Brazil's federal government offers 100 scholarships a year for foreign students to do a full master's or PhD at Brazilian universities — tuition-free place, a monthly stipend (R$ 2,100–3,100), public-health access and a return-home allowance. Selection is decentralized: institutions chosen by CNPq run their own candidate selections from December 2026.
Why it is notable: the call runs "backwards" — institutions apply first, and candidates apply directly to the selected institutions once CNPq publishes the list (December 2026); most aggregators describe only the old centralized model.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Free place (vaga gratuita) at a Brazilian higher-education institution for the master's or doctoral course.
Monthly scholarship: R$ 2,100 (master's, 24 months) / R$ 3,100 (doctorate, 48 months) — same value as for Brazilian students.
Access to the SUS public health system throughout Brazil on equal terms with Brazilians, regardless of nationality or migration status.
Return-to-home-country allowance (auxílio-retorno) paid by the MRE at the end of the programme, subject to budget availability (amount per country table in Portaria MRE 572/2024).
(Application to the programme is free.)
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor MastersMastersfor PhD
This scholarship is offered for full master's and doctoral programmes (stricto sensu) in Brazil — you need a completed undergraduate-level degree and must not already hold a doctorate.
Who can apply
nationals AND residents of PEC-PG participating countries (the official country list is in the edital — historically developing countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia). Explicitly excluded: Brazilian nationals (including dual nationals or those entitled to Brazilian nationality), foreigners with a Brazilian parent, and holders of Brazilian permanent residence.
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
Course-dependent — each postgraduate programme sets its own language requirements (including Portuguese proficiency).
Other Certificates
passport copy; proof of foreign residence; completed degree; Lattes CV; ORCID; research project
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
nationals AND residents of PEC-PG participating countries PASS. Brazilian nationals (including dual), those with a Brazilian parent, and Brazilian permanent…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Nationality/residence
national AND resident of a PEC-PG participating country (official list in the edital); no Brazilian nationality/dual nationality/entitlement; no Brazilian parent; no Brazilian permanent residence.
02
Qualification
completed higher-education course equivalent to a Brazilian graduação; must NOT already hold a doctorate; must not be doing another same-level course in Brazil; must not have received a Brazilian federal scholarship for the same level before.
03
Programme requirements
meet the specific requirements of the chosen postgraduate programme, including language requirements.
04
Documents
the 8-item checklist above (passport, CPF, residence proof, ORCID, research project, employment declaration if any, Lattes CV in Portuguese, PPG enrolment declaration).
05
Research project
in Portuguese, Spanish or English.
06
Fee
no application fee.
Document checklist
01Digital copy of passport personal-data page
02CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física) registration proof
03Proof of residence abroad (e.g. water/electricity bill)
04Valid ORCID number
05Research project (Portuguese, Spanish or English)
06Employment-link declaration if applicable (PT/ES/EN)
07Complete updated Lattes CV in Portuguese
08PPG declaration of regular enrolment in the stricto sensu master's/doctoral course
Application fee
No fee — completely free (inscrições gratuitas, per the MRE)
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: Brazil VITEM-IV (temporary student visa) — applied for at the Brazilian consulate/embassy in your country after selection.
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
WAIT until December 2026
when CNPq publishes the final list of selected IES/ICTs (Diário Oficial da União + CNPq website).
→
02
Check the list for the postgraduate programmes
(PPGs) included and their specific requirements (including language).
→
03
Contact the institutions of interest (or visit
their websites) to learn how to apply for a PEC-PG scholarship — each institution runs its own selection with its own calendar.
↓
06
Await the institution's selection result
prepare to travel to Brazil and start activities between March 2027 and March 2028.
←
05
Apply directly to the institution(s) per their calendar —
selection and scholarship implementation run March 2027 to March 2028.
←
04
Prepare the dossier
digital copy of passport personal-data page; CPF registration proof; proof of residence abroad (e.g. utility bill); valid ORCID; research project in Portuguese, Spanish or English; employment-link declaration if applicab
↓
07
Digital copy of passport personal-data page
→
08
CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física) registration proof
→
09
Proof of residence abroad (e.g. water/electricity bill)
↓
10
Valid ORCID number
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official Brazilian Federal Government platform.
How do I apply — is there a central application? A: No. CNPq selects the institutions (final list December 2026); candidates then apply DIRECTLY to the institutions, each with its own calendar, betweeWhat is the scholarship worth? A: R$ 2,100/month for master's (24 months) or R$ 3,100/month for doctorate (48 months), a free place at the university, SUS public-health access, and a return-home allowCan Brazilians or dual nationals apply? A: No — Brazilian nationals, dual nationals, those entitled to Brazilian nationality, those with a Brazilian parent, and Brazilian permanent residents are all eI already have a PhD — can I apply for another doctorate? A: No — applicants must not hold a doctorate.Is the application free? A: Yes — inscrições totalmente gratuitas.Do I need to speak Portuguese? A: Each postgraduate programme sets its own language requirements — check the institution's rules (the research project may be in Portuguese, Spanish or English).What is the Lattes CV? A: Brazil's academic CV platform (lattes.cnpq.br) — you must register and keep a complete, updated CV in Portuguese.Who do I contact with questions? A: conae@cnpq.br (published on the official MRE page).
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
the institution's selection per its instructions and deadlines.
Documents
present the full dossier (passport, CPF, residence proof, ORCID, research project, Lattes CV, enrolment declaration) to start receiving the scholarship.
Medical
register for SUS access on arrival; arrange travel health insurance for the journey.
Visa
obtain the VITEM-IV student visa before travelling; register with the Polícia Federal within 90 days of arrival.
Brazil · Brazilian Federal Government
