CAISL, Carlucci American International School of Lisbon

The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL) is an American international school on a purpose-built campus in Linhó, Sintra, in Portugal. It was founded in 1956 as St. Columban's school, with nine students, and took its current name in 2001 in honour of Frank C. Carlucci, a former US Ambassador to Portugal. The school is governed by the not-for-profit Fundação Escola Americana de Lisboa, and its educational programme has been recognised by the Portuguese Ministry of Education since 1984. Today it has more than 700 students.

CAISL follows an American, college-preparatory model that balances academics, the arts and athletics. It is organised in four divisions:

• Early Childhood (ages 3 to 5)
• Elementary (ages 6 to 10)
• Middle School (ages 11 to 13)
• High School (ages 14 to 18)

Students receive support in English (EAL) and Portuguese (PAL), and the school also runs a Portuguese native language programme; every student from Grade 1 has a school laptop. Optional services include lunch, bus transport and after-hours care for Grades 1 to 5. Applications are accepted year-round through a three-step online process, and students can join at any time of the year if places are available.