This school was forcibly closed by the Ministry of Education in October 2025 due to lack of licensing. A court ordered its reopening in November 2025. Legal proceedings are ongoing as of April 2026.
The school disputes the Ministry's position, describing what its directors believe was an administrative error. The court granted a preliminary suspension of the closure order — but this is not a final resolution.
Contact the school directly to verify it is currently operating and confirm its current licensing status before applying or paying any fees.
Aljezur International School is the most distinctive school in this guide — and possibly in Portugal. Set on 3 hectares of ecologically protected farmland near Aljezur, with a river, organic vegetable garden, and free-range animals (chickens, ducks, turkeys), it operates with a deliberately alternative philosophy. Students are on first-name terms with teachers. The teacher-to-student ratio is 1:3 — the highest of any school in this guide. The school was founded in 2010 by a group of tutors with 20+ years of experience who had previously offered home-education style teaching in the western Algarve. It is a non-profit association (AEIL). The curriculum follows Cambridge International through to IGCSE, with AS and A-Level subjects available per-subject. Aljezur is the only Cambridge accredited examination centre in the western Algarve and accepts external candidates. It has been a UNESCO member school since 2015. The school has a proven track record with students who have struggled in more rigid educational environments. ⚠️ IMPORTANT: The school was forcibly closed by the Ministry of Education in October 2025 due to lack of licensing. A court ordered its reopening in November 2025. Legal proceedings are ongoing as of April 2026. Families must verify current operating status directly with the school before applying.
Set on 3 hectares of ecologically protected farmland with a river, organic garden and free-range animals. Students are on first-name terms with teachers. The 1:3 teacher-to-student ratio is the highest of any school in this guide. The only Cambridge exam centre in the western Algarve. Founded by tutors with 20+ years of experience — genuinely alternative, genuinely special.
“My son had struggled in every conventional school we tried. At Aljezur he thrived — the 1:3 ratio means the teachers actually know him. The farm setting sounds unusual but it works. He's doing his IGCSEs and genuinely loves school for the first time.”
British family, western Algarve — Year 11
“We were nervous about the licensing situation but the school was open and operating when we visited. The ethos is unlike anything else in Portugal. If the legal situation resolves, this is a very special place.”
Dutch family, Lagos area — Year 9
What families tell us — the things the school's own website won't say
The Ministry of Education closed Aljezur International in October 2025, stating the school held no authorisation to operate — provisional or definitive. The school disputes this vigorously, describing what its directors believe was an administrative error dating from 2014. A court ordered the school to reopen in November 2025. Legal proceedings are ongoing as of April 2026. This is not a reason to dismiss the school — if the licensing situation is resolved, Aljezur International offers something genuinely unique in Portuguese international education. But the uncertainty is real. Families with children mid-cycle (especially approaching IGCSE) face particular risk if the school were to close again. Verify directly with the school that it is currently operating and what its licensing status is before applying. Do not rely on this profile alone — check current news and speak to the school directly.
Near Aljezur town, western Algarve (Apartado 71, EC Aljezur, 8670-999)
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