Brazil is one of Latin America's largest sources of outbound students, and it is one of the few countries in the region where the government itself has repeatedly funded study abroad on a large scale through agencies like CAPES and CNPq. Add the host-country programmes that actively recruit Brazilians — Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, and the Organization of American States among them — and the funding landscape for a Brazilian student is genuinely deep, if you know where to look. This guide covers the main funding routes available to Brazilian students, what scholarship committees typically expect, and the steps that turn a scholarship shortlist into an actual offer. Because scholarship terms, deadlines, and funding amounts change from cycle to cycle, treat every figure here as a planning range and always confirm current details directly on the scholarship's official page.
Key Takeaways
- Brazilian government agencies — CAPES and CNPq in particular — have historically funded postgraduate study and research abroad, and remain a core route for master's, PhD, and sandwich (split) programmes.
- Host-country government scholarships such as Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD, and Erasmus Mundus are open to Brazilian applicants and offer some of the strongest full-funding routes, though they are also the most competitive.
- University scholarships and tuition waivers offered directly by admitting institutions are often more attainable than flagship awards and can be combined with smaller grants.
- Because Brazil is not a Commonwealth country, some UK schemes aimed at Commonwealth nationals do not apply — always check nationality eligibility before you invest time in an application.
- Spreading applications across 10–15 opportunities in government, university, and external categories reflects how most funded Brazilian students actually secure a place, rather than relying on a single award.
Where Brazilian students find scholarships
Funding for Brazilian students studying abroad generally comes from a handful of overlapping channels.
Brazilian government agencies. The two names every Brazilian graduate applicant should know are CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico). Both have long histories of funding Brazilians for master's, doctoral, and post-doctoral study and research abroad, including "sandwich" arrangements where part of a Brazilian degree is completed overseas. Availability and the specific calls (editais) change year to year and depend on federal budgets, so confirm what is currently open directly with each agency rather than assuming a past programme is still running. State research foundations (the FAPs, such as FAPESP in São Paulo) also fund international mobility for students enrolled at institutions in their state.
Host-country and intergovernmental scholarships. Several destination governments run scholarships that Brazilians can apply to directly. The Fulbright Program funds Brazilian graduate study and research in the United States; the UK's Chevening Scholarship funds one-year master's study for candidates who meet its work-experience and leadership criteria; Germany's DAAD funds a wide range of programmes across degree levels; and Erasmus Mundus joint master's degrees offer EU-funded study across multiple European universities. The Organization of American States (OAS) also administers scholarships across the Americas that are open to Brazilian citizens, and Canada's government runs mobility programmes such as the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) that include Brazil.
University-based scholarships. Many universities award merit- or need-based scholarships directly to admitted international students, frequently without a separate application beyond the standard admissions form. These awards draw from a smaller, institution-specific pool, which generally makes them less competitive than national flagship scholarships, and they can be layered on top of partial government or external funding. Browse specific institutions in our universities catalogue — such as the University of California, San Diego in the US or Queen's University in Canada — alongside course listings in programs.
External and private scholarships. A number of foundations and universities fund international students outside any single government channel. Real, currently listed opportunities that are open to international applicants include the Knight-Hennessy Scholars programme at Stanford, the Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships in Canada, DAAD Scholarships in Germany, the Monash International Merit Scholarship in Australia, and the Warwick International Partnerships Scholarship in the UK. Our full scholarships directory lists many more, searchable by destination and subject, and our dedicated hub of scholarships for Brazilian students tracks active, code-matched awards specifically.
Use the scholarship finder to filter opportunities by your intended country, degree level, and field rather than reading through lists one at a time.
How to win: a step-by-step approach
Step 1: Build your shortlist
Rather than concentrating solely on one flagship award like Fulbright or a CAPES call, list every scholarship that plausibly fits your subject, degree level, and target countries, deliberately mixing highly competitive government programmes with more attainable university and external awards. Many Brazilian students who study abroad successfully end up combining a partial scholarship with university aid or family contribution rather than winning one award that covers everything.
Step 2: Check eligibility carefully
Requirements differ significantly by programme: minimum GPA or coeficiente de rendimento, required tests (IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught programmes, or the host country's own language proficiency test), years of work experience for schemes like Chevening, and — importantly for Brazilians — nationality rules. Because Brazil is not a Commonwealth country, several UK awards aimed specifically at Commonwealth nationals will not apply to you, so read the fine print on each programme rather than assuming your profile automatically qualifies.
Step 3: Prepare strong documents early
Transcripts, diplomas, recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, and financial documentation are standard across nearly every scholarship. Brazilian applicants should budget extra time for getting academic records officially translated, since most host countries require certified translations (tradução juramentada) rather than the original Portuguese documents. Approach recommenders — professors or employers — well in advance, since a rushed or generic letter is one of the most common weak points in an otherwise strong application.
Step 4: Apply early and track every deadline
Deadlines are strict and rarely extended, and Brazilian government calls (editais) often have their own separate timelines from the university admission you are applying to. Keep a running list of every scholarship's deadline and required materials, and aim to finish each application at least two to three weeks ahead of the cutoff so unexpected technical or document issues don't cost you a slot.
Step 5: Prepare for interviews and respond to offers promptly
Programmes like Fulbright and Chevening typically interview shortlisted candidates, usually asking about your motivation for the specific programme, your research or career plans, and how the opportunity fits your longer-term goals. Once an offer arrives, accept and begin visa preparation quickly, since scholarship funding and visa timelines are both time-sensitive and often cannot start until you hold a confirmed offer.
Eligibility realities for Brazilian students
A few patterns are worth planning around specifically:
- Government funding tracks the federal budget. CAPES and CNPq programmes have expanded and contracted with public spending over the years, so the safest assumption is to check what is actually open in the current cycle rather than relying on descriptions of past large-scale schemes.
- Nationality rules cut both ways. Being from a large, well-known applicant country helps for some intergovernmental and university awards, but excludes you from schemes reserved for Commonwealth or specific-region nationals — confirm eligibility before applying.
- Language requirements vary more than applicants expect. Some programmes accept a strong academic record as sufficient, while others require a formal IELTS, TOEFL, or host-language score regardless of your background — confirm rather than assume either way.
- Certified translation of Portuguese documents takes time, so start the tradução juramentada process as soon as you have settled on a shortlist.
- Financial documentation carries real weight, especially for need-based components layered onto merit scholarships — be thorough and accurate rather than vague.
A realistic application timeline
Brazilian students who win scholarships typically start planning well over a year before their intended intake rather than a few months out. A rough working timeline: 12–18 months out, research programmes and narrow your shortlist across government, university, and external categories; 9–12 months out, sit any required language tests (or confirm in writing that you qualify for a waiver) and approach recommenders so they have real time to write something specific; 6–9 months out, draft your statement of purpose and start the certified translation of transcripts and diplomas; 3–6 months out, submit applications well before each cutoff rather than at the last moment; and in the final stretch before your intake, prepare for interviews and move quickly once an offer arrives, since visa processing runs on its own timeline and typically cannot begin until you have a confirmed offer in hand.
Build extra buffer time into the translation and document-legalization steps specifically — this is the stage most Brazilian applicants underestimate, and it can quietly push an otherwise on-time application past a deadline.
Financial planning alongside scholarships
Even a strong scholarship rarely covers every cost of studying abroad, so it is worth treating funding as a stack rather than a single source. A government or host-country award might cover tuition and a living stipend, while university aid, part-time work where your visa allows it, and family contribution close any remaining gap. Before committing to a specific destination, it is worth reading a country-specific cost breakdown — such as our guides to the cost of studying in Canada or the cost of studying in the UK — so you know roughly how large a gap you are planning to close before the first stipend payment arrives.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying only to one or two nationally famous scholarships and treating everything else as an afterthought.
- Assuming a UK Commonwealth-restricted scheme is open to you when Brazil is not a Commonwealth member.
- Submitting a generic statement of purpose that doesn't engage with what a specific programme says it is looking for.
- Leaving certified document translation until the final weeks before a deadline.
- Assuming a language-test waiver applies without confirming it directly with the programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best scholarship for Brazilian students to study abroad?
It depends on your degree level, field, and preferred country. For postgraduate and research study, Brazilian agencies like CAPES and CNPq and host-country programmes such as Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD, and Erasmus Mundus are the strongest full-funding routes. For undergraduate study, university-specific awards and need-blind or entrance scholarships are usually more realistic. Most successful applicants apply to several programmes across these categories rather than betting on just one.
Do Brazilian students still get government funding to study abroad?
Brazilian federal agencies such as CAPES and CNPq have a long history of funding study and research abroad, but the specific calls and their budgets change from year to year with federal spending. Rather than relying on descriptions of past large-scale programmes, check what is currently open directly with each agency and with your state research foundation.
Do Brazilian students need IELTS or TOEFL for every scholarship?
Not always, but you shouldn't assume otherwise. Some scholarships and universities waive the requirement for applicants with a strong academic background, while others require a specific English or host-language test score regardless of prior education. Programmes taught in Portuguese-adjacent languages or in the local language may require a different test entirely. Confirm the policy directly with each programme before deciding whether to sit a test.
Can Brazilian students apply for Commonwealth Scholarships in the UK?
Generally no — Commonwealth Scholarships and several similar UK schemes are reserved for citizens of Commonwealth member countries, and Brazil is not a member. Brazilians should instead focus on UK routes that are open to all nationalities, such as Chevening, university-specific international scholarships, and research studentships. Always confirm nationality eligibility on each scheme's official page.
How many scholarships should a Brazilian student realistically apply to?
There's no fixed number, but a spread of roughly 10–15 opportunities across government, university, and external categories reflects how most successful Brazilian applicants actually fund their studies, since combining a partial award with other funding is common.