Admission to UNICAMP 1. The Undergraduate Program 1.1. Regular students To enroll as a regular student in one of UNICAMP's undergraduate courses, foreign students have to pass the entrance examination (vestibular), which is the same as that required for Brazilian students. However, other alternatives are also available for special cases, such as transfer students, students on the Brazilian Student Exchange Program (PEC), refugee or asylum students and courtesy vacancies. 1.1.1 The vestibular examination The entrance examination recently incorporated the use of essay questions to emphasize the importance of candidates' ability to reflect and reason. This type of question and other questions requiring logical reasoning are now relatively important in the classification process. Only well-prepared candidates with solid cultural knowledge will be able to pass the exam. Foreign students who are not familiar with subjects such as Brazilian history, geography, politics, national events and the Portuguese language and its grammar therefore face particular difficulties. Specific aptitude tests are required for candidates wishing to enroll in dentistry, music, dance, arts and drama courses. The vestibular exam for the academic year is taken in two phases. Registration for the test is in September, and the first phase is at the end of November or beginning of December; the second phase is at the beginning of January. The academic year at UNICAMP begins in February, with classes generally starting the first week in March. Brazilian law requires that candidates for the vestibular present a Brazilian identification card when they register for the exam. A tourist visa is not acceptable. 1.1.2. Transfer students Admission of students from another institution of higher education, whether national or international, is dependent on the availability of places. To be considered as a candidate, a student must have successfully completed at least two academic semesters at his or her original institution. The number of vacancies is usually available in mid-december, and registration takes place in January. To request a transfer, students must forward the following documents to the Registrar s Office (Diretoria Acadêmica - DAC): * Complete current transcripts of academic records including class load, duly certified by the Brazilian consular authority in the country of origin, and officially translated into Portuguese; * Individual course descriptions certified by the home institution, duly certified by the Brazilian consular authority in the country of origin and officially translated into Portuguese.
After preliminary analysis of these documents, students must pass specific entrance exams. The criteria for the exams are defined by the faculty where the student plans to study. Students must complete their file at the Registrar s Office up to twelve months after registration by providing their high school certificate, as well as translations of all documents. The high school certificate shall be revalidated by the State Education Department in Brazil. A student on a tourist visa will not be permitted to register for courses. Credits from students home institutions will be recognized for transfer depending on course compatibility and the relevant credits. All requests and documents should be addressed to the Registrar s Office. 1.1.3 The Brazilian Student Exchange Program (PEC) Students on this program come to Brazil under the specific Bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement legislation between Brazil and their country of origin. By participating in this program, students can benefit from a series of advantages, including a selection examination instead of the vestibular, free tuition and recognition of the UNICAMP degree in their home country. However, students are responsible for their own expenses, including international flights, room and board. Candidates also agree to return to their country of origin no later than 3 months after completion of their studies. Undergraduate students program: http://www.prg.unicamp.br/ Eligibility Citizens from any of the following countries are eligible to participate in the program: Angola, Argentina, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guatemala, Guiana, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Lesotho, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Kenya, Dominican Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad Tobago, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe. TThe Brazilian embassies in these countries can provide information about the program, its objectives and the timetable. The embassies also administer the selection process, which is generally carried out with government officials from the respective country. If they are selected, students will receive a letter to be presented to the host institution in Brazil and a temporary student visa. Based on test scores and vacancies, the embassy will designate the candidate's host institution among the universities participating in the Brazilian Student Exchange Program (PEC). Foreign students holding a permanent, diplomatic or tourist visa and Brazilian citizens whose parents are living abroad are not allowed to participate in the program. 1.1.4 Refugee or asylum students
UNICAMP maintains a specific Commission for Refugees, which is responsible for studying requests submitted by refugee or asylum students. The final decision on such cases is, however, made by the relevant academic department. 1.1.5. Courtesy vacancies Admission to UNICAMP to occupy a courtesy place is available for foreign officers and their dependents while on a diplomatic mission as long as there is a reciprocal relationship with Brazil. The selection requirements are determined by the specific faculty where the student wishes to pursue his/her studies. 1.2 Special students For foreign students who are interested in a non-degree program (which does not lead to a degree certificate), there is also the possibility of enrollment as a special student. Special academic programs of up to 12 credits or, if the student is on a specific student exchange programs, 24 credits can be arranged for this category of student, including a Portuguese for Foreigners course administered by the UNICAMP Language Center (CEL). In this case, the university gives the student a certificate showing the courses and respective grades and credits. To qualify as a special student, the candidate must be enrolled in an institution of higher education in his/her country of origin or must hold a bachelors degree. The following documents are necessary for the application process: a) For those who hold a university degree: * A copy of the university degree certified by the Brazilian consulate in the candidate's home country and officially translated into Portuguese b) For those who do not have a university degree: * University transcripts certified by the Brazilian consulate in the candidate's country and officially translated into Portuguese; * An official letter from the home institution stating that the candidate is registered on one of its regular courses; After the Registrar s Office (Diretoria Acadêmica - DAC) undertakes a preliminary review of the student's request, a letter of conditional acceptance at the university will be issued. This will enable the student to apply for a student visa, which is a strict requirement for registration. However, registration is completed only after the candidate has met all the admission requirements. Registration Registration for the first academic semester is in March, and in August for the second semester. Please contact UNICAMP for more detailed information (colocar um link para contato).
2. Graduate Programs 2.1 Regular Students To be eligible for graduate studies (i.e., masters or doctoral programs), students must hold a university degree. Admission to these programs is subject to special standards and requirements, which vary from one field to another. In general, applicants are evaluated by means of a written exam, a study plan and personal interviews. Foreign students have their requests and documents initially reviewed by the Graduate Program coordinator of the relevant faculty. A letter of Conditional Acceptance at the university can be issued. This will enable the student to apply for a student visa, which is a strict requirement for registration. However, registration is completed only after the candidate has met all the remaining admission requirements. All requests for information about graduate programs should be sent to the relevant Graduate Studies Office http://www.unicamp.br/unicamp/research/graduate?language=en 2.2 The Brazilian Student Exchange Program for Graduates (PEC-PG) Students on this program come to Brazil under the specific Bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement legislation between Brazil and their country of origin. Agreement legislation between Brazil and their country of origin. The PEC-PG program grants scholarships to students holding a bachelors degree, university professors, researchers and professionals from developing countries that are signatories to this bilateral agreement. Non-degree certificates such as specialization certificates and medical residencies are not included in this program (http://www.capes.gov.br/cooperacao-internacional/multinacional/pec-pg). Graduate Students Program: http://www.capes.gov.br/cooperacaointernacional/multinacional/pec-pg To be eligible, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements: * Hold a bachelors degree if they are applying for a masters program, or a masters degree if applying for a doctoral program. For some courses an MSc is not a prerequisite. Students wishing to apply for a graduate program in medicine must present a medical residency certificate. * Hold the CELPE certificate (Portuguese Language Proficiency Exam). This examination is held at the Brazilian embassy in the student s country of origin. At certain Brazilian embassies candidates are able to attend Portuguese classes (Center for Brazilian Studies). * Show proof that they (and, if necessary, their family) have the financial means to travel to and live in Brazil for the duration of their studies. * Be a citizen of one of the following countries and not hold a permanent visa in Brazil: Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guiana, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Kenya, Dominican Republic, Sao Tome
and Principe, Senegal, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad Tobago, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire or Zambia. After satisfying these requirements, candidates should send a written request to the relevant Graduate Studies Office (http://www.unicamp.br/unicamp/research/graduate). Candidates should specify their area of interest, the research they hope to pursue and their dissertation topics. A letter of conditional acceptance at the university will be issued. This will enable the student to apply for a student visa, which is a strict requirement for registration, but does not guarantee a scholarship. Registration is completed only after the candidate has met all the remaining admission requirements. The final decision on scholarship awards will be made based on the availability of scholarships, the number of candidates per country and course, and the candidate's field of study. University professors/researchers and government officers of the respective country have priority over all other candidates. Candidates will be notified by the embassy. 2.3 Special Students For foreign students who are interested in a non-degree program (which does not lead to a degree certificate), there is also the possibility of enrollment as special students. Special academic programs of up to 12 credits can be arranged for this category of student, including a course of Portuguese for Foreigners administered by the UNICAMP Language Center (CEL). In this case the university gives the student a certificate which shows the courses and respective grades and credits. To qualify as a special student candidates must be enrolled in an institution of higher education in their country of origin or must hold a bachelors degree. The following documents are necessary for the application process * A copy of the university degree certified by the Brazilian consulate in the candidate's country of study and officially translated into Portuguese. The documents mentioned above should be forward to the Graduate Studies Office of the respective faculty for initial review. If an applicant is accepted, the Registrar s Office (Diretoria Acâdemica - DAC) will issue a letter of conditional acceptance. Registration is completed only after the student has met all the admission requirements. Registration Special students may enroll in February for the first academic semester, in June for winter session courses, in July for the second academic semester and in December and January for summer session courses. Please contact UNICAMP for more detailed information (colocar um link para contato).