From the Amazon rainforest to famous beaches and sprawling cities, Brazil is a land known for social, cultural and ecological diversity. São Paulo, an important cultural center, is also its commercial and industrial center. As a popular destination for visitors, it supports first-rate museums, concerts, experimental theater and dance.
Languages Spoken:
Portuguese
Education System
HIGHER EDUCATION OVERVIEW
Undergraduate degree programs last from two to six years, leading to a bacharel (non-teaching) degree, licenciado (teaching) or a professional title (licenciado, medico, contador, etc.). Graduate programs consist of two-year programs leading to a mestre (master's) degree and four-year programs leading to a doutor (doctorate) degree. There is also the especialização (certificate level), a professional graduate non-degree program usually completed prior to a full master's.
The academic school year normally runs from March through November. The year is divided into two semesters with some institutions also offering courses during a summer term (January and February). Some institutions, especially those that have large enrollments and are located in urban areas offer three "shifts" of classes each day: morning, afternoon and evening.
STUDYING IN BRAZIL
Courses
The Brazilian student traditionally spends approximately 20 or more hours in class per week. In the classroom, lectures are the most common teaching method used, and in some institutions, the only approach followed. Brazilian students rely heavily on the professor as a resource as, at times, he is the only source available.
FAAP offers small classes and individualized programs. ISEP students are welcome to attend and combine courses in all fields of study provided they have the appropriate level of Portuguese and preparation for the classes they choose.
Registration
Please check with the host institution for procedures on registration and course enrollment.
Course Load
The Brazilian student traditionally spends approximately 20 or more hours in class per week. You will be enrolled in eight or nine courses per term, spending 16-20 hours per week in class. Generally, 15 class hours is equivalent to 1 U.S. credit hour at FAAP. For the Study in Brazil program, students can expect to take around 180 hours or 12 credits worth of classes. For the Portuguese language program, students can expect to receive around 18-19 credits.
Remember that it is ultimately up to your home institution to assure the recognition of courses taken during the semester of the exchange program. It is always best to check with your home institution's coordinator to ensure equivalence of courses and guarantee transfer of credit.
Exams & Grading
The traditional method of learning has been for the student to take down everything the professor says and memorize to repeat this on the examination. This approach is, however, undergoing rapid modification. In the classroom, lectures are the most common teaching method used, and in some institutions, the only approach followed. Brazilian students rely heavily on the professor as a resource.
Transcripts
Students must ask for their official transcripts and the complete description of the courses attended during the semester before leaving Brazil at the “Central de Atendimento ao Aluno” to guarantee the delivery of these documents in time. The International Office will send the official transcripts to ISEP Central without extra cost, and extra copies of the transcripts can be issued upon request for an administrative fee.
Visa and Residency
STUDENT VISA/RESIDENCE PERMIT
A student visa (VITEM-IV) is required for study in Brazil over 90 days. The process of gathering the appropriate documents and applying for the visa can take six to eight weeks, so begin early! Under NO circumstances should you apply for a tourist visa. Tourist visas are valid for only 90 days and cannot be extended. Once you decide to study in Brazil, you need to apply for the Student Visa in your home country. There is no way to change your visa status after you have arrived in Brazil.
You must obtain the visa from the Brazilian consulate in your area of jurisdiction and in some cases a personal visit to the consulate may be required. You should apply for a visa from the consulate whose area of jurisdiction includes your permanent residence. If this is not possible or is very inconvenient, you may request that the consulate within the area of jurisdiction of your home university accept and process your visa application.
In order to obtain your visa, you must provide the documents as listed on the website for the Brazilian consulate in your area of jurisdiction. The Brazilian consul processing the visa reserves the right to make other requirements when deemed necessary. Important: contact the consulate in your particular area of jurisdiction to confirm the procedure.
VISA INSTRUCTIONS:
All students who are going to study in Brazil for more than 90 days must apply for the Temporary Visa: VITEM-IV (Student Visa). Students can not apply for VITEM-I because it is the Tourist Visa. All visa application forms for Brazil must now be filled out online. You must then print out and bring the completed form with you (along with the other required documents) to the visa appointment. Or, if the Consulate for your jurisdiction accepts Visa applications via mail, you can send the documents via mail.
You will need to include a recent national-level background check. Applicants who have lived in the United States within the last 12 months must present a police clearance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). For information on how to request an FBI Background Check consult this link. ISEP highly recommends that students submit their request via Electronic Departmental Order, or use a FBI-approved channeler. The background check presented to the Consulate while submitting your visa application must:
1) Be an original document issued within the past 60 days on a standard letterhead with contact information of the issuing authority.
2) Have sufficient information about the applicant to determine it is not a impostor.Examples: full name, residential address, date of birth, identification document (passport, driver’s license or state ID), social security number.
3) Reflect where the applicant has lived in the past 12 months.
4) Match the applicant’s proof of address.
Basic documents typically required for student Visa (VITEM-IV) may include:
While the below is a general list of what is required to obtain the visa, you must check with the consulate in your jurisdiction to verify the process and documents required. Keep in mind that you may be required to travel to the consulate to receive your visa in person.
1) Passport: original, valid for at least another six months on submission date, with at least two blank visa pages.
2) Visa Application Form: printed receipt page of the visa application form filled out and successfully submitted online duly signed by the passport holder and with the photo attached on the appropriate boxes.
3) Photograph: one professional two inch by two inch passport photo of the applicant in color. Snapshots, photocopies and computer pictures are not accepted. Please glue the photo onto the visa application receipt page.
4) Itinerary: copy of your round-trip ticket, booked reservation under your name, with complete itinerary, flight number, arrival and departure dates and reservation code provided by the airline company.
6) Proof of Jurisdiction: copy of driver’s license, utility bills, lease, bank statements and in some cases school documents are all acceptable documents as proof of jurisdiction. VITEM IV visas require that the applicant proves he or she has been living within the jurisdiction within the last 12 months.
7) Proof of financial capability: ISEP Letter of Certification should suffice, but check with the consulate for your jursidiction
8) Police clearance (see notes above!)
9) Proof of enrollment: original acceptance letter from the Brazilian educational institution indicating type and duration of studies. Will be issued by your host university approximately once month after students accept their ISEP program.
Entry into Brazil must take place within 90 days from the date when the visa was issued. This visa is good for multiple entries, for the time of the visa's duration. If necessary, an extension may be obtained with the Federal Police in Brazil, if requested at least 30 days prior to its expiration. Student Visa (i.e. Vitem-IV) holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activity in Brazil.
Attention U.S. STUDENTS: A non-refundable processing fee of USD $160 (subject to change) per visa will be charged to U.S. citizens in reciprocity for the identical fee paid by Brazilian citizens who apply for a visa to the United States of America. Handling fees will be an additional cost.
Note: Participants with dual nationality who hold Brazilian passports: You must enter Brazil with your Brazilian passport. Please make sure your passport is valid.
REGISTRATION WITH BRAZILIAN POLICE
Once you arrive in Brazil, you need to complete the registration process in your first month inside the country. You must register at the Federal Police to receive an identity card. If you fail to register, you will be subject to paying high fines. Please discuss this process, briefly outlined below, with your ISEP coordinator at your host institution for the most up-to-date information. The International Programs Office will be able to advise you in how to complete this registration process, but you might have to go to Federal Police by yourself.
1) As soon as you arrive in Brazil, get a photocopy of your passport at a cartorio’s office and have it authenticated. The pages should include the primary pages of your passport as well as the page with your visa and the page with the stamp from Brazilian immigration.
2) You will also need two three cm by four cm small photos; these can be made at any small photography shop, but you will need to have them taken in Brazil, since they must be of a specific size and quality. These photos need to have a white background. You can not smile in the picture.
3) You will have to go to the Federal Police website in order to print out the forms for payment of your registration fees. The fees will be approximately R $200 (subject to change).
It is imperative that you get an authenticated copy of your passport as well, and never walk around without these copies. Leave your passport at home in a safe place.
Last Updated: August 16, 2023
Culture
COMMUNICATIVE STYLE
Verbal communication in Brazil can often be viewed as being theatrical and overemotional. In a country like Brazil, if you feel something strongly, you show it. Overt signs of emotion definitely do not imply lack of conviction and should be taken as the deeply felt belief of the speaker. Compared to their neighbors, Brazilians communicate with a slightly blunter cultural style. However, this is often determined by the level of a relationship, i.e. the warmer it is, the blunter it gets. They also place a lot of emphasis on non-verbal gestures to enhance their point.
The "OK" sign used in North America (thumb and index finger joined in an "o") closely resembles an offensive Brazilian hand gesture. In Brazil the "thumbs-up" sign is used to indicate approval.
SPACE AND DISTANCE
Brazilians are very tactile, even across the sexes, and talk at very close proximity. It is acceptable to touch someone when speaking to them, no matter the gender or the relationship. A touch on the arm or a pat on the back is common in normal conversation.
Eye contact (but not staring) is important, as a demonstration of sincerity and interest in the conversation and in the person being spoken to.
TIME
Punctuality can sometimes be an issue in Brazil, but this should not be interpreted a rude or lazy. Other cultures may be accustomed to rigid schedules and appointments. In Brazil, however, there is a very different approach to the concept of time. Brazilians tend to see time as a sequence of events (as opposed to hours and minutes). For example, if they are late because a previous engagement took longer than expected, they will view the delay with your meeting as a natural consequence.
GREETINGS
Greetings between men usually involve a standard handshake. Women will generally kiss each other, starting with the left cheek. Typically, Brazilian friends greet each other and say goodbye with a hug and a kiss on each cheek. If a woman wishes to shake hands with a man, she should extend her hand first.
FOOD
In general, breakfast at home is very light and usually consists of coffee, milk, bread and jam (and sometimes cheese and ham), and fresh fruit. Lunch is the largest meal of the day and usually takes place between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Dinner is usually eaten no earlier than 7 p.m. (in big cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, dinner isn't eaten until 10 p.m.). In Brazil, meals are not just a time for eating but also for spending quality time with family, friends and colleagues.
Rice, black beans and manioc (a root vegetable like a potato) are the main foods for many Brazilians. The national dish is feijoada, a thick stew of black beans and pieces of pork and other meats. It is usually served with orange salad, white rice, farofa (ground manioc) and couve (kale), a dark green leafy vegetable that is diced and cooked until slightly crispy.
Daily Life
COMMUNICATIVE STYLE
Verbal communication in Brazil can often be viewed as being theatrical and overemotional. In a country like Brazil, if you feel something strongly, you show it. Overt signs of emotion definitely do not imply lack of conviction and should be taken as the deeply felt belief of the speaker. Compared to their neighbors, Brazilians communicate with a slightly blunter cultural style. However, this is often determined by the level of a relationship, i.e. the warmer it is, the blunter it gets. They also place a lot of emphasis on non-verbal gestures to enhance their point.
The "OK" sign used in North America (thumb and index finger joined in an "o") closely resembles an offensive Brazilian hand gesture. In Brazil the "thumbs-up" sign is used to indicate approval.
SPACE AND DISTANCE
Brazilians are very tactile, even across the sexes, and talk at very close proximity. It is acceptable to touch someone when speaking to them, no matter the gender or the relationship. A touch on the arm or a pat on the back is common in normal conversation.
Eye contact (but not staring) is important, as a demonstration of sincerity and interest in the conversation and in the person being spoken to.
TIME
Punctuality can sometimes be an issue in Brazil, but this should not be interpreted a rude or lazy. Other cultures may be accustomed to rigid schedules and appointments. In Brazil, however, there is a very different approach to the concept of time. Brazilians tend to see time as a sequence of events (as opposed to hours and minutes). For example, if they are late because a previous engagement took longer than expected, they will view the delay with your meeting as a natural consequence.
GREETINGS
Greetings between men usually involve a standard handshake. Women will generally kiss each other, starting with the left cheek. Typically, Brazilian friends greet each other and say goodbye with a hug and a kiss on each cheek. If a woman wishes to shake hands with a man, she should extend her hand first.
FOOD
In general, breakfast at home is very light and usually consists of coffee, milk, bread and jam (and sometimes cheese and ham), and fresh fruit. Lunch is the largest meal of the day and usually takes place between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Dinner is usually eaten no earlier than 7 p.m. (in big cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, dinner isn't eaten until 10 p.m.). In Brazil, meals are not just a time for eating but also for spending quality time with family, friends and colleagues.
Rice, black beans and manioc (a root vegetable like a potato) are the main foods for many Brazilians. The national dish is feijoada, a thick stew of black beans and pieces of pork and other meats. It is usually served with orange salad, white rice, farofa (ground manioc) and couve (kale), a dark green leafy vegetable that is diced and cooked until slightly crispy.
Health and Safety
Your health and safety is our number one priority. Please read and reference the Health and Safety section of the ISEP website for general information regarding health and safety abroad.
-Detailed information about Brazil can be found here. Please pay special attention to the Safety and Security, Local Laws and Special Circumstances and Health sections.
-Non-U.S nationals should disregard the "Embassies and Consulates" and "Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements" sections.
- Please review the CDC's Health Information for Travelers to Brazil.
-If you’re planning to bring your prescription or over-the-counter medicine on your trip, you need to make sure your medicine is travel-ready. More information can be found here, and please contact your Student Services Officer and ISEP Coordinator with any additional questions.
Currency
MONEY MATTERS
The Real is divided into 100 centavos. Coins are R$0.05 (copper and silver), R$0.10 (bronze and silver), R$0.25 (bronze and silver), R$0.50 (silver) and R$1 (silver with a golden border). Bills come in the following denominations: R$1 (green, being phased out), R$2 (blue), R$5 (purple), R$10 (red and plastic red/blue), R$20 (yellow) R$ 50 (orange) and $100 (blue).
Foreign currency such as U.S. Dollars or Euros can be exchanged in major airports and luxury hotels, exchange bureaux and major branches of Banco do Brasil. The latter allegedly has the best rates, but you need your passport and your immigration documents.
To compare your currency to the Brazilian Real, see www.xe.com.
Look for an ATM with your credit or debit card logo on it. Large branches of Banco do Brasil usually have one, and most all Bradesco, Citibank, BankBoston and HSBC machines will work. Banco 24 Horas (not a bank) operates a network of ATMs which accept foreign cards; however, additional fees are levied for the use of these machines. To avoid too many fees, withdraw as much cash as possible at a time, but be cautious with your money. Note that most ATMs will only give you R$ 100 after 10 p.m.
In smaller towns, it is possible that there is not a single ATM that accepts foreign cards. You should therefore always carry sufficient cash.