General information for international students
Academic Calendar
The academic year at UFSC is divided into two semesters. The first semester usually starts in March and ends in July, while the second semester generally starts in August and ends in December. The dates may vary each year, so we advise you to check the current academic calendar here: https://dae.ufsc.br/calendario-academico-de-graduacao/
Vacantions
UFSC offers two vacation periods per year. The longer one is during the summer, from December to March. Winter vacations tend to be two weeks long in the end of July or beginning of August. During the vacation periods, summer or winter courses can be offered and research can also be scheduled with a professor, if the student is interested.
Language Requirements
Undergraduate students must have at least an intermediate level of Portuguese in order to attend courses at UFSC. Hence, a proof of proficiency (B1 level or above) will be required. Certificates issued by any educational institution or Portuguese teacher are accepted. Students may also fill out a self-declaration form available here.
Student Visa
The Student Visa (Temporary Visa IV) is valid for a period of up to one year and may be extended for the same period, several times, for the duration of the program.
The request for visa extension must be filed at the Federal Police. SINTER has an immigrant support service that assists foreign visitors with the migrant registration and renewal processes. For further information, visit the following webpage: https://sinter.ufsc.br/registro-nacional-migratorio-rnm/?lang=en
It is important to be mindful of the visa expiration date, as once the date is expired you will not be able to apply for a visa extension in Brazil. In this case, a new visa will have to be obtained at a Brazilian consulate abroad.
Warning: It is not possible to change visa type in Brazil. Therefore, students should only leave their home countries with a Student Visa (Temporary Visa IV) or a Temporary Resident Visa (MERCOSUR Agreement). You will not be able to register at UFSC, not even in the Portuguese as a Foreign Language course, without a Student Visa.
Students from the member countries of MERCOSUR are allowed to register at UFSC holding a Temporary Residence Permit based on a MERCOSUR Residence Agreement or Treaty, in compliance with the Decree no. 6.975/09.
Housing
UFSC does not offer housing for exchange students. Thus, students must search for their own accommodation. SINTER provides a list of external accommodations for international students, who shall contact the owners directly in order to get more information.
Transcript of Records
Before leaving the university, all exchange students must hand in at SINTER their “Certidão Negativa de Débito” [Library Clearance Certificate], requested at the University Library. This document is a proof that the student has no debts to UFSC. Only after handing in the certificate will the students be able to receive their Transcript of Records.
Courses offered at UFSC
In order to check all the undergraduate courses offered at the university, including their schedule and descriptions, students may access the following link: http://cagr.sistemas.ufsc.br/modules/comunidade/cadastroTurma s/index.xhtml
HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE CLASS SCHEDULE
Example: 5.0820-2/CCS-CCS919
5: means the day of the week. In this case, Thursday (2–Monday, 3– Tuesday, 4–Wednesday, 5–Thursday and 6–Friday).
0820: means the class starting time. In this case, 8:20 am (note that we use the 24-hour time format, so if the class starts at 8:20 pm, the numbers indicated in the schedule will be 2020).
2: means the amount of classes. In this case, two classes (of 50 minutes each).
CCS: means the building where the classes will take place. In this case, it means the School of Health Sciences – CCS (“Centro de Ciências da Saúde” in Portuguese).
CCS919: means the classroom number.
Additional Information
Exchange students may enroll in courses from any Department at UFSC as long as they fulfill all the course requirements and there is seat available in the chosen course.
All costs related to the exchange program, including visa, passport, tickets, accommodation, transportation and living expenses, are students’ sole responsibility, whether they receive scholarships/financial aid or not.
Exchange students will not pay any fees at UFSC, except for extracurricular activities. The only fees students will pay are those from their home institution, according to its policies and regulations, if applicable.
