Study in Brazil: Admissions

Who Can Study in Brazil

The rules for PEC-G, Brazil's free bachelor's programme, and for master's and PhD application rounds, for students from India and Pakistan.

Example Eligibility Check

Example: PEC-G applicant

School marks

Verified

Example: overall average of at least 60%

Age

Verified

Example: 18 or over

Portuguese

In Progress

Example: Celpe-Bras (Brazil's Portuguese test) booked

Sponsor

Required

Example: sponsor form still to sign

Example Status

Depends on your papers

Example only. Your own result depends on your papers.

Key Rules (PEC-G)

You must meet all of these to apply for a PEC-G place.

Nationality

PEC-G (free bachelor's places) and PEC-PG (money each month for master's and PhD students) are for citizens of countries that have a deal with Brazil. India and Pakistan are on the list.

Where you live

You must live outside Brazil. A tourist visa is the only Brazilian visa you may hold, and you may not hold a Brazilian residence permit.

Age

PEC-G: at least 18 years old by the closing date of the application round.

School marks

PEC-G: you finished, or are finishing, secondary school outside Brazil with an overall average of at least 60%.

Money

A sponsor (the person who promises to pay for you) who will send you at least USD 300 (US dollars) a month.

Portuguese

Celpe-Bras (Brazil's official Portuguese test), a middle-level Portuguese course certificate from the Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR), or the PEC-PLE year (a free first year of Portuguese classes in Brazil).

Promise to return

PEC-G students commit to returning to their home country after graduating.

Rules by Level

Rules depend on your level of study.

What each level needs

1Bachelor's (PEC-G)

Secondary school finished or finishing outside Brazil.
Overall average of at least 60%.
Portuguese, or the PEC-PLE year.

2Master's

A bachelor's degree.
Each programme sets its own rules.
In final-year cases, some programmes accept you before you get your degree paper. Example: Chemical Engineering at the University of São Paulo (USP), Lorena campus.

3PhD

Each programme sets its own rules.
PEC-PG pays you money each month for up to 48 months.

Tests

Standardized Testing Requirements

Undergraduate Tests

1Celpe-Bras

Brazil's official Portuguese test.

Held twice a year, in Brazil and abroad.

Graduate Tests

1Programme selection

Each master's or PhD programme sets its own way to choose students.

Example: USP Chemical Engineering at Lorena gives 70% of the score for your CV and marks sheet, and 30% for a recommendation letter.

Note: PEC-G uses your school marks and Portuguese, not an entrance exam.

Rules for Students from India and Pakistan

International students face several additional requirements beyond those for domestic applicants. These ensure that you can successfully transition to studying in Brazil and comply with immigration regulations.

Stamps on papers

When you join the university, your school certificate and marks sheet need an apostille (an official stamp that proves a paper is real).

India: papers need an apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Pakistan: degrees must first be stamped by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), then apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Translations

English papers need no translation for PEC-G.