The Exchange Program for Undergraduate Students (PEC-G), officially created in 1965 by the Brazilian government, offers students from developing countries, with which Brazil maintains educational, cultural, or scientific-technological agreements, the opportunity to pursue their undergraduate studies at Brazilian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Developed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education, in partnership with public (federal and state) and private universities, PEC-G selects students from other countries between 18 and preferably up to 23 years old, who have completed secondary education, to pursue undergraduate studies in Brazil.
The selected foreign student enrolls in the undergraduate program free of charge. However, they must meet certain criteria, including their ability to afford their expenses in Brazil, having a high school diploma or equivalent certificate, and proficiency in the Portuguese language.
For general information (in English, Spanish, or French), click here
The Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) annually receives students from various countries through the PEC-G and PEC-PG programs. If you intend to choose UFJF as your destination and have any questions, please contact: pec.dri@ufjf.br
Benefits for PEC-G Students at UFJF
By the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE):
Merit Scholarship: offered to PEC-G students with outstanding academic performance after the first year of undergraduate studies in Brazil, it is a monthly scholarship of R$ 622.00 for a period of 6 months.
For more information, click here
By the Ministry of Education (MEC):
The Ministry of Education (MEC) also grants scholarships to PEC-G students from federal universities through the Milton Santos Project for Access to Higher Education (Promisaes). To apply for Promisaes, the student must be enrolled in a federal higher education institution and have a good academic performance according to the requirements of the university they are studying at.
For more information, click here
CELPE-BRAS (Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese) at UFJF:
PEC-G candidates must present the Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners (CELPE-BRAS). Candidates from countries where the exam is not offered should take the test in Brazil after completing a Portuguese as a Foreign Language course, preparatory for CELPE-BRAS, at any accredited HEI.
Note: UFJF is an accredited HEI and it can be chosen by any candidate who will study at UFJF or another university. Certification in the Portuguese language proficiency exam is a fundamental requirement for admission to Higher Education Institutions and The Exchange Program for Undergraduate Students. Candidates who fail the CELPE-BRAS exam held in Brazil cannot participate in PEC-G, will have their application invalidated, and their stay in Brazil will be canceled.
For more information, access here
PEC-PG
The Graduate Student-Exchange Program (PEC-PG), created in 1981, offers scholarships to individuals from countries in which Brazil has cultural and/or educational cooperation agreements to pursue Masters and Ph.D. programs at Brazilian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Over the past twenty years, the program has selected more than 3,000 postgraduate students. Brazilian federal research funding agencies offer scholarships to foreigners from various countries. The Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) offers scholarships for doctoral studies, and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) may offer scholarships for both master’s and doctoral degrees in some calls.
The first step for foreign students interested in applying for a postgraduate program via PEC-PG at UFJF is to check the CAPES and CNPq portals for specific calls for the PEC-PG program. After it they should contact a faculty member directly to inquire about application procedures and request an acceptance letter.
All information about the program and requirements to apply are available here
The following benefits are offered to the recipients:
- Admission to Brazilian HEIs recommended by CAPES, without tuition fees;
- Monthly scholarship equivalent to that offered to Brazilian students, with a maximum duration of 24 months (for master’s) and 48 months (for Ph.D. studies);
- Return ticket to the student’s home country.
PEC-G and PEC-PG participating countries
Currently, 69 countries participate in the programs:
Africa – 29 countries (South Africa, Angola, Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, and Zambia)
Latin America and the Caribbean – 25 countries (Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela)
Asia – 9 countries (China, South Korea, India, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria, Thailand, and Timor-Leste)
Europe – 6 countries (Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, and Turkey)