CIAL Lisbon
(472 ratings)
The CIAL Portuguese language school first opened in 1959. Today, with over 50 years of teaching Portuguese language courses, the school is well known for its high-quality language education. The school was awarded the title of Star World Language School 2015 by Study Travel Magazine and is accredited by the independent language education organizations Eaquals and International Association of Language Centres (IALC), demonstrating the school's recognition as a high-quality institution.
CIAL occupies the first and third floor of a beautiful building constructed in the 1910s, sharing the building with private residences and offices. It is conveniently located a 15-minute walk from the city’s busy Avenida da Liberdade where there are many shops, restaurants, and at the same distance from the large Eduardo VII Park where students can take a walk and relax between classes. It is just two blocks from the Piscoas metro station, making it easy to explore the city on public transport.
CIAL has a wide range of courses for students to choose from. There is the possibility of undertaking a volunteer or internship project alongside the Portuguese classes or to combine the course with surf lessons (depending on the time of year). The teaching methodology at CIAL combines different approaches to language learning, with clear student aims and structured lessons. Teachers facilitate the learning process to develop the critical skill areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. All teachers at CIAL are native Portuguese speakers, hold a university degree, and have completed teacher training at CIAL.
The team at CIAL is available to help students with any queries they may have during their stay, whether it be about their classes, activities, or exploring the city of Lisbon. The school plans an exciting weekly program of activities, all of which is included in the course fee, including visits to museums and monuments, outings to concerts and bars, as well as half day trips to points of interest around Lisbon. The team also organizes evening dinners and trips to sporting matches which students can participate in at an additional affordable cost. All activities are accompanied by a CIAL team member to make sure that it is a pleasant Portuguese cultural experience.
School Facts
School size | small |
Classrooms | 18 |
High season | July - August |

Snacks

Kitchen/microwave

Student lounge

Computers

Wifi

Garden/terrace

Study area
Student Nationalities

21%

8%

8%

8%

7%

7%

5%

4%

3%

29%
Age Distribution
Location
Courses
More information about different types of courses.Standard Courses
- 15 standard lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
- 15 standard lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 12
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Starting dates: 2018-12-17
- 15 standard lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 12
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Starting dates: 2018-03-26
- 15 standard lessons per week
- 10 workshops per week, which includes topics such as conversation, vocabulary, grammar, presentations, and role playing activities
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
- 15 standard group lessons per week
- 5 standard private lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 1 / 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
- 15 standard group lessons per week
- 10 standard private lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 1 / 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
- 15 standard group lessons per week
- 15 standard private lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 1 / 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
- 15 standard private lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 1
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- 25 standard private lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 1
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- 30 standard private lessons per week
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 1
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
Language Courses & Activities
- 15 standard group lessons per week
- 5 surf lessons to be held over two weeks
- Transportation to lessons, insurance, and surfing equipment included
- Surf lessons normally take place in the afternoons but can take place on weekends, depending on weather and sea conditions
- Additional surf lesson packages can be added at school
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Starting dates: 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-09 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-23 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-07 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-05-21 | 2018-05-28 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-11 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-06-25 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-09 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-07-23 | 2018-07-30 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-13 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-08-27
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17
Work & Study
- 15 standard lessons per week
- Afternoon volunteer work at a placement in Lisbon alongside Portuguese volunteers
- It is recommended to take a minimum of two weeks of Group Course Portuguese lessons prior to commencing volunteering
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
- 15 standard lessons per week for the first weeks
- Full-time professional internship for the following 8 or 12 weeks
- Please select the number of weeks of Group Course Portuguese lessons to be taken prior to commencing the internship. The internship time will be additional to this.
- Students meet with an internship consultant in the second week of the course to start process of internship placement
- Internships are available in: accounting, administration, architecture, education, environment, hospitality, marketing, law, psychology, tourism and many more areas
- Students should aim to complete a B1 language level or higher prior to commencing internship
- Students must pay internship insurance of approx 20 EUR per month at the school
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: A1 - C2
- Students per course: 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Beginner starting dates: 2018-01-02 | 2018-01-08 | 2018-01-22 | 2018-02-05 | 2018-02-19 | 2018-03-05 | 2018-03-19 | 2018-04-02 | 2018-04-16 | 2018-04-30 | 2018-05-14 | 2018-06-04 | 2018-06-18 | 2018-07-02 | 2018-07-16 | 2018-08-06 | 2018-08-20 | 2018-09-03 | 2018-09-17 | 2018-10-01 | 2018-10-15 | 2018-10-29 | 2018-11-12 | 2018-11-26
Special Courses
- 30 teacher training lessons per week
- Lessons include class observations in the mornings with theoretical lessons in the afternoon
- Content focuses on the CEFR Portuguese levels, lesson planning, assessment and understanding of available resources.
- Class length in minutes: 50
- Monday - Friday
- Language Level: B2 - C2
- Students per course: 8
- Minimum age: 18
- Material: Study material is included in the course price.
- Starting dates: 2018-02-12 | 2018-05-07 | 2018-09-10 | 2018-11-05
Accommodation
More information about different types of accommodationHost Family
Student Residence
Single Room
- Accommodation
- Travel Time (on foot): 10 minutes
- Wifi
- Laundry facilities available
- Cleaning service of common areas included
- Accommodation facilities include: Pool table | Patio | Communal area/shared living room | Fully equipped communal kitchen
- Accommodation room
- Deposit: 100 EUR. Your deposit will be reimbursed at the end of your stay if you have taken appropriate care of the accommodation.
- Room facilities include: Microwave | Bedding | Towels
Shared Apartment
Single Room
- Accommodation
- Travel Time (on foot): 10 minutes
- Wifi
- Laundry facilities available
- Cleaning service of common areas included
- Accommodation facilities include: TV | Communal area/shared living room | Fully equipped communal kitchen
- Accommodation room
- Minimum age: 18
- Deposit: 100 EUR. Your deposit will be reimbursed at the end of your stay if you have taken appropriate care of the accommodation.
- Room facilities include: Bedding | Towels
Shared Twin
- Accommodation
- Travel Time (on foot): 10 minutes
- Wifi
- Laundry facilities available
- Cleaning service of common areas included
- Accommodation facilities include: TV | Communal area/shared living room | Fully equipped communal kitchen
- Accommodation room
- Deposit: 100 EUR. Your deposit will be reimbursed at the end of your stay if you have taken appropriate care of the accommodation.
- Room facilities include: Bedding | Towels
Transfer
Contact us for more information.Transfer
Closure Dates
Public holidays and school closure dates - contact us for more information.Calculate price - CIAL Lisbon, Portugal
Reviews
Yalea Rating Index: Very good
Based on 472 reviews