Brazil is widely popular because of the Amazon and its yearly Carnivale festival. In recent years, it has emerged as something else: a top destination for international students.
As of the latest statistics, about 365,000 foreigners are studying in the country. Many of them are drawn to the country’s affordable yet high-quality education.
Annually, international students will only have to pay as low as $2,000 for private school tuition. In public universities, education is free. However, these tuition-free slots for foreigners are limited.
Although studying in Brazil is cheap, foreigners also have the chance to get a degree in the country for free. All one needs to do is apply to any of these Brazil scholarship programs for international students:
Best Scholarships in Brazil
1. Brazil Scholarships Partnership Program for Education and Training – OAS/GCUB PAEC
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition for 2 (Masters) to 4 (Doctorate) years
- Eligible Degree: Master’s or Doctorate degree at select Brazilian Universities
Funded by the Organization of American States (OAS), the Brazil Scholarships Partnership Program is open to all citizens of OAS countries, except for Brazil. Likewise, those who hold other scholarships will be excluded from the intake process.
This scholarship in Brazil, which covers the tuition of Portuguese-taught degrees, also comes with a settlement allowance worth $1,200. Recipients are also given free access to language lessons, whether online or in-person.
Students need to submit an accomplished application form, transcript of records, curriculum vitae, letters of recommendation, and essays to apply for this program.
Awardees are chosen according to their merit and admissibility. However, decisions lean towards full-time professors, the order of preference for the programs, and the HDI of the applicant’s country. Likewise, gender equality and geological distribution are considered when selecting scholars.
Once awarded, the student must submit the Scholarship Acceptance form within ten days. Failure to do so would mean rejection of the given officer.
2. FAPESP Direct Doctoral Scholarship in Physics
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full amount for four years
- Eligible Degree: Ph.D. in Physics at the University of São Paulo (USP)
USP is the most prestigious educational institution in all of Brazil. Since 1934, it has contributed to the betterment of the country through research.
In line with its commitment to conducting high-quality research, the university offers a direct doctoral Physics scholarship, one of the best scholarships in Brazil for international students. This is in coordination with the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).
Only one slot is open for a student who will help with the project entitled “Structural and biophysical properties of native and modified lipoproteins.”
To qualify, the student must know X-ray scattering, diffraction, programming, and structural molecular biology.
Applicants are encouraged to email the requirements. These include academic records, curriculum vitae (publications should be included), a cover letter, and a letter of recommendation.
All shortlisted candidates will be interviewed before the final selection process.
3. Direct Doctoral Scholarship in Computer Systems
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full amount for four years
- Eligible Degree: Ph.D. in Computer Systems at the University of São Paulo (USP)
This direct doctoral scholarship in Computer Systems is another tandem project of USP and São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Young Researchers Aid. This Brazil scholarship is open to two students who wish to pursue higher studies in Brazil.
As a direct doctoral program, applicants don’t need to have an MA to qualify. They need to submit the requirements, including a curriculum vitae, the academic record of graduation, and two letters of recommendation.
Likewise, high grades are expected from students who wish to pursue this direct Ph.D. program.
The single awardee will be given an opportunity to study optimization in the context of persistent memories, similar to the one introduced by the Intel Company. Likewise, they are expected to help produce new optimization techniques to address the usual barriers for computer systems.
4. Experimental Medicine Research Cluster Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Postdoctoral researcher salary
- Eligible Degree: Postdoctoral work at Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)
UNICAMP, a public university in Brazil, is funded generously by multiple entities, including the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). As the name suggests, this foundation was created by the Facebook founder and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan.
Through this initiative, the university was able to fund one postdoctoral post to study “High-Resolution Profiling of Body Fat Immune Cells in Brazilian Populations.”
The qualifications expected of applicants include a completed doctoral degree in either Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, or Computational Biology. Additionally, the applicant should have exceptional academic records and excellent English skills (both verbal and written.)
Likewise, the applicant should have experience in high-throughput data analysis, including bulk/single RNA sequencing, genetic/protein interaction, and machine learning. The prospective fellow should be knowledgeable in programming Java, Python, or Bash programs as well.
Apart from postdoctoral salary, the fellow will also be included in the CZI and Human atlas cell networks.
Documentary requirements for this opening include a PDF file containing a cover letter, research experience, and two reference letters.
5. Masters in Plant Molecular Biology Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full amount for two years
- Eligible Degree: Master’s in Plant Molecular Biology at the University of São Paulo (USP)
A joint project by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and USP, this MA scholarship is open to one student who wishes to specialize in this branch of Botany.
Applicants for this Brazil scholarship are expected to complete the requirements set forth by the university. These include an application form, photos, birth/marriage certificate, resume, and transcript of records.
International students also need to submit proof of recognition/diploma equivalence to be considered.
Although the application comes with a $60 fee, the international student can pay this amount upon arrival at the university.
The lone awardee will be given a chance to study rice’s response to heat stress.
Apart from undertaking intensive studies for free at USP, the awardee will also be given an opportunity to intern at other facilities. The MA fellow can also work in various research centers, such as the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the James Hutton Institute in the UK.
We hope that this article on the best scholarships in Brazil for international students was helpful! Make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students!
