Open Days and Enrolment Dates: International Schools in Cascais (2026/27)

If you’re moving to the Cascais coast, two questions come up early: when can we see the schools, and when do we need to apply?

This page answers both for all 29 schools and nurseries in our guide to schools in Cascais: 22 international schools in the main table, and 5 bilingual Portuguese colégios plus 2 nurseries in a separate table. It lists upcoming open days, what each school says about applying for September 2027, and whether children can join mid-year.

We only list dates that the school has published on its own website. If a school hasn’t published any, we say so and link to its admissions page.

Last checked: 21 October 2026. Dates change, so please confirm with the school before you travel.

How admissions usually work here

Most international schools around Cascais and Lisbon use rolling admissions. That means there’s no single deadline. The school reviews applications as they arrive and offers places while there’s space.

That sounds relaxed, but popular year groups can fill months ahead. The earlier you apply, the more choice you have.

The steps are usually similar:

1. Register your interest with an online form. The admissions team will usually reply with availability and next steps.
2. Visit, either at an open day or on a private tour. Most schools can also meet you online if you’re still abroad.
3. Apply online and pay the application fee, if the school charges one.
4. Assessment or interview. Many schools ask older children to sit a short test or meet a teacher. Younger children may just come in for a visit or a play session.
5. Offer and acceptance. If a place is offered, you usually have a short window to accept and pay the entry fees. Several schools give 7 to 10 days.

If a year group is full, your child can usually go on a waiting list. Places do open up during the year, because families here move often.

Documents to have ready. Schools vary, but you’ll usually be asked for your child’s passport or ID, school reports from the last year or two, and medical and vaccination records. Some also ask for a reference from your child’s current school.

Open days and 2027/28 applications, school by school

Dates are as published by each school on 21 October 2026. Where a school’s page doesn’t show the year, we’ve copied the date exactly as shown.

Bilingual colégios and nurseries

These Portuguese colégios and English-speaking nurseries rarely publish open days. Most ask you to pre-register or get in touch, then arrange a personal visit.

If an open day doesn’t suit your dates, don’t worry. A private tour often tells you more, because you see an ordinary school day and can ask about your own child.

Joining mid-year

Lots of families arrive in January or after Easter, not September. Here’s what the schools say:

• Yes, when there’s a place: SAIS, CAISL and The British School of Lisbon say clearly that they take new students during the school year. Redbridge says late applications for 2026/27 are still open.
• Applications all year: TASIS Portugal, ICSC, IPS Cascais and St. John’s School say they accept applications throughout the year. Svenska Skolan does too, for a minimum of one term, but gives priority to full-year pupils and only offers a place if a group has space. Ask whether that includes a mid-year start in your child’s year group.
• Yes, with limits: ISS Lisbon takes mid-year joiners up to Grade 9, but not into Grade 10 or the IB Diploma once the year has started. St. Julian’s usually considers applications at any time, subject to space. It generally doesn’t accept new students for the final years of the IGCSE or IB.
• By email, if there’s space: Aprendizes asks families who want to join during the current year to email the school, and says it’s at full capacity.
• Ask the school: Deutsche Schule Lissabon asks families to send mid-year requests to its admissions officer. The other schools don’t say either way on their websites, so ask them directly.

If your child is in an exam year (roughly ages 14 to 18), contact schools early. Exam courses run over two years, and moving halfway through is hard almost everywhere.

A simple timeline if you’re moving for September 2027

October to December 2026. Make a shortlist of three or four schools. Book open days or private tours, in person or online. Register your interest, so admissions teams can tell you how much space each year group has.

November 2026 to January 2027. Apply to your top choices, especially for busy year groups. If you’re considering Deutsche Schule Lissabon’s Kindergarten, this is when it processes pre-registrations.

January to March 2027. Assessments and interviews take place, and offers start to arrive. Some schools say places get scarce after March. Kairos Montessori asks for applications by 15 March and answers by 30 March.

When an offer arrives. Check how long you have to accept. It’s often only 7 to 10 days, and accepting usually means paying entry fees straight away. Our fees guide explains what these are.

April to June 2027. Find a home near the school, gather documents, and ask about buses and uniforms. Some schools, like PaRK, complete formal enrolment in person in June.

September 2027. First day of school.

Moving later than that? Don’t panic. Most schools here admit year-round, so you can still apply in spring or summer. You’ll just have fewer places to choose from.

Before you book

Pick two or three schools that fit your curriculum, budget and commute. Then book visits close together, so it’s easier to compare.

You’ll know a lot more after one morning at a school than after a week of reading websites. Trust what you see, and what your child tells you on the way home.