CIPLE or a PLA course: which route to A2 is right for you?

There are two common ways to prove A2 Portuguese for nationality. You can sit CIPLE, the University of Lisbon’s A2 exam: one day, €95, and you prepare however you like. Or you can complete a PLA course (Português Língua de Acolhimento), the state’s course for foreign residents: up to 150 class hours, free in most cases, ending in a certificate. Both are on the list in article 25(2) of the Nationality Regulation, so either one on its own is enough.

The choice is really about your life, not the law. A PLA course suits people who live in Portugal, can commit to a fixed class schedule for a few months, and want a teacher and a group. CIPLE suits people who are already close to A2, need the certificate by a certain date, keep irregular hours, or live abroad.

Are both accepted for Portuguese nationality?

Yes. Article 25(2) of the Regulamento da Nacionalidade Portuguesa, as republished by Decreto-Lei n.º 26/2022, lists the ways to prove Portuguese. CIPLE falls under point (c), a certificate from a recognized center for Portuguese as a foreign language. PLA falls under point (e), a PLA certificate at A2 or above issued by a public school, an IEFP center or a Centro Qualifica.

AIMA confirms it in plain terms: a PLA certificate at A2 or above proves Portuguese for nationality, for permanent residence and for long-term resident status, and exempts you from the separate nationality language test.

CIPLE vs PLA course at a glance

How does a PLA course work?

Who can enroll

PLA courses were created by Portaria n.º 183/2020 and widened in 2022 by Portaria n.º 184/2022. They are open to people aged 16 or over whose mother tongue is not Portuguese. You need a residence permit, or proof that a residence application or renewal is under way, or proof of an application for international or temporary protection, or a Social Security number (NISS). Holders of seasonal work, temporary stay and residence visas are also eligible.

Individual providers can add their own conditions. IEFP Coimbra’s 2026 plan, for example, lists its PLA courses for ages 18 and over, and says that when a course is oversubscribed it prioritizes people registered with its local employment service. Ask before you assume.

Where to find one

Courses run in public schools, IEFP training centers and Centros Qualifica, and through partner organizations under protocol with them. AIMA does not run courses itself. It points people to the Portal da Oferta Formativa(search for “Português Língua de Acolhimento”) and to its language service, and says to contact the school, training center or Centro Qualifica directly for start dates, timetables and enrollment.

Hours, schedule and class size

The A1 + A2 path has a maximum of 150 hours: six units of 25 hours, three at each level. How many weeks that takes depends on how many hours a week the provider teaches. The Portaria says timetables must be flexible, so providers offer daytime (laboral) and evening (pós-laboral) groups; since 2022, courses can also run fully or partly online. Groups are normally 15 to 20 people. You are placed by level at the start, and reaching a level does not require doing the one before, so a learner who is already at A1 can go straight into the A2 units.

The certificate

Finishing the units successfully earns a PLA certificate in a standard official format: your identity, the units completed with their hours, and the CEFR level obtained. It is issued through the state’s training records system (SIGO). Certificates from partner organizations must be validated by the public school or IEFP center they work with, so ask a partner provider who validates theirs.

How does the CIPLE route work?

You register on CAPLE’s platform, pay €95, and sit three papers on one day: reading and writing, listening, and speaking in pairs. You need 55% overall. The fee is not refunded if you withdraw, and you can sit only one exam per session. CAPLE does not run preparation courses and does not require one; you prepare however you choose.

Timing is the catch. At LAPE-FLUL in Lisbon, results for the November 7, 2026 session are due on January 14, 2027, and certificates on February 11, 2027. The papers, dates and registration steps are in our CIPLE A2 exam guide, and realistic study timelines are in how long to prepare for CIPLE.

Which route should you choose?

A PLA course suits you if…

• You live in Portugal and have the residence documents the course asks for.
• A course with places runs near you, at hours you can actually attend for months.
• You learn better with a teacher, a group and a set timetable.
• Money is tight: most PLA courses cost nothing.
• You would rather be assessed over a course than on a single exam day.

CIPLE suits you if…

• You are already at or near A2 and do not need 150 hours of teaching.
• You need the certificate by a date and cannot wait for a course to start.
• Your hours are irregular: shift work, travel, small children.
• You live outside Portugal, where PLA courses are not offered but CIPLE centers are.
• You want a certificate that shows a grade and a score for each skill.

The honest downsides: a PLA course depends on what runs locally and when, the pace is set by a group of 15 to 20, and if you miss the start you may wait for the next intake. CIPLE costs money, gives you one day to show your level, and leaves the teaching to you. Some people do both: take a PLA course to learn, and book CIPLE as a backstop if the course will not finish in time.

What other proofs of Portuguese are accepted?

Article 25(2) also accepts: a school certificate showing Portuguese or Português Língua Não Materna passed in at least two school years; a pass in the official Portuguese language test for nationality; an A2 certificate from the older Português para Todos courses; and at least 100 hours of Portuguese units in a dual-certification qualification. Schooling in a Portuguese-speaking country also counts, and nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to meet the language requirement unless a lack of Portuguese is manifest. Our citizenship language guide covers each one, and how to learn European Portuguese covers the learning itself.

Where PoisPois fits

PoisPois is neither a PLA course nor an exam, and it does not issue a certificate that counts for nationality. It is a European Portuguese course with a 16-unit CIPLE A2 track that practices the exam’s four task types, timed, in the reading and listening shapes the exam uses. You can use it alongside a class or on its own. Preparation, not a guarantee.