Why is this so confusing?

When you move to Portugal — or start comparing international schools — you quickly realise that every curriculum counts grades differently. A child who is 11 years old in September could be in Year 7 (British/Cambridge), Grade 6 (American), 6º Ano (Portuguese), or MYP Year 1 (IB). Same child, same age, four different names.

In this article we focus purely on how grades and year groups map by age.

September cut-off: In most systems, the year group is determined by the child's age at the start of the school year. The official cut-off date varies by school, but in practice many international schools in Portugal use September 15th — meaning a child must turn the required age by September 15th to enter that year group. Always confirm the exact cut-off date directly with the school.
We don't compare the programmes themselves here — for that, see our next guide.

Comparing IB and Cambridge? We cover the differences in depth — curriculum, exams, university recognition — in a separate guide. Read: IB vs Cambridge — what's the difference →

The full comparison table

How every age maps across all four systems. Key exams are marked — full explanation below the table.

Age 🇵🇹 Portuguese 🇬🇧 Cambridge 🌍 IB 🇺🇸 American
3–5Pré-escolarEarly YearsPYP (Early Years) PYPPreschool
5–6Pré-escolarYear 1PYP Grade 1Kindergarten
6–71º Ano (1º ciclo)Year 2PYP Grade 2Grade 1
7–82º AnoYear 3PYP Grade 3Grade 2
8–93º AnoYear 4PYP Grade 4Grade 3
9–104º AnoYear 5PYP Grade 5Grade 4
10–115º Ano (2º ciclo)Year 6PYP Grade 6Grade 5
11–126º AnoYear 7MYP 1 MYPGrade 6
12–137º Ano (3º ciclo)Year 8MYP 2Grade 7
13–148º AnoYear 9MYP 3Grade 8
14–159º Ano Provas FinaisYear 10 IGCSEMYP 4Grade 9
15–1610º AnoYear 11 IGCSEMYP 5 eAssessGrade 10 Pre-SAT
16–1711º AnoYear 12 A-LevelDP 1 IB DPGrade 11 SAT/AP
17–1812º Ano Exames NacionaisYear 13 A-Level examsDP 2 IB examsGrade 12 AP/Diploma

The four systems you'll encounter in Portugal

🇬🇧
British (Cambridge)
Uses "Year" groups (Y1–Y13). Key exams: IGCSEs at Year 10–11, A-Levels at Year 12–13. Many Cambridge schools in Portugal also offer the IB Diploma in Years 12–13 as an alternative to A-Levels.
St Julian's · King's College · Redbridge · BSL · Hypha
🌍
IB (International Baccalaureate)
Three programmes: PYP (ages 3–12, with internal grades), MYP (11–16), DP (16–19). IB Diploma is the gold standard for university entry. Note: many Cambridge schools also offer the IB Diploma in the final two years.
ISS Taguspark · St Dominic's · Oeiras International · TISA
🇺🇸
American
Uses "Grade" (K–G12). Key exams: SAT/ACT at G11–12, AP courses. Strong pathway to US universities.
CAISL · Tasis Portugal
🇵🇹
Portuguese national
Uses "Ano" (1º–12º). Three cycles. Key exams: Provas Finais at 9º Ano, Exames Nacionais at 12º Ano.
Some bilingual schools follow this + international curriculum

Key exam moments to know

🇬🇧 British / Cambridge

IGCSEs (Years 10–11, ages 14–16) are the first major external exams. Results matter for university applications and for entry into A-Level courses. A-Levels (Years 12–13, ages 16–18) are the main university entry qualification — typically 3 subjects studied in depth.

🌍 IB

The IB Diploma Programme (DP, ages 16–19) is the flagship qualification — 6 subjects plus the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS. It's highly regarded by universities worldwide. The PYP (ages 3–12) uses internal grades (Grade 1–6) rather than external exams. The MYP (ages 11–16) leads to the MYP eAssessment at age 15–16.

🇺🇸 American

The SAT and ACT are standardised tests taken in Grade 11–12, primarily for US university applications. AP (Advanced Placement) courses allow students to take college-level classes and exams while still at school.

🇵🇹 Portuguese national

Provas Finais at 9º Ano (age 14–15) are national exams in Portuguese and Maths. Exames Nacionais at 12º Ano determine university entry in Portugal.

Moving schools mid-way? Year placement when switching systems is usually assessed individually by the school — they look at the child's actual level, not just age.
Want to go deeper on exams and programmes? How do IGCSEs compare to IB MYP? Which diploma is better for European universities? We cover all of this in our next guide. Read: IB vs Cambridge — what's the difference →