling.
Its programmes, and who they are for
Our catalogue prices two general Portuguese courses, open from beginner level (A1) up to advanced level (C2), with starts every Monday: the group course, at 20 lessons of 50 minutes per week, and the group course with workshop, at 25 lessons. There is no registration fee in the catalogue.
The official website presents other options, which our catalogue does not price: one-to-one lessons, combined courses, Christmas and Easter courses, Portuguese combined with surfing, an internship or volunteering, professional Portuguese, Brazilian and African Portuguese, courses for Erasmus students, teacher training and online courses. For these options, advice is given on a quote.
Prices, school by school
2027 rates from the Synergee price engine, for the Portuguese group course (20 lessons per week), starting on January 4, 2027. The “from” price is the lowest per week among the durations priced by the engine; the detail for all durations is in the expandable table below. The exact quote depends on your dates, your duration and your accommodation.
- Lisbon, Portugal : from 269 EUR per week (8-week course, excluding fees and accommodation)
See all 2027 prices
| Centre | Reference course | Lessons / wk | 2 weeks | 4 weeks | 12 weeks | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon, Portugal | General Portuguese Group 4 lessons/day | 20 | 598 EUR | 1,196 EUR | 3,228 EUR | — |
Course price only, excluding accommodation. Each country uses its own currency.
Accommodation
In the catalogue: homestay (breakfast included), shared apartment in a single or shared room, and student residences, including studios. Price of the engine’s reference homestay, per week, for a 4-week stay; the other options and their rates appear in the quote.
See accommodation prices
| Centre | Homestay, per week (4 weeks) | Residences in the catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | 225 EUR | 2 |
The centre in detail
CIAL — Lisbon
Portugal · 2 courses in the catalogue
A historic building in the Saldanha district, five minutes’ walk from the metro and a few minutes from the centre. Thirteen classrooms equipped with screens, tablets and computers, a relaxation area, a balcony, a kitchenette and free Wi-Fi. The airport is about fifteen minutes away.
Sources: CIAL’s official website (cial.pt), consulted on 7 November 2026; prices: Synergee engine.