Location
  • Brazil
    • São Paulo
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring
Subject Areas
Business Cultural Studies Economics Film Global Studies Language Studies Latin American Studies Political Science Sociology Sustainable Development
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment
Language
Portuguese

Pricing

Price Details
CET makes it a point to include as much as possible. The CET program fee covers tuition, housing with a Brazilian roommate, activities and excursions (including a weeklong Traveling Seminar and an overnight trip), medical insurance, visa processing & fees, and course materials/textbooks.

The program fee does not include meals and transportation to/from São Paolo.

Still wondering how to budget for your time abroad? CET offers scholarships, and CET staff is happy to provide advice on keeping discretionary purchases to a minimum (i.e., they can tell you where to get cheap eats).
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Classes Wifi
Dec 09, 2024
Aug 16, 2023
12 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

If you want to step out of your comfort zone and understand Brazil from a local perspective, this program is for you! The curriculum is a combination of Portuguese language courses and electives taught in English, but intermediate and advanced students may opt for full immersion by taking direct-enroll courses in Portuguese alongside Brazilian peers.

Choose from one of three academic tracks to shape your Brazil experience according to your interests and academic needs: Social Justice & Inequality, Socially Sustainable Business at FGV, and Direct-enroll at USP (Pre-requisite: 3 semesters of Portuguese). Excursions, including a week-long Traveling Seminar to Salvador da Bahia, allow you to engage with Brazilian society and not just spectate. Students of all Portuguese language levels and majors are welcome!

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

CET believes in making study abroad accessible to students of all races, religions, origins, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientations. We’ve gathered experiences from BIPOC students to share as resources such as the Identity Abroad pages, Perspective Pieces, and Identity Abroad Support Networks. We are also dedicated to becoming a more anti-racist organization by transforming our workplace, programs, and industry with our Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) Action Plan.
CET supports and welcomes students of all identities on our programs. We provide program-specific information under the cultural climate section of our Identity Abroad webpages for LGBTQ individuals in each of our program locations.
CET makes every effort to offer accommodations comparable to that of the students’ home institution. Disclosing early helps us to make proper preparations. The accommodations offered at each program can be found on each program location's Identity Abroad page. These pages can provide a good idea about what classes are like in terms of workload and class time. Initiating one-on-one conversations with Student Service Coordinators can also help inform students' decisions and determine if a program will be a good fit.
CET makes every effort to offer accommodations comparable to that of the students’ home institution. The levels of accessibility, from wheelchair accessibility to extra time on exams, are under each program location’s Identity Abroad page. Initiating one-on-one conversations with Student Service Coordinators can help inform students' decisions and determine if a program will be a good fit.

Impact

CET is an environmentally conscientious organization at our headquarters in DC and programs all around the world. In each of our centers, we adopt local measures to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to sustainable practices. As part of our ongoing efforts towards sustainability, we’ve partnered with Cool Effect, a nonprofit focused on reducing carbon emissions through scientifically-proven, hand-selected carbon projects worldwide. For each trip taken by one of our staff members, travelers, or students, we donate to support three carbon projects chosen by staff volunteers every year.
When we set up a program overseas, we become a part of that local community. And as a community member, we are responsible for contributing to local initiatives in meaningful ways. Our website lists some local philanthropic organizations that help us fulfill this responsibility—they host our students, and we support their missions.

Program Highlights

  • Electives in Politics, Economics, Sociology, Film
  • Courses taught in English or Portuguese
  • Traveling Seminar to Salvador da Bahia
  • Local Brazilian roommates

Program Reviews

4.62 Rating
based on 21 reviews
  • 5 rating 76.19%
  • 4 rating 19.05%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 4.76%
  • Academics 4.05
  • Support 4.45
  • Fun 4.7
  • Housing 4.6
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 1 - 8 of 21 reviews
Default avatar
Aidan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing summer program

I took part in the 6-week Summer in Brazil program in 2023. I was staying in an apartment with 4 US students and one local Brazilian student in a well-located area. The program consisted of two 4-unit classes—Portuguese language and Contemporary Social Issues of Brazil—taught at the CET center by Brazilian professors. The courses were intensive but extremely rewarding. Everyone at CET was welcoming and helpful; there was a great sense of community. In addition to classes, there were extracurricular activities several times a week, including museums and city tours, that provided structure and plenty to do. The summer program is definitely intensive and group-oriented, but I found there was also plenty of time to explore the city on my own. Overall, I would highly recommend this program.

79 people found this review helpful.
Response from CET Academic Programs

Hi Aidan,

Thank you for taking the time to leave this review about your experience with us in Brazil! We couldn't do what we do without our staff on-site!!!

Default avatar
Celia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CET Brazil Social Justice Program

Overall the CET Brazil program was a wonderful opportunity. I think this program is unique because of the focus on social justice. The content and teaching of the courses offered by CET were incredible and I learned so much during my time. PUC also has a ton of great courses students can take, and I highly recommend enrolling if you can! I also recommend that students do some work on their own before they arrive, confronting their biases and studying power structures and privilege within their home and globally. CET provides co- and extra-curricular activities that go hand-in-hand with the course materials. It is important to know that things can happen slowly and then all of a sudden, so be understanding and prepared for that. I would recommend that students be self-sufficient but also recognize that they have to work within the rules and structures of the program. Also important to note is that there are some courses that are mandatory to take at CET and there is an emphasis on group activities, so if you are looking for a more independent program this may not be it, but there is room for doing things on your own, you'll just have to make some of those opportunities for yourself. I think that if you're considering studying abroad this is a great option to consider!

Pros
  • Academics
  • Support
Cons
  • Sometimes things get resolved slower than you may expect
  • There is a lot of time spent with the group of exchange students
88 people found this review helpful.
Response from CET Academic Programs

Hi Celia,

Thank you for taking the time to leave this review!

Default avatar
Vasti
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

definitely recommend!

I was part of the Spring 2022 cohort, the first group after (but really during) covid. Although our group only had six people and we were not able to take direct enrollment classes, the program was still very fun and I learned so much from my experiences not only in the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. During the week we had excursions to different places, but the highlight for me was the traveling seminar to Salvador, Bahia. It allowed me to see different cultural similarities and differences between regions in Brazil, and put into perspective specific topics we learned in class about social inequality and racial democracy in Brazil. Since the program, I’ve been back to Brazil three or four times just to visit the friends I made and revisit my favorite places. I definitely recommend this program, you won’t regret it :)

87 people found this review helpful.
Response from CET Academic Programs

Hi Vasti,

Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. It's fantastic to read about the connections and community you've revisited even after the program ended!

Default avatar
Amanda
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

You Won't Find a Better Program

CET Brazil was a phenomenal program. I didn't really know what to expect before I arrived, but as soon as I landed in Brazil I was welcomed with warmth and love. These feelings carried over into every aspect of my time abroad. My Brazilian roommate has become one my best friends; we still talk every week. I have heard of some students struggling to connect with people on their abroad programs, but I don't think anyone on my program would say they experienced that. We became a family; all of the international students, the Brazilian students, and even the faculty and staff. It quickly became a second home. Outside of this, however, CET Brazil provides you with ample opportunity and freedom to really get to know São Paulo. They provide workshops for you to attend and set up events for the first few weeks to get you comfortable with traveling around alone. And with the help of the Brazilian roommates, you are emerged into the culture much faster. They are there for you every step of the way, from registering your passport to navigating grocery stores to finding fun activities that are suited for you. The classes are also created for you. They have Portuguese classes for every level, I've made friends who spoke no Portuguese when they arrived and left being able to have full conversation both in and out of the classroom. CET works closely with the University, so you fully supported if you decide to take classes at PUC. The professors both at PUC and CET try to help you take course that interest you. I went to Brazil to further research I was doing for my honors thesis, and even though my program got cut short, all my professors continuously checked in with me and introduced me to people they believed would help me. All the Brazilian students I met at university were so excited and supportive of my taking classes fully in Portuguese. They were so welcoming and even after the first day of meeting them invited me to go out with them. Night live in São Paulo is incredible. The music and dancing carry themselves out into the streets, you fall in love with everything so quickly. Public transportation is easy to navigate and the city is crawling with hotspots and pop-up shops. Amazing graffiti and site-seeing. And for those who are not big city people, it is easy to bus over to beaches, other cities and beautiful nature sites. Throughout the program, you are also reminded of your position staying in the neighborhood of Perdizes. CET Brazil has mandatory classes that focus on the inequities that exist in Brazil, and create the space for students to connect what they are learning back into their own countries. I truly cannot express how amazing my experience was and how incredible of a program CET is. And even with its flaws, all staff members were open to always hearing from students on what would make the program better, and would always find ways to implement those suggested improvements.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be open to talking to random people. Some of my closest friends/people I still talk to are those who I met out on the street. Even if you don't speak Portuguese well, people are so open and want to speak to you. Be willing to take risks, don't be afraid of the city.
152 people found this review helpful.
Leaynet
1/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome experience, but nasty people

My expereince in Brazil through CET was unfortunately horrible, because of the mistreatment I received from CET staff and students (both the Americans and local Brazilians). I didn't feel at home and clearly felt like I was NOT part of the CET family. I was left out a lot throughout my trip. I felt discriminated. The only thing I really liked about my time in Brazil through CET was the fact that I got to visit different places. This was not what I initially anticipated when I decided to study abroad.

173 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Isabel
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Learning and Living in São Paulo

I did not know much about São Paulo or Brazil before deciding to participate in the CET Brazil program. I did not speak a word of Português, but I was very interested in the Social Justice thematic as well as living with other Brazilian students. All of my expectations for this program were exceeded. Academically, I was challenged both inside and outside of the classroom. All of my classes were incredibly experiential and incorporated the interests of the students. I was able to take advantage of all of the amazing artistic opportunities in São Paulo and travel throughout Brazil through the program and after the program ended. I fell in love with Brazil so much that I decided to return for 3 more months before returning to University in the US. I felt incredibly welcome and made lifelong friends.

What would you improve about this program?
I would improve the overlap within the course material. Although it was helpful to hear about certain historical events and occurrences multiple times, there was abundant repetition between classes. I also believe that the traveling within the program could have included less activities. On some trips it was a bit overwhelming, and the lack of rest time inhibited enjoyment of certain activities.
160 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Connections in a Big City

The CET Brazil program was really amazing. The best part, for me, was staying with a Brazilian roommate. This is different than most study abroad programs, where you stay with a host family, but for me it was ideal. I was able to connect with my roommate as a peer and friend, and we were able to share so many experiences and support each other in so many ways. It was amazing to be able to share the experience with someone who was also young and a student, to be able to see São Paulo and talk about São Paulo with other young people.

The school, PUC, is a really unique place. Lots of interesting and radical young people, a lot of really cool seminars happening, with art everywhere. I was repeatedly surprised and impressed with the conversations happening at/facilitated by the school.

It was definitely a big city, which is an environment I was not used to living in, and I loved it. If you are looking for a more rural, nature-focused program, this one won't be for you. But the city has so much to offer and so many amazing sights, places to eat, places to see, people to meet, free events, museums, music, and more. (These are the things that you sometimes have to go out there and find - facebook was a great resource for cool events happening around the city, and museums almost always had something going on, exhibits and seminars and special events. And almost always free!) And at certain points in the program, such as our trip to Salvador de Bahía and Paraty, we were able to get a sense of the more scenic and green parts of Brazil, which was amazing, but an exception to the everyday routine of the program. The program also has a lot of built in excursions which, if you take full advantage, can really give you a great picture of the city and show you things you probably wouldn't have been able to find on your own. The program was very structured, which for me was helpful, but if you are looking for more independence, this probably wouldn't be for you. There was a lot of independence, especially since we live with roommates rather than families, but the structure made a big difference (in a good way) for me.

The social justice focus of the program was prominent in almost every aspect. We were constantly having critical conversations about what we were experiencing and certain power dynamics in every situation. It was really great to have a staff and a peer group of students to prepare and reflect with, and I always felt supported.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I think that everyone has to make the experience their own, so it's important to trust yourself and do what seems right to you, even if that means staying in for a little bit and taking a break from the stimulation. You will enjoy everything more if you are taking care of yourself and taking time to relax and reflect and be with yourself. It is also important to push yourself beyond your comfort zone - talk to strangers, kiss people if you want to, try new things (even if they seem scary), do the things you wouldn't be able to do anywhere else. The city is amazing but sometimes it won't always come to you and you have to go out and get it.
150 people found this review helpful.
Haley
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Relationships

I cannot describe how much I enjoyed my time in São Paulo! Of course, the food and scenery were all great, but one of my favorite parts was the chance to meet so many amazing people. The PUC students that stayed with us made getting to know Brazilian culture a lot easier and the CET staff was always so friendly and helpful. I also bonded a lot with the other American students. Most of this was probably possible because we were forced to spend a lot of time together, and not in a bad way! There were many excursions and other activities to keep us busy that were really fun. I believe that when you experience something exciting with someone else, it helps grow relationships.
I've done one other study abroad trip and I did not keep in touch with the students from that program nearly as much as I do with this one. I will always remember the things I experienced while studying in São Paulo, but the relationships I made will definitely have the greatest lasting impact.

What would you improve about this program?
I appreciated the challenge of taking almost all of my classes in a foreign language, but some of the instruction was not clear or organized. It made the class a bit hard to follow, even when I started to understand the language a lot more.
159 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers