Study in Brazil: Education in Brazil

Brazil was a Portuguese colony until it gained independence in 1825. This means that its higher education system has a distinct European edge. 

Brazil has three types of undergraduate degrees:

• Bachelor’s - an undergraduate degree in a certain discipline that takes between three and six years to complete.
• Licentiate - this allows you to become a teacher. It takes three or four years to complete.
• Associate - these take two or three years to complete and give students a highly-detailed education in a specialized area (for example; human resources management).

This partitioning continues at the postgraduate level. There are two types of postgraduate degrees: 

• Lato Sensu - this degree is for those who want a postgraduate degree in a specific subject area but don’t want to go on to do a PhD.
• Stricto Sensu - doing well in this degree can open the door to a PhD.

Both types of degrees take one or two years to complete.

PhDs in Brazil take about three or four years to complete. If you choose to undertake one whilst working, they can take up to six years.

Do be warned, however, that, despite Brazil’s growing reputation for higher education, degrees awarded by some universities may not be recognized elsewhere in the world. Do check before applying. That being said, the quality of education at top Brazilian universities is comparable to that of European universities under the Bologna Process. 

As for how you actually study, it’s the same as in most countries. It’s a mix of lectures, readings and independent study. If you’re studying a more practical subject, then you’ll also spend time in a lab or workshop.