The largest country in both South America and Latin America, Brazil covers 8.5 million square kilometres and is home to over 208 million people. This makes Brazil the world’s fifth largest country by area and the sixth most populous. It is multicultural and ethnically diverse and a perfect destination for international students. There is something for everyone in Brazil!
The Brazilian higher education system is similar in some ways to that of many other countries. You can study for undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD degrees. There are many degree disciplines offered, all at a high standard and low cost. At the bigger universities there are many degrees taught in English, but you can practice your Portuguese as well!
Although you may recognise similarities in the education system, there are some noticeable differences. Bachelor and Associate degrees are referred to as graduate degrees. They take between 4 and 6 years to complete. When completed, you are qualified to work as a doctor or lawyer. A licentiate degree will take about 4 years, and allows you to work as a teacher. A technology degree takes about 2 years to complete. It will give you the skills to work in specialised fields, like agriculture or tourism. You can then earn either a lato sensu degree or a stricto sensu degree as postgraduate qualifications. The lato sensu degree will show that you have gained specialist knowledge in a specific subject area. However, it does not allow you to progress onto a PhD or other research degree. MBA programmes are classed to be lato sensu programmes. In order to progress to a PhD or research degree, you need to do a strictu sensu degree.
The government makes considerable contributions to higher education and tuition fees are reasonable. This makes Brazil extremely accessible for international students. There are a mixture of state funded and private universities, and tuition costs will vary depending on your choice of institution.
Most universities accept online applications, making it very easy for you to apply from your home country. Depending on your choice of university, you may need to provide extra information. This can include a research proposal, a letter stating your motivations for your course choice, a letter of recommendation, qualification transcripts and passport and ID photos. You will also require a visa.
There are also work placements available, depending on your area of study. For example, science and technology students at some universities are able to do a 12 week period of paid work experience. This sort of thing looks fantastic on your CV/resume, and can prove that you have the skills to be functional in a company.
International students need a student visa to study in Brazil, applied for at a Brazilian consulate or in Brazil at the Polícia Federal, depending on whether you are abroad or already in Brazil.
For more information about visas, see our International Student Visas advice article.
There are well over 2,000 higher education institutions in Brazil, which between them offer a choice of over 40,000 degree courses for students. These institutions can be classified into the following categories:
Educational institutions in Brazil may either be public or privately funded. There are public universities in each of Brazil’s states.
The universities of Brazil are relatively young compared to some historic universities in Europe. Despite this, they offer world class, high quality education, for example the University of São Paulo features in and around the top 200 universities worldwide in many ranking charts.
| University | Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2024 | Best Global Universities | QS World University Ranking |
| University of São Paulo | 201-250 | 120 | 85 |
| University of Campinas | 351-400 | 294 | 220 |
| Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) | 601-800 | 497 | 419 |
| Federal University of Rio de Janeiro | 601-800 | 413 | 371 |
| Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | 601-800 | 432 | 691-700 |
| Federal University of Minas Gerais | 801-1000 | 468 | 691-700 |
| Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina | 801-1000 | 618 | 1401+ |
| Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) | 801-1000 | 583 | 1001-1200 |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) | 801-1000 | 1203 | 595 |
| Federal University of São Carlos | 1001-1200 | 896 | 1001-1200 |
| Capital City | Brasília |
|---|---|
| Currency | BRL, Real |
| Language(s) | Portuguese |
| Major Student Cities | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
The official language of Brazil is Portuguese, but Spanish and English are spoken in the bigger cities. This will give you a good chance to pick up more than one foreign language – a skill that will look fantastic on your CV/resume!
Most English teaching universities will have language requirements that students have to meet. Having this required standard allows the universities to be sure that each student they admit will be able to get the most out of their studies.
If you do not meet the requirements, lots of universities will offer English Language programmes. These allow you to improve your English ready to succeed in your chosen course!
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