Learning Portuguese (Part 4)

This is a brief summary of the resources I have shared in my earlier notes. So if you're time-poor like me and don't want to read my long boring notes, here's a quick overview of everything you need to begin your journey to learn (European) Portuguese.

Online Resources:

Drops APP
You'll be able to improve and build up your vocabulary very quickly. I find the free version is good enough for me, but you may opt for the premium version if you want to use it more intensively. I find a daily 5-minute usage is just right.

Practice Portuguese
For €15 a month, this is not a course but a collection of audio clips and passages which you can use to improve your listening skills.

DeepL
This is a very good alternative to Google Translate as it offers translation in European Portuguese.

Courses:

Instituto Camões
A public institute run by the Government to promote the learning of Portuguese, it offers both online and on-campus courses, from Levels A1 to C2. Their online courses are relatively affordable, starting from €180 per level (each level lasts for about 12 weeks). You may also opt for the premium option where you'll be having an online session with a tutor once per week. Certificates obtained from Instituto Camões are recognized by the government, so upon completion, you'll be awarded a certificate. Those who are looking to apply for Permanent Residency in Portugal will find this useful. 

PLA Courses
PLA is the abbreviation for Português Língua de Acolhimento which is officially translated into English as Portuguese Host Language. This is an initiative run by the Government to assist immigrants to learn Portuguese in order to adapt to their new home quickly. PLA courses are usually held in the classrooms of the public schools in various parishes after school hours. Anyone who is legally registered as a resident in Portugal can enroll in one of these courses. They are normally free but in some schools they charge a small administrative fee of €10 or €30 and it covers the cost for the entire year. Typically each level lasts for half a term and in one year you'll be able to cover two levels (Eg. Levels A1 & A2). Level A2 is what you need to achieve in order to apply for PR in Portugal. Here is the complete list of schools across the whole of Portugal that offer PLA courses. My suggestion is you visit the school near your home/office directly to obtain more information. PLA courses offers classes from Levels A1 to B2.

ICLP, Faculdade de Letras (Universidade de Lisboa)
I'm saving the best for the last. Of all the options, this course offered by the Universidade de Lisboa is the best. But it's for hardcore learners who want to study Portuguese very seriously. As my friend put it, "One enters the school hall as a deaf-muted and comes out as a bird". So you can imagine how it's like. This is not for the faint-hearted nor is it for a working professional. The course runs for one entire year and you have to attend classes everyday. Tuition is about €1260 per semester (2 semesters per year). For those who can't afford to take a year off to do this course, the ICLP also offers summer courses and evening courses. 

Good luck with your learning and if you have questions, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.