AFS aims to provide 30% of our students with scholarships or grants
Find out about our range of scholarships, grants and fundraising
Portugal
Portugal is a coastal southern European nation famous for its rich maritime history, vibrant tiles, soulful Fado music, and world-renowned pastel de nata pastries.
Enquire about PortugalAFS aims to provide 30% of our students with scholarships or grants
Eligibility Requirements
- Age: You must be between 15 and 18 years old
- School Enrolment Status: Enrolled students and graduates are eligible
- Language Requirement: A1 Portuguese recommended
Notes
- The August-November programme includes the Peace camp in Brussels, Belgium!
Read more below
What's included in your experience
- Airfare
- Airport Pick-up
- Host Family Placement
- Housing
- Meals
- School Placement
- Individual Contact Person
- Medical Insurance
- 24/7 Emergency Support
- School Transport
- Assistance with Application Process
- Visa Application Assistance
- Pre-Departure Orientation
- Orientations during your time abroad
- Continuous Support
- Worldwide Presence
- 70 Years Experience
What you are responsible for
- Vaccinations
- Cultural Tours
- Visa and Passport Fees
- Stipend
- School Uniform
People & Community
You can live either in an urban or suburban area in Portugal. Expect to have a fair share of independence and responsibilities, like cleaning up after yourself and helping with the household chores. Portuguese families enjoy traveling together to visit their country house on weekends or spend time on the beach. Food is a big part of Portuguese life and a time for animated and long family conversations.
Language
The main language spoken in Portugal is Portuguese. To help you learn the language, AFS will give you a booklet and audio files. Hosting schools usually provide students with Portuguese-for-foreigners language classes, either individually or in groups.
School
You’ll attend a public high school with other students your age, and you can choose to focus on science and technology, social-economic sciences, social and human sciences, languages and literature, or visual arts. Portuguese schools are challenging and have long hours, but they’re also a great place to meet people, make friends and learn the Portuguese language, history and culture.
Food
Seafood is very popular in Portugal and other plates include meat, bread, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables. Pork, lamb, beef, chicken, and rabbit are all common sources of meat. You’ll also find lots of pastry shops with a world of sweets to discover and learn by name.
Ready to Start your Portuguese Adventure?
Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure
With over 75 years of experience in student exchanges, we know what we’re doing when it comes to support and education! AFS provides comprehensive orientation for all students and families before, during and after your exchange – AFS volunteers and staff will be there to support and guide you the whole way through. In-person orientation camps in New Zealand and your host country are supplemented by our world-leading online Student Learning Journey, an interactive course that brings AFSers from around the world together to develop essential global skills, learn intercultural communication techniques, and practice social impact.
Peace Camp Info
The PEACE Programme or PEACE through Exchange and Active Citizenship Education is a secondary school trimester programme which aims at empowering and enabling young people to become active citizens. The participants stay with host-families and go to high school in a European country. At the end of the programme, all participants of the PEACE programme come to Belgium for a five day long camp with a focus on Active Global Citizenship in Europe.