University of São Paulo (USP)
جامعة ساو باولو (USP)
ForsaEduforsaedu.comAbout the scholarship program
The University of São Paulo (USP) is a public São Paulo state university founded in 1934 and the highest-ranked university in Brazil and Latin America (108th in the QS World University Rankings 2026). Its main campus is in São Paulo city, with others in cities such as Ribeirão Preto, São Carlos and Piracicaba, and it offers programmes in almost every field from bachelor’s to PhD. Study is free for Brazilian and foreign students, and teaching is in Portuguese.
Information last verified: November 3, 2026Official source
Tuition for international students
No tuition or enrolment fees for Brazilian or foreign undergraduates, and academic graduate programmes are also free. You only pay the entrance-exam fee (R$228 for Fuvest 2027).
Admission for international students
Admission for international students
Bachelor’s: through the Fuvest exam (for 2027 entry, registration 17 August–9 October 2026, first phase 1 November 2026) or ENEM results, through PEC-G for nationals of partner countries, or by transfer. No Portuguese certificate is required, but classes are in Portuguese. Master’s and PhD: each programme publishes its own admission notice.
Official admission announcementAvailable programmes
Programmes, requirements and documents will be published when the next cycle is announced. Save the scholarship to get a reminder.
Life and living
Brazil
Life and living
Brazil
Studying and living in Brazil
Costs and living
Study at public universities is free for Brazilians and foreigners at bachelor’s, master’s and PhD level, with no enrolment fees — only entrance-exam fees (for example R$228 for Fuvest). Private universities charge tuition: at PUC-Rio, for example, a full-time undergraduate (19–24 credits) paid R$44,802–47,190 per semester in 2026, while graduate students can receive fee waivers and scholarships. Living costs (R$1 ≈ US$0.19): UNESP estimates about R$2,700 a month in São Paulo city and R$1,800 in smaller inland cities, and UNICAMP advises scholarship holders to bring R$3,000 to cover the first month before their stipend arrives. For comparison, government master’s and PhD scholarships pay R$2,100 and R$3,100 a month, and FAPESP fellowships in São Paulo state pay from R$3,270 (master’s) to R$12,570 (postdoc). That is roughly US$500–900 a month depending on the city; public-university restaurants are subsidised and cheap.
Working while studying
The study visa is meant for study, and the clearest way to work during it is an internship (estágio) linked to your course under Brazil’s Internship Law, which limits higher-education students to 6 hours a day and 30 hours a week and is usually paid with an allowance. Ordinary paid employment needs a separate authorisation, and we found no current official page explaining the rules for study-visa holders, so check with your university’s international office before accepting any job. Note that CAPES, CNPq and FAPESP scholarships usually require full-time dedication to research, PEC-G requires students to return home after graduating, and PEC-PG includes a return ticket. Staying on to work after graduation requires a new residence permit based on a job contract.
Last verified: November 2026· Source
Guide to studying in BrazilFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Key questions and answers regarding eligibility, documents, and application steps.
University of São Paulo (USP) is listed as: Tuition-Free. The exact benefits are not verified yet, so check the official website (https://www.usp.br) before applying.
Eligible levels: Bachelor, Master, PhD.
Apply directly on the official website: https://www.usp.br. ForsaEdu does not receive applications or charge any fee.
QS World University Rankings 2026
Rank#108
Track your academic readiness
Use the checklist in your profile to prepare your documents and make sure you meet this scholarship’s requirements.
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