While preparing for studying at our university, we invite you to get to know a little more about its routines and about Porto Alegre, where we are located.
About Porto Alegre
To get to know more about Porto Alegre, you can check both the City Hall website (available in other languages) and our Cultural Guide to Porto Alegre.
About UFCSPA
Here you can find more information about our university’s history and main aspects in English.
In our Undergraduate Student Manual, you can find information about UFCSPA’s administrative structure and also about your student rights and duties. Regarding the Graduate Programs, it is necessary to contact each Coordination to know more about its standards.
You can also meet and interact with student representation bodies at UFCSPA:
Undergraduate Programs – Student Central Directory (DCE)
Graduate Programs – UFCSPA’s Graduate Students’ Association
International Friend
To support you in your preparation and arrival, we will nominate an international friend, who can be a student, professor or administrative employee at UFCSPA.
Your international friend will be happy to help you with the following items, as well as any other questions that may arise regarding your move to Porto Alegre and your study period at our University, staying in the city and in Brazil.
Visa
Temporary visas for students (IV) should be requested at Brazilian embassies and consulates abroad prior to your departure. To request a visa, you must submit the following documents:
- Valid passport for six months beyond your stay in Brazil, with two blank pages;
- Visa application form completed and signed (found here). Click on “Cidadão Estrangeiro”. Next, click on Visto (Visa) and follow the instructions. As needed, at the top of the page, you can change the language to “English”.
- Birth certificate;
- Two recent 2x2 cm front photos (passport type) on a white background;
- A letter of acceptance notarized by a Brazilian entity (the duration of your studies must be included);
- Certificate of good conduct (issued less than 3 months prior to the application);
- Proof of return to your country of origin (travel ticket confirmation with date);
- Medical and hospital insurance coverage valid in Brazil during your stay;
- Proof of financial capacity, such as credit card limit, savings account statement, letter from the student’s financing institution or other (the document must be notarized);
- Proof of fee payment (check the amount due with the Brazilian consulate in your country of origin).
CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física – Brazil’s equivalent for a Social Security Number)
CPF is the main document for your financial life in Brazil (used for opening bank accounts, for a public transportation card, among other services). It consists of a record at the Revenue Department (Receita Federal).
We recommend having your CPF issued before your arrival in Brazil. For that purpose, you will need to:
- Fill the online form on the Receita Federal website, submit it and print it.
- Logradouro, Cidade, Número e Complemento (Street, city, building number and apartment number): address where the student will be staying in Brazil.
- Data de saída do país (departure date): date of return to the country of origin after completing the studies in Brazil.
- Present, at your country’s consular post, the form’s physical copy or its protocol number, and your national identity document’s copy containing your parents’ name, your nationality and your date of birth.
Click here for more information.
Documents
We recommend that, while travelling from your country of origin to UFCSPA, you always keep your documents with you. We also recommend that you keep digital copies of your documents preserved in an easily accessible folder in the cloud.
Accommodation
UFCSPA doesn't have a university residence.
Therefore, the Internationalization Office presents a set of indications for accommodation in Porto Alegre, which is constantly being updated. To find more housing options, please contact us and your international friends, and we will help you find the most convenient solutions for you.
As UFCSPA is located in the Historical Center of the city, it is easy to reach using several existing bus lines.
