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International programs & student supports

PUC Rio

Location: Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Website: Info for exchange students
Language of Instruction: Portuguese and English

  • For courses available in English, see more information on PUC Rio Study In English page.
  • No Portuguese language requirements prior to exchange, but students must take a Portuguese language course during their exchange term.
  • All international students whose native language is not Portuguese will be required to take a Portuguese language placement test before arrival. 
  • Exchange students have the option to arrive a month in advance to attend the Portuguese intensive language course for an added fee.
Terms: Fall semester (August - December) // Spring semester (February - July)

Highlights

  • PUC-RIO is located near the forest and the beach. Its campus is a pleasant green area with a stream running through it; small monkeys and squirrels can be seen jumping up in the trees.
  • The perfect place for those who want to  immerse themselves into the South American reality: plays, shows, concerts,  exhibitions, street performances, scientific conferences, cultural debates. .
  • Best Private University in Brazil: According to the General Index of Courses (IGC) in 2011 and the Student's Guide in 2015.
  • Top Overall University (2012): Ranked 13th overall in the University Ranking from the Folha de São Paulo index.
  • Leader in Specific Fields (2013): Ranked first among private universities in Social Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, and Production (Student Guide).
  • International Recognition (2012): Named best private higher education institution in Brazil by the British Quacquarelli Symonds ranking.
  • National Heritage of Tingua Private Reserve - Atlantic Forest
  • See the PUC-RIO Campus Tour video

Accessibility

  • The PUC-Rio international office assists exchange students with accessibility needs by working closely with the Center for People with Disabilities at PUC-Rio.
  • Students in need of accessibility supports should inform the PUC-Rio international office, so that they can contact professors about the student’s learning needs (for example, needing extra time to take tests and exams).
  • More information about supports at PUC-Rio can be found here. 

Area of study

Courses taught in English have content based on Brazilian and Latin American aspects, such as:

  • Culture
  • Business
  • Design
  • Civilization and History
  • Engineering
  • Psychology
  • International Relations

Portuguese Language Courses

  • In addition to courses taught in English, exchange students must also take a Portuguese as a Second Language course. 
  • More information on Portuguese language courses can be found here.

Credits

Credits at PUC:

  • Full-time option (7.5 UVic units): 24 credits per term at PUC 

Course Evaluations at UVic: 

  • Before departure, UVic students will be able to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will indicate how many UVic units each exchange course is worth, as well as the course equivalency.
  • Students must use the evaluation results to ensure their exchange courses credits add up to the equivalent UVic units. The total number of units for each exchange term should be 4.5 UVic units for part-time exchange or 7.5 UVic units for full-time exchange.
  • This course evaluation process will be made available and explained in detail during the pre-departure session in early October for Spring exchange terms and in late March for Fall exchange terms. Evaluations take 2-6 weeks to complete and will be emailed to students. 
  • Course evaluations results are tentative until the end of the exchange term, when a second, final evaluation is conducted by OREM using the students’ exchange transcript, and the results are applied to their UVic record. 

Exchange credit history

See the exchange credit history listing of courses that have been previously evaluated from PUC-Rio. Note that this is a guide only, and not a guarantee that your courses would be evaluated in the same way.

Housing

On-campus housing: Unavailable

Off-campus housing: Available 

  • A homestay accommodation program is available for exchange students, with an added fee.
  • PUC-Rio has also partnered with Uliving to provide student housing to exchange students.
  • Fully furnished rooms, communal areas, and study spaces are provided. More information can be found here.

Fees

Additional fees are necessary for this exchange opportunity to PUC-Rio: 

  • Administrative fee:
    • Approximately $285 (mandatory)
  • Pre-term intensive Portuguese language course fee*:
    • Approximately $1300 (*optional enrollment)

Medical insurance, immigration & arrival

Medical Insurance:

  • Students are required to obtain mandatory international medical insurance before travelling to Brazil.
  • It is recommend that students bring a copy of their health insurance contract, containing important information about coverage, policy details, and contact information for the insurance company.

Immigration:

  • Study visa: mandatory
  • Exchange students may need a Canadian criminal background check, as well as obtaining apostille/notarized documents for the visa application process. This can be a time consuming process and will need to be planned for accordingly. 
  • Visiting the Consulate General of Brazil website for more information is strongly encouraged!

Arrival:

SDGs-in-Action

Add a United Nations CIFAL qualification to your international experience (and your CV!) by taking the SDGs-In-Action challenge.  Below are resources and some of the many ways to get involved at PUC Rio.

PUC Rio has curated volunteer opportunities for exchange students. 

  • Consider enrolling in the project-based course SER 1188 2MA – Community Development, run by the Department of Social Services. 
  • Volunteer with The Network for Social Entrepreneurship (RESPUC), an initiative that brings together students, their projects and community members. 
  • Keep an eye out for the community projects taking place at the Department of Social Work at Rio PUC. 
SDGs-in-Action - Lean more!

How to apply

Learn how to apply or sign up to receive emails about studying on exchange at a partner university. We will send you information about events, application deadlines, funding opportunities, and more!