CAISL’s income is almost exclusively from tuition and other fees paid by clients.

The largest single item in the CAISL budget is personnel salary (including required employer payments to the government) and benefits. The 2^nd largest item is facilities, specifically related to the completion of the new buildings. For more information click here to read CAISL's Annual Report.

No. Neither CAISL nor FEAL get any money from the Portuguese government.

CAISL can apply for and get grants for specific items.  For example, we regularly apply for and get a small grant (about 60,000 USD) specifically for professional development training for teachers.   We also, on occasion, get grants for specific security upgrade projects (reinforce gates, motion-sensor lights, for example).  

CAISL’s required fees are very competitive among the established, accredited international schools in the Lisbon area. In fact, at some grade levels (such as Early Childhood), CAISL’s fees tend to be lower.

It is standard in international schools for a “building fee” (often called a “capital fee”) to be part of the fee structure. The income from this fee is specifically for the construction and maintenance of buildings and equipment, including IT equipment. Some schools collect the building/capital fee up-front from newly enrolling families. CAISL chose to incorporate this fee into the fee structure for the first five years (starting in grade 1) that a child attends CAISL. After that 5-year period, the building fee is no longer owed and thus the overall fees paid go down.