One official FAQ answers the IELTS question about as directly as it gets anywhere in this series: “Is IELTS/TOEFL required? No. The program itself does not require IELTS/TOEFL.” That’s the Brazilian government’s own postgraduate scholarship programme talking about itself, and it captures exactly why Brazil belongs in the same category as Mexico and Portugal covered elsewhere in this series — its flagship funding is delivered in Portuguese, not English, so the relevant proficiency document is the Celpe-Bras certificate, Brazil’s official Portuguese exam, not a test most applicants have never needed for this specific purpose.

For students weighing international student financial aid options across Latin America, Brazil’s structure carries a genuinely useful practical benefit alongside the language question: as the world’s ninth-largest economy and largest Portuguese-speaking nation, its research infrastructure — particularly in agricultural sciences, medicine, and engineering — rivals institutions in far more expensive countries, while its student visa financial evidence requirement and cost of living remain considerably more accessible than Western Tier-1 destinations. The catch, and it’s worth being upfront about it, is that most of Brazil’s scholarships won’t hand you a place at a university — you generally need to secure that admission and a supervisor relationship before the scholarship application even opens.

This guide walks through exactly which Brazil scholarships for international students without IELTS genuinely exist for 2027, what the Celpe-Bras Portuguese proficiency test actually requires compared to the English documentation this series has covered elsewhere, and where private universities layer their own funding on top of the government’s bilateral programmes.

The Order of Operations Matters Here

Unlike several countries in this series where the scholarship application comes first, Brazil generally reverses that sequence for its postgraduate track: you need a confirmed acceptance letter from a Brazilian higher education institution, and ideally a matched supervisor, before you can even submit your PEC-PG application. Treat securing that university relationship as your genuine first step, not something to arrange after a scholarship decision comes through.

The Scholarships

1. Programa de Estudante-Convênio de Graduação (PEC-G)
Free tuition at Brazilian public or private higher education institutions for full undergraduate degrees, alongside a Portuguese as a Foreign Language track (PEC-PLE) for applicants who haven’t yet met the language requirement.
🔗 gov.br/mre
Applicants must demonstrate Portuguese proficiency through the Celpe-Bras exam or an accepted equivalent, and those who don’t yet meet that standard apply for PEC-PLE alongside PEC-G rather than being turned away outright — a genuinely built-in bridge similar to Romania’s preparatory-year structure covered elsewhere in this series.

2. Programa de Estudante-Convênio de Pós-Graduação (PEC-PG)
Free tuition at the host public university, a monthly stipend from CAPES or CNPq (approximately $2,100 per month for a full Master’s, rising to roughly $3,100 for a Sandwich Doctorate), health insurance support, and a return airfare once your programme concludes.
🔗 gov.br/capes
This is the programme with the explicit written confirmation that IELTS and TOEFL aren’t required — Portuguese proficiency through Celpe-Bras is the relevant document instead, and open to applicants from roughly 74 partner countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.

3. PEC-PG — University of São Paulo Track
The same CAPES and CNPq-funded package applied specifically to Master’s and Doctoral research at Brazil’s most internationally ranked university.
🔗 usp.br
As one of PEC-PG’s most commonly selected host institutions, University of São Paulo draws applicants across nearly every research field — securing a specific department’s supervisor before applying matters considerably more to your outcome than which language test you hold.

4. PEC-PG — Universidade Estadual de Campinas Track
CAPES and CNPq funding for postgraduate research at UNICAMP, one of Brazil’s leading research universities, particularly strong in engineering and applied sciences.
🔗 unicamp.br
UNICAMP’s research output regularly ranks among Latin America’s strongest, making it a genuinely competitive choice for PEC-PG applicants specifically in STEM fields.

5. PEC-PG — Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Track
CAPES and CNPq-funded postgraduate study at UFRJ, one of Brazil’s oldest and most comprehensive federal universities.
🔗 ufrj.br
UFRJ’s broad academic range across sciences, humanities, and health fields gives PEC-PG applicants substantial flexibility in choosing a research area, provided you’ve already secured a matched supervisor relationship.

6. FAPESP Research Scholarships
State-funded research grants and stipends for graduate students conducting research within São Paulo state institutions, effectively functioning as a paid research role.
🔗 fapesp.br/en
Distinct from the federal PEC-PG programme, FAPESP is administered at the state level specifically for research based in São Paulo, and like PEC-PG, its language expectations center on Portuguese proficiency for coursework rather than an English standardized test.

7. Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC) Merit Scholarships
Merit and need-based partial tuition fee waivers for strong international applicants, applied for directly through the institution rather than a government agency.
🔗 puc-rio.br
Applied for directly to whichever PUC campus you’re targeting (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and others operate independently), these awards typically cover a percentage of tuition rather than the full amount, so budget for combining this with another funding source.

8. Insper International Scholarships
Partial merit-based tuition support for international students at this São Paulo-based private institution known for its economics, business, and engineering programmes.
🔗 insper.edu.br
Insper’s growing number of English-taught graduate tracks make it worth checking directly if you’re specifically seeking an English-medium alternative to Brazil’s predominantly Portuguese-taught public university system.

9. Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) Scholarships
Merit-based partial tuition reductions for international students across FGV’s respected business, economics, and public administration programmes.
🔗 fgv.br
One of Brazil’s most internationally recognized private institutions specifically in business and public policy fields, worth comparing directly against PUC and Insper for your specific academic focus.

10. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie Scholarships
Merit and need-based tuition support for international students at this long-established São Paulo private university.
🔗 mackenzie.br
A genuinely accessible private option among this list, worth considering specifically if a smaller, less internationally competitive applicant pool than PUC or FGV suits your situation better.

What the Celpe-Bras Exam Actually Involves

Where an English test would normally sit in this series, Brazil substitutes the Celpe-Bras (Certificado de Proficiência em Língua Portuguesa para Estrangeiros) — Brazil’s official government-administered Portuguese proficiency exam, required across nearly every route covered above, from PEC-G’s undergraduate track through PEC-PG’s postgraduate funding. If you don’t yet hold this certification, both PEC-G and several university programmes offer a preparatory Portuguese year rather than closing the door on your application entirely, similar in spirit to the language-bridge structures this series covered in Romania and Poland.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need IELTS or TOEFL for PEC-PG?
No — this is confirmed directly in the programme’s own published FAQ. Portuguese proficiency through the Celpe-Bras exam is the relevant requirement instead, with some host institutions allowing a language-development plan during your first year of study if you haven’t yet completed it.

Can I apply for PEC-PG without already being accepted by a Brazilian university?
No. PEC-PG explicitly requires a confirmed acceptance letter from a Brazilian higher education institution before your scholarship application can proceed — securing that admission and, ideally, a matched research supervisor is your genuine first step.

Is there a real difference between PEC-G and PEC-PG?
Yes — PEC-G funds full undergraduate degrees and doesn’t include a living stipend, while PEC-PG funds Master’s, full Doctoral, and Sandwich Doctoral study and includes a monthly stipend through CAPES or CNPq, plus health insurance and travel support.

Does Brazil’s student visa process check my Portuguese proficiency separately?
No. Brazil’s VITEM (temporary student visa) process focuses on your university acceptance letter, proof of financial means, and health documentation — your Portuguese proficiency was already assessed and settled during scholarship or university admission.

What These Scholarships Typically Don’t Cover

Even Brazil’s genuinely comprehensive government programmes leave gaps worth planning for. PEC-G notably doesn’t include a living stipend the way PEC-PG does, so undergraduate applicants need a separate plan for covering day-to-day expenses. Budget separately for Brazil’s VITEM student visa financial evidence requirement, supplementary health insurance beyond what PEC-PG’s basic coverage includes, and settling-in costs before your first stipend payment arrives. A service like Wise is worth using specifically for moving remaining funds or family support into a Brazilian real account without the markup a traditional international bank transfer typically carries.

Timing Worth Knowing

PEC-PG’s registration deadline for a recent Master’s and full Doctoral cycle fell on October 8, with final results published by mid-November — sandwich doctorate results typically follow a separate, later timeline extending into late April. PEC-G’s pre-registration for the 2027 academic year closed 9 May 2026, with only pre-selected candidates invited to submit full documentation afterward. Private university scholarships (PUC, Insper, FGV, Mackenzie) generally follow each institution’s own separate admissions calendar rather than the government programmes’ fixed dates.

Before You Apply

  • Secure your Brazilian university acceptance and, for postgraduate study, a matched supervisor before starting your PEC-PG application
  • Check your current Celpe-Bras status honestly, and if you don’t have it, confirm whether PEC-PLE or a similar preparatory track applies to your situation
  • Note that PEC-G doesn’t include a living stipend the way PEC-PG does — plan your undergraduate living costs separately
  • Confirm your country appears on the current list of PEC-G or PEC-PG partner nations before investing time in either application
  • Budget separately for Brazil’s VITEM visa financial evidence requirement and supplementary health insurance
  • Re-verify every scholarship’s current deadline and required documents directly on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or CAPES official page before applying

Scholarships Without IELTS