Study in Brazil

Who this applies to

International (foreign) students at Brazilian universities. Public (federal & state) universities are tuition-FREE for everyone including foreigners; admission is per-university.

Governing authority

Ministério da Educação (MEC). Foreign-student undergrad program: PEC-G (run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MRE).

Degree system

Bacharelado/Licenciatura (Bachelor) 4–5 yrs (Medicine 6) · Mestrado (Master) 2 yrs · Doutorado (PhD) 4 yrs.

Admission

Public Undergraduate

Admission via the vestibular entrance exam and/or ENEM (Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio). For degree-seeking foreigners, the main route is PEC-G (Programa de Estudantes-Convênio de Graduação) — free undergraduate places at public universities for students from partner developing countries (must pass Celpe-Bras Portuguese exam; cover own living costs).

Graduate

PEC-PG for postgraduate; or apply directly to a graduate program (often with a CAPES/CNPq scholarship). Foreign diplomas require revalidation/recognition.

Language Requirements

Portuguese

Most instruction is in Portuguese; the Celpe-Bras certificate is required (esp. for PEC-G).

English

A growing number of graduate programs and some courses offered in English.

Tuition Per Year

Public Universities

FREE (no tuition) for all students including internationals (federal & state universities — USP, UNICAMP, UFRJ, the federals, etc.).

Private Universities

Paid — roughly R$15,000–R$60,000/yr (US$3,000–$12,000), varies widely.

Living Cost USD

~US$2,000–$8,000/yr depending on city

Source

study-abroad.org; MEC; MRE PEC-G

Student visa & residence permit

Student visa (VITEM IV) at a Brazilian consulate; register for a residence card (CRNM) with the Federal Police after arrival.

Scholarships

PEC-G / PEC-PG (govt programs), CAPES and CNPq scholarships (esp. for graduate/research), university scholarships.

Sources & references

• free public/PEC-G/costs — https://www.study-abroad.org/study-in-brazil/ (2026-06-10)
• PEC-G program — https://www.gov.br/mre/en/subjects/culture-and-education/educational-themes/study-opportunities-for-international-applicants/pec-g/about-the-program (2026-06-10)