The Programa de Estudantes-Convênio de Graduação (PEC-G) is the bedrock of Brazilian educational diplomacy. It is an agreement between Brazil and various developing countries to allow international students to pursue their entire undergraduate degree in Brazil with a massive financial advantage: absolute tuition exemption.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- No Minimum Requirement
- Offer Degrees
- Bachelors
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Hundreds annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- No
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- 18 - 25
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- No
- TOEFL
- No
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- Portuguese
- Local Lang Test
- Yes (Celpe-Bras)
- Study Languages
- Portuguese
Financial Details
- Type
- Partial
- Fund Details
- Full tuition waiver at Brazilian universities (public and private)
- Monthly Stipend
- BRL 0/mo
- Tuition
- Full
- Living Costs
- No
- Travel & Health
- No / None
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- No
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
Brazil is the economic and academic powerhouse of Latin America. Its federal public universities (like USP, Unicamp, and UFRJ) are ranked among the best in the Global South, offering elite engineering, medical, and social science programs. The PEC-G program is essentially a VIP pass into these universities.
It bypasses the notoriously difficult Brazilian national entrance exam (ENEM). The program guarantees that you will pay absolutely zero tuition fees, whether you are placed in a federal public university or an elite private university participating in the program. If you are from a developing nation, this is one of the most accessible pathways to a world-class Bachelor's degree, provided you can handle the language barrier.
Application Process
You do not apply online. You must apply physically at the Brazilian Embassy or Consulate in your home country. The application window usually opens around mid-year.
You must submit your high school transcripts (translated into Portuguese), proof of financial capability, and the Celpe-Bras certificate (the official Brazilian Portuguese proficiency exam). If you do not speak Portuguese, there is a sub-program called PEC-PLE, which allows you to go to Brazil for one year solely to study Portuguese before beginning your undergraduate degree. The embassy evaluates your documents and forwards them to Brasília, where the Ministry of Education assigns you to a university based on your academic record and university availability.
How to Win This Scholarship
Your high school grades are the primary metric. You need an overall average of at least 60%, but higher grades ensure placement in the more prestigious universities. The most common reason for rejection is failing the financial proof requirement.
Because PEC-G does NOT provide a living stipend, you must legally prove that you or your sponsor can provide a minimum of US $400 - $500 per month to keep you alive in Brazil. Your sponsor must sign a notarized term of financial commitment and provide bank statements. Ensure this documentation is absolutely flawless.
Benefits After Completing Study
Graduating from a top Brazilian university makes you highly employable across Latin America and in multinational corporations operating in your home country. Furthermore, returning home with native-level fluency in Portuguese is a massive asset for diplomatic or international trade careers.
PEC-G is a tuition waiver, NOT a cash scholarship. You will not receive a monthly check from the government. You must pay for your flights, rent, and food.
Once in Brazil, if you maintain exceptionally high grades, you can apply for internal merit scholarships (like the Bolsa Mérito) from the Brazilian government to get a small monthly stipend, but you cannot rely on this initially. You are strictly forbidden from undertaking paid employment in Brazil while on a student visa under the PEC-G program, so your sponsor's financial support is your only legal lifeline.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source