Brazil has a long history of legal education. Two of the country’s oldest law schools were created in 1827, shortly after independence: the law school in São Paulo that later became part of the University of São Paulo and the law school in Olinda, Pernambuco. The institutions below are five public universities with established law schools and undergraduate and graduate opportunities. This best law schools in Brazil is a good starting point for students researching law programs in Brazil.
Top Law School in Brazil
1. University of Sao Paulo
- Study Program
- Programs Offered: Undergraduate Law degree, master’s degree, doctorate
The University of São Paulo (USP) is a public state university established in 1934. USP describes itself as the largest institution dedicated to higher education and research in Brazil, with eight campuses in the state of São Paulo. Its Faculty of Law is located at Largo de São Francisco in the city of São Paulo.
The Faculty of Law was founded on August 11, 1827, at the same time as the law school created in Olinda, Pernambuco. It is therefore one of Brazil’s two oldest law schools, rather than the country’s sole oldest law program. The faculty provides undergraduate legal education, while its Postgraduate Program in Law offers master’s and doctoral study.
2. FGV São Paulo Law School
FGV São Paulo Law School, known as FGV Direito SP, is part of Fundação Getulio Vargas in São Paulo, Brazil. Its legal education combines participatory teaching with interdisciplinary study. The school also maintains the Center for Education and Research in Innovation, which investigates how technology affects legal professions and legal education.
The undergraduate law degree lasts five years. The first three years require full-time study, while the fourth and fifth years use a morning schedule that accommodates professional internships. Students encounter legal clinics, multidisciplinary practice projects, and electives alongside their core curriculum. Opportunities to study subjects in FGV’s economics and administration schools further connect legal problems with business and public institutions.
Graduate options include academic master’s and doctoral degrees in Law and Development, as well as a professional master’s program. Academic research is organized around Economic and Market Institutions and Political and Justice Institutions. Graduate training includes research methodology and preparation for teaching, while the professional master’s connects applied research with problems arising in legal practice.
What Current Students / Alumni of FGV São Paulo Law School Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | Law Academic Experience | University Experience |
|---|
João Pedro Rocha Oliveira
Bachelor of Laws
Taxation research
Graduated 2023 | Participated in the university’s tax law study group and undertook his first research project on taxation. | Alongside his studies, completed an internship at a law firm specializing in tax litigation, gaining practical experience in the field. |
3. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
- Study Program
- Programs Offered: Undergraduate Law degree, master’s degree, doctorate
The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) is a public university created in 1920 and was the first university established by Brazil’s federal government. Some predecessor units are older, including the Polytechnic School, which dates to 1792. UFRJ currently has four campuses: Cidade Universitária, Praia Vermelha, Duque de Caxias, and Macaé.
UFRJ’s National Faculty of Law traces its present form to the 1920 merger of two nonstate law schools. Its Postgraduate Program in Law offers master’s and doctoral degrees in the concentration area of Contemporary Legal Theories. Students should consult the faculty’s official website for current undergraduate and postgraduate admissions information.
4. University of Brasilia
- Study Program
- Programs Offered: Undergraduate Law degree, master’s degree, doctorate
The University of Brasília (UnB) is a public federal university in Brazil’s capital. It was inaugurated on April 21, 1962. The university conducts teaching and research activities.
The Faculty of Law provides undergraduate legal education. Its postgraduate activities began in 1975 with a master’s program in Law, and the current Postgraduate Program in Law offers master’s and doctoral study. Students should consult the official faculty and postgraduate pages for current admissions information.
5. Federal University of Minas Gerais
- Study Program
- Programs Offered: Undergraduate Law degree, master’s degree, doctorate
The Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) was created on September 7, 1927, as the University of Minas Gerais. Its Faculty of Law predates the university: it was founded in Ouro Preto in 1892 and transferred to Belo Horizonte in 1898.
The Faculty of Law offers undergraduate Law study and postgraduate education. Its Postgraduate Program in Law offers master’s and doctoral degrees. The official program page states that the master’s course lasts four semesters, or two years, and the doctorate lasts eight semesters, or four years.
What Current Students / Alumni of Federal University of Minas Gerais Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | Law Academic Experience | University Experience |
|---|
Rodrigo Tadeu Guimarães Jales
Bachelor’s in Law
Public interest law and human rights | Describes focusing on public interest law and human rights during his undergraduate studies, connecting legal knowledge with the needs of marginalized communities. | Participated in legal clinics and describes work with refugees seeking protection in Brazil, LGBTQIA+ youth facing discrimination, and survivors of gender-based violence during this period. |
6. Federal University of Rio Grande de Sul
- Study Program
- Programs Offered: Undergraduate Law degree, master’s degree, doctorate
Based in Porto Alegre, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) has a Faculty of Law with undergraduate and postgraduate activities. The official UFRGS timeline states that the Faculty of Law was founded in 1900 and marked the beginning of humanities courses at the university.
The Faculty of Law’s current website includes information for undergraduate Law students and its postgraduate program. Its postgraduate research includes master’s dissertations and doctoral theses. Students should use the faculty’s official page for the latest curriculum and admissions information.
What Current Students / Alumni of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | Law Academic Experience | University Experience |
|---|
Ana Paula
Bachelor’s in International Relations
Graduated February 2019 | Studied law as part of an interdisciplinary International Relations curriculum. | During her undergraduate journey, completed a one-year internship at Brazil’s Federal Bureau of Public Defenders, working on immigration law and human rights advocacy. |
7. Federal University of Ceará
The Federal University of Ceará provides legal education through its Faculty of Law in Fortaleza, Brazil. Undergraduate teaching is complemented by the university’s Graduate Program in Law, which offers separate academic master’s and doctoral degrees. The faculty therefore supports both initial legal training and advanced research.
The undergraduate law curriculum covers substantive legal subjects and professional practice. Its published structure includes labor law, procedural study, and supervised legal-practice internships in the later semesters. Students can also encounter human-rights electives. A university extension initiative, the Legal Clinic for Pedagogical Innovation, connects student training with legal support and rights information for people experiencing homelessness.
Graduate research is organized into three lines: Fundamental Rights and Public Policies; Constitutional Order, Internationalization and Sustainability; and Social Relations and Legal Thought. These provide distinct settings for master’s dissertations and doctoral theses. The graduate program also publishes scholarship information for both levels, with CAPES awards allocated according to available places and a separate selection process.
What Current Students / Alumni of Federal University of Ceará Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | Law Academic Experience | University Experience |
|---|
Melina Coelho Garcia
Bachelor’s in Law
Final undergraduate year: 2023 | Participated in legal research groups and became General Director of the Research Group on Law and International Affairs during her undergraduate studies. | Participated in moot competitions during her bachelor’s studies. Also joined Women Inside Trade, an external Brazilian association supporting women working and researching in international trade. |
8. State University of Amazonas
The State University of Amazonas, or Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, provides legal education through its School of Law in Manaus, Brazil. Its active programs include undergraduate law and graduate degrees in environmental law. The graduate program connects legal research with environmental governance and the social and ecological circumstances of the Amazon region.
The Bachelor of Law curriculum for the regular Manaus program is organized over ten semesters and comprises 4,100 hours. Its approved structure includes simulated and real legal practice, a final academic project, extension activities, and complementary activities. This undergraduate program provides broad legal training and should be distinguished from the environmental law specialization pursued at graduate level.
UEA’s School of Law lists both a master’s and doctorate in Environmental Law as active programs. Research lines address natural resource conservation and sustainable development, alongside rights concerning social and biological diversity. Topics include water law, Indigenous peoples and traditional populations, international environmental law, and judicial environmental protection. These are specialized law degrees rather than general environmental science programs.
What Current Students / Alumni of State University of Amazonas Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | Law Academic Experience | University Experience |
|---|
Lucimar Prata
Degree in Law | Reports that her law degree gave her substantial knowledge of international law, which supported her preparation for subsequent postgraduate study abroad. | — |
We hope that this article on law universities in Brazil was helpful. If you are interested, explore Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for International Students!
