What Colégio Internato Dos Carvalhos does

Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos (CIC) is a private secondary school in Pedroso, Vila Nova de Gaia (Porto metropolitan area), Portugal, founded in 1907 and owned by the Missinários Claretianos Província de Fátima (MCPF) religious congregation. It serves students aged roughly 15–18 across five specialized study areas (Health Sciences, Sciences and Technologies, Economic Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Graphic Arts), offering dual Level IV certification that combines academic and professional qualification. The institution is differentiated by its Planos Próprios — self-designed curricula pioneered in the 1980s and granted indefinite pedagogical autonomy by Despacho n.º 182/ME/96 in 1996 — and supporting programs such as SER+ (human development), CICSkills (competency certification), and the LIPCIC pedagogical innovation lab.\n\nThe technology stack is conventional and admin-focused: E-SUMÁRIOS (digital lesson summaries), GEWEB.NEXT (academic management for educators, students, and parents), and E-ESCOLA@CIC (student/parent portal). It does not expose APIs, mobile apps, or AI capabilities. The revenue model is hybrid: instruction for state-funded Planos Próprios courses is free (funded by the Portuguese state), while families pay monthly installments for optional services and activities, with a regulated price list (precário) maintained at the administrative office. Distribution is entirely direct via online pre-enrollment and campus visits, capped at 1,381 students by Alvará n.º 726, with demand generated through alumni/parent referrals, institutional publishing (Geração CIC), and a corporate/educational partnerships network spanning Erasmus+, Junior Achievement Portugal, ISEP, and national olympiad bodies.

Name

Colégio Internato Dos Carvalhos

Legal name

Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos

Website

https://cic.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos is a private Catholic secondary school in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, run by the Claretian Missionaries, serving 10th–12th grade students with self-designed Planos Próprios curricula, dual Level IV certification, and a capacity of 1,381 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Private secondary education
• Vocational training programs
• Catholic secondary school
• Customized secondary curriculum
• Dual certification pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Pedroso, Vila Nova de Gaia

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and School Fees: The college generates revenue primarily through tuition fees and school service charges. For students in courses with state funding (Cursos com Planos Próprios), instruction is free while families pay for optional services. Services are categorized as mandatory (financed by the state) and optional/facultative (paid by families in monthly installments).
2. Optional Services and Activities: Revenue from optional services including cafeteria, stationery, extracurricular activities, and other facultative services debited in ten equal monthly installments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos (CIC) is a private secondary school offering customized secondary education programs (Ensino Secundário com Planos Próprios) for students aged 15-18. The programs combine general and scientific training with technological and vocational formation, providing dual certification at Level IV across five study areas: Health Sciences, Sciences and Technologies, Economic Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Graphic Arts. Instruction is delivered on campus in Pedroso, Vila Nova de Gaia, supported by specialized pedagogical programs and student services.

Product overview

Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos (CIC) is a private secondary school operated by the Claretian Missionaries that offers a differentiated educational model centered on customized curricula with Plans Próprios. The institution's portfolio includes core secondary education programs combining scientific and technological training, supported by specialized units: LIPCIC (Pedagogical Innovation Laboratory) driving educational innovation projects like CICMultiversos; the SER+ human development program addressing citizenship and life skills; CICSkills competency certification; and internal digital platforms (GEWEB.NEXT, E-SUMÁRIOS, E-ESCOLA@CIC) for academic management. Support services include psychological/orientation services, an internship placement office, and the Dr. Nélson Padrão Library. The school also participates in international programs including Erasmus+ and Junior Achievement Portugal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ensino Secundário com Planos Próprios (Secondary Education with Customized Curricula) Private secondary education program for students aged 15-18 with self-designed curricula (Planos Próprios), offering dual certification at Level IV that combines general and scientific training with technological and vocational formation. Programs are organized across five specialized study areas (Health Sciences, Sciences and Technologies, Economic Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Graphic Arts), with pathways aligned to either university preparation or direct labor market entry. Operational under Alvará n.º 726 with authorized capacity of 1,381 students.
• CICMultiversos A pedagogical innovation project developed by LIPCIC, the Pedagogical Innovation Laboratory of CIC, designed as a dedicated space for pedagogical innovation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among teachers. The project celebrates interdisciplinary teaching methodologies and the collaborative spirit of CIC's teaching community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dual certification Level IV providing both school completion and professional qualification
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Associação de Professores de Matemática (APM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe college participates in APM-organized national competitions including the APM-DIM mathematics poster competition. Students compete annually in these educational events.
• Olimpíadas Nacionais de Informática (ONI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe college participates in national informatics olympiads with students qualifying for international competitions including Ibero-American Olympiads.
• Junior Achievement Portugal (JAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for entrepreneurship education projects in areas of Autonomia Curricular (DAC). JAP projects are part of extracurricular and multidisciplinary activities.
• Erasmus+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union mobility program enabling teacher and student exchanges, international project collaboration, and professional development across European educational institutions.
• Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for teacher training through museum-based pedagogical sessions at ISEP Museum. Faculty development and interdisciplinary curriculum development initiatives.
• Missionários Claretianos Província de Fátima (MCPF)coreOthersReligious congregation that owns and governs the college. Provides institutional identity (Claretian values, Christian mission), governance through the Provincial Council, and alignment with the educational charism of Saint Anthony Mary Claret. All five Claretian colleges in the Province of Fatima share common educational mission.
• Companies and Organizations for Student InternshipscoreOthersBusiness organizations that receive students for Formação em Contexto de Trabalho (workplace training) as part of the dual certification curriculum. The college maintains protocols with multiple organizations for student placement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oporto British School: English-medium private school in Porto offering British curriculum from primary through secondary. Targets similar premium-segment families in the Porto metropolitan area and competes with CIC on international education quality and outcomes.
• Colégio São João de Brito: Jesuit private school in Lisbon offering values-based secondary education with strong emphasis on academic excellence and holistic formation. Comparable to CIC in being a religious-order-operated secondary school targeting families seeking differentiated, values-led education.
• Colégio Luso-Internacional do Porto (CLIP): Private bilingual (Portuguese-English) school in the Porto metropolitan area offering international curricula through secondary. Competes with CIC for the same affluent, internationally-oriented family segment in Vila Nova de Gaia / Porto.
• Other Claretian Colleges (Province of Fatima Network): The five Claretian colleges in the Province of Fatima share the same parent operator (MCPF), Claretian mission, and educational model. They are the closest direct peers, evidenced by the July 2026 Encontro das Equipas Diretivas in Almendralejo to coordinate shared educational mission.
• Colégio do Rosário: Catholic private school in Porto serving families seeking differentiated secondary education. Operates in the same metropolitan market as CIC and competes for the same values-oriented family segment, making it a geographic and product peer.
• Externato Marista de Lisboa: Marist-run private school in Portugal offering values-based Catholic education from early years through secondary. Operates under a similar religious-order model with emphasis on integral formation, paralleling CIC's Claretian identity and SER+ human development framework.
• St. Dominic's International School: International Catholic school in Lisbon offering IB and Cambridge curricula with values-based education. Comparable to CIC in combining religious identity, premium positioning, and international program offerings for Portuguese families seeking differentiated secondary education.

Broad incumbents

• Casa Pia de Lisboa: Large Portuguese educational institution providing residential and academic education with a long history. While broader in mission (includes social services and younger ages), it is the most established comparable Portuguese educational institution serving students through secondary level.

Others

• Missionary Schools Network (Claretians International): Global network of Claretian missionary schools sharing the same religious order and educational charism as CIC. Represents the broader ecosystem that CIC belongs to and could expand into via Claretian Province of Fatima cooperation.

Regional players

• Deutsche Schule zu Lissabon: German international school in Lisbon offering German curriculum Abitur pathway. Comparable as a Lisbon-based premium international secondary school, though operating in a different geography than CIC's Porto metropolitan area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/colegiointernatodoscarvalhos
• Facebookfacebook.com/colegiodoscarvalhos
• Instagraminstagram.com/colegiointernatodoscarvalhos

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colégio Internato Dos Carvalhos