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INSTITUTION TYPES & CREDENTIALS

Types of higher education institutions:

Universidade Pública Federal (Public Federal University)

Universidade Pública Estadual (Public State University)

Universidade Pública Municipal (Public City University)

Universidade Confessional (Religious University)

Universidade Comunitária (Community University)

Universidade Privada (Private University)

Fundação Universitária (University Foundation)

Centro universitário (University centre)

Instituto superior (Higher institute)

Faculdada integrada (Integrated faculty)

Higher education credentials:

Diploma de 2 Grau

Diploma de Tecnico de Nivel Medio

Bacharelado

Licenciatura

Professional Title

Certificado de Especialização/Aperfeiçõamento

Diploma de Mestrado

Diploma de Doutorado

STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM

Secondary education:

Secondary education (grau 2) covers from grades 9 to 11 with the possibility of staying on for a further year. There is often a local selection examination for entry to this cycle. Pupils may also take a course ranging from three to five years in a variety of technical and vocational fields leading to the qualification of Certificado de Auxiliar Técnico (Assistant Technician) or Diploma de Técnico de Nivel Médio (Technician), such as SENAC (National Service for Commercial Learning) and SENAI (National Service for Industrial Learning). Holders of these qualifications may take the university entrance examination. Training programmes have also been established in basic vocational training (Habilitação Básica) leading to a Certificado de Habilitação Básica.

Higher education:

Higher education is provided in federal, state, municipal, private universities and other institutions, federations and independent establishments. The universities are composed of faculties or schools; their internal organization is based on the departamento which is linked to schools, faculties or centres. The two supreme bodies are the Conselho Universitario (University Council) and the Conselho de Ensino e Pesquisa (Council for Graduate Studies and Research). The main characteristic of university administration is its collegial functioning. Federations are associations of institutions which offer more varied, better integrated courses and greater administrative efficiency. The higher education institutions consist of faculties, schools, centres, academies or institutes with relatively few students which offer instruction in one or two subjects. They are mostly private. The two main bodies responsible for postgraduate education, science and technology are the Fundação da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The Conselho de Reitores das Universidades Brasileiras (CRUB) is a liaison body where all the federal, state and private universities are represented. All levels of higher education use the semester system. A National Council for Education (CNE) was recently created to replace the Federal Council for Education.

Academic year:

Classes from: Mar to: Dec

Long vacation from: 15 Dec to: 28 Feb

Languages of instruction: Portuguese

Stages of studies:

Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type):

Non-university level:

Specific institutions such as the Centros Federais de Educação Tecnológica (CEFET-Federal Centers for Technological Education) offer higher technical courses, that usually last for four years with the possibility of staying on for a further year.

University level studies:

University level first stage: Bacharelado, Licenciatura, Professional Qualification:

The first stage of higher education leads to the award of a Bacharelado or Licenciatura or professional qualification which is usually obtained after three to five years of study, depending on the institution and the field of study (Odontology and Agriculture, four years; Architecture and Law, five years; Medicine, six years). The Bacharelado or Licenciatura is generally awarded after four years' study to students of Philosophy, Humanities or Sciences who wish to become secondary-school teachers.

University level second stage: Mestrado:

The second stage, which is the first stage of postgraduate study, leads to the Mestrado, awarded upon completion of a minimum of one year's study following the Bacharelado or Licenciatura to students who have followed a certain number of courses, passed examinations and submitted a thesis.

University level third stage: Doutorado:

The third stage of higher education leads to the award of the Doutorado, the highest degree. The requirements for this degree are identical to those for the Mestrado. The Doutorado normally requires three to four years' further study.

Non-traditional studies:

Distance higher education

Professional courses of a variable number of years sponsored by private entities and/or through agreements with public institutions of education, with a secondary school requirement for admission. Certificado de Conclusão. Telecurso 2000 (Fundação Roberto Marinho - MEC): Teacher updating courses.

Lifelong higher education

Review and specialization courses for non-regular students (senior persons, etc.)

Higher education training in industry

Training courses sponsored by industry for qualified workers.

ADMISSIONS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Admission to non university higher education studies

Entrance exams required:

Prova de Suficiencia for SENAI and SENAC

Admission to university-level studies

Name of secondary school credential required: Diploma de 2 Grau

Minimum score/requirement: 3 in Portuguese, 3 in another discipline and above 1 in all the others

For entry to: All courses

Name of secondary school credential required: Diploma de Tecnico de Nivel Medio

Entrance exams required: Concurso Vestibular with 3 as minimum mark in Portuguese, 3 in another discipline and over 1 in all the others .

Numerus clausus/restrictions: Yes

Other admission requirements: Good knowledge of Portuguese

Foreign students admission

Admission requirements: Foreign students must hold a secondary-school-leaving certificate recognized by the Ministry of Education and pass an examination (Concurso Vestibular) comprising papers in Portuguese language and Brazilian History and Geography. Students from Latin American and African which have signed cultural agreements with Brazil are exempted from this examination and from paying tuition fees.

Language requirements: Foreign students must have a good command of Portuguese.

Application procedures:

Apply to individual institution for entry to: Postgraduate Studies: Pro-Rectorships for Graduate Studies and Research.

Apply to national body for entry to: Undergraduate Studies

Apply to:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or Ministry of Education and Sports

MEC - Esplanada dos Ministerios
Brasilia-DF
Brasilia 70047-903, Brazil

Tel: +55(61) 225-6515

Fax: +55(61) 224-3618

WWW: http://www.mec.gov.br

Recognition of studies & qualifications:

Studies pursued in home country (System of recognition/accreditation): Revalidation of Diplomas is made by a federal institution of higher education, according to the specificities of the course taken in the student's home country.

Studies pursued in foreign countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):

Ministry of Education and Sports (Ministério de Educação e dos Desporto (MEC))

Esplanada dos Ministérios, bloco L - 3 andar - Sala 219
Brasília
DF 70047-903, Brazil

Tel: +55(61) 225-6032

Fax: +55(61) 224-8920

WWW: http://www.mec.gov.br

Services provided & students dealt with: Foreign students are entitled to all the facilities available to Brazilian students: Scholarships, loans (for accommodation, transport, meals, books and documentation) and assistance with the payment of study fees.

Special provisions for recognition:

For access to non-university post-secondary studies: Access to a higher technical/vocational institution is based on secondary school certification and the passing of examinations in each institution.

For access to university level studies: Access to university-level studies is based on secondary school certification and the passing of examination in each unity of institution.

For access to advanced studies and research: Graduate study diploma

For the exercise of a profession: Professional diploma

STUDENT LIFE

Main student services as national level

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Esplanada dos Ministerios-Palacio do Itamaraty
Brasilia - DF
70170-900, Brazil

Fax: +55(61) 2237362

EMail: dorila@mre.gov.br

Services available to foreign Students: No

National student associations and unions

União Nacional de Estudantes (UNE)

Rua do Catete, 243
Rio de Janeiro
RJ, Brazil

Tel: +55(21) 2052305

Health/social provisions

Social security for home students: No

Social security for foreign students: No

Foreign student social security provisions: There is a national system for all citizens, which is therefore available to home students. There are also several paying private systems.

Special student travel fares:

By road: No

By rail: No

By air: No

Available to foreign students: No

Student expenses and financial aid

Type of financial aid available:

Scholarships/grants/fellowships:

Higher vocational/technical studies:

Home: Yes

Foreign: Yes

First Degree studies:

Home: No

Foreign: No

Advanced/doctoral studies:

Home: Yes

Foreign: Yes

Loans:

Higher vocational/technical studies:

Home: No

Foreign: No

First degree studies:

Home: No

Foreign: No

Advanced/doctoral studies:

Home: No

Foreign: No

Bodies providing information on student financial aid:

CAPES, Ministerio da Educação e do Desporto

Anexos I e II - 2 andar
BRASILIA - DF
70047-900, Brazil

Tel: +55(61) 2148873

Fax: +55(61) 3213463

EMail: acd@capes.gov.br

Deals with: Grants

Category of students: Postgraduate students.

MEC

Esplana dos Ministerios
BRASILIA-DF
BRASILIA 70047-903, Brazil

Tel: 55(61)225-6032

Fax: 55(61)224-8920

WWW: http://www.mec.gov.br

Deals with: Grants

Category of students: Undergraduate students.

Publications on student services and financial aid:

Title: Study Abroad 2000-2001

Publisher: UNESCO/IBE

Year of publication: 1999

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION & EXCHANGES

Principal national bodies responsible for dealing with international cooperation and exchanges in higher education:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Esplanada dos Ministerios-Palacio do Itamaraty
Brasília
DF 70170-900, Brazil

Tel: +55(61) 2216317

Fax: +55(61) 2237362

EMail: dorila@mre.gov.br

GRADING SYSTEM

Usual grading system in secondary school

Highest on scale: 10

Pass/fail level: 5

Lowest on scale: 0

Main grading system used by higher education institutions

Full Description: Generally, a 10-0 grading system is used for course and research work. Some degrees require a final exam, such as in Medicine, Engineering and Law.

Highest on scale: 10

Pass/fail level: 5

Lowest on scale: 0

Other main grading systems

Grades A,B,C,D,I

NATIONAL BODIES

Administration & co-ordination:

Responsible authorities:

Ministry of Education and Sports (Ministério de Educação e dos Desporto)

Minister: Paulo Renato de Souza

Esplanada dos Ministerios - Bloco L, 8° andar
Brasília
DF 70047-900, Brazil

Tel: +55(61) 410-8444 +55(61) 322-5542

Fax: +55(61) 410-9233

EMail: paulorenato@gm.mec.gov.br

WWW: http://www.mec.gov.br

Role of governing body: Administration of Higher Education in the Country

Council of Brazilian University Rectors (Conselho de Reitores das Universidades Brasileiras) (CRUB)

President: José Martins Filho

Secretary-General: Maria Helena Alves Garcia

SEUP/Norte Quadra-516 Conj. 'D' Lote-09
Brasília
DF 70770-535, Brazil

Tel: +55(61) 272-2960

Fax: +55(61) 274-4621

EMail: crub@nutecnet.com.br

WWW: http://www.crub.org.br

R EDUCATION SYSTEM

Adv/Doc.Studies number of students refers to 1993 graduate course census, Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior CAPES (Coordination pour le Perfectionnement du Personnel de Niveau Superieur, Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, CAPES). CAPES is a public foundation subordinated to the ministry of education and sports (MEC). CAPES is the only Brazilian agency that maintains a permanent evaluation of graduate courses that is recognized and used by other institutions, such as Brazilian National Council of Research (CNPq), universities, etc. First degree statistics refer to 1994 undergraduate educational courses, Ministerio de Educacao e Desporto.

Data for academic year: 1998-1999

Source: The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Pro-Rectorship for Graduate Studies and Research, 1998