EB Nuno Gonçalves is the best high school in Lisbon. For foreign students, it is important to understand the specifics of secondary education in Portugal, because obtaining a Portuguese-style diploma is also possible in international schools. Secondary education is compulsory for schoolchildren and is divided into 3 stages: preparatory school (3-5 years old), basic school (6-15 years old) and high school (15-17 years old). High school in Portugal takes 3 years of study, from 10th to 12th grade. It offers training mainly in two areas: a general program, which is focused on further admission to higher education institutions, and a technological program, which provides for preparing students for employment immediately after school.