Study in Brazil

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!

Brazil for international students
Language Requirements
Courses

Why choose Brazil as an international student

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 Student Visas

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.

Universities in Brazil

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:

Universities – which place emphasis on academia and research quality, whilst tending to offer courses in multiple disciplines. Courses at universities in Brazil will be available at Degree, Master and Doctorate levels.
Universities centers – These institutions differ from regular universities by placing less emphasis on research.
Colleges and Polytechnics – Colleges in Brazil are educational institutions which offer education on a specific subject area, such as the arts or business or law. They may be independent institutions or part of a university.
Federal Institutes of Education – These institutions focus on vocational education, preparing students for a career in a specific sector, often in the fields of education, science or technology.

Educational institutions in Brazil may either be public or privately funded. There are public universities in each of Brazil’s states.

The top ranked universities in Brazil

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