Passport and Visa

All international students must obtain a valid passport and student visa (former VITEM IV) before travelling to Brazil. You should apply for a passport as soon as you are accepted in the program, as the process may take several weeks.

After receiving the Acceptance Letter from UFJF, you can apply for a student visa. Visa processing can take up to 30 (thirty) days. Information about the required documents for a visa application form can be found on the internet on the website of the Brazilian embassy/consulate in your country. The complete list of the Brazilian embassies and consulates around the world can be found at https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/assuntos/portal-consular/reparticoes-consulares-do-brasil (content in Portuguese)

You should also take the opportunity and apply for a CPF at the consulate. CPF is a taxpayer registration in Brazil and is necessary for several transactions here (opening a bank account, purchasing online, contracting with a phone carrier, buying flight tickets, etc). It will also be necessary for your enrollment at UFJF, so if you can have it ready before arriving in Brazil, the easiest will be your adaptation here.

Contact the Brazilian representatives in your country in advance, but beware: after receiving your visa you have 90 DAYS to enter the Brazilian territory. If you do not come to Brazil within this period, your visa expires and you will need to apply for another one.

Planning your budget

Living in Juiz de Fora will require a monthly stipend that can vary from approximately R$ 1,000 to R$ 3,200. This value depends on your accommodation, food, communication and commute costs. You can find a description of types of service and range of costs on the table below.

Necessities		Aprox. cost in reais (R$)
Accommodation	Rent of 1 bedroom apartment near campus	700 – 1500 per month
	Shared apartment (“república”) all expenses included	500 – 700 per month
Food & beverages	University’s restaurant	1.40 per meal
	Restaurants near campus	20 – 50 per meal
Commute	City bus	3.75 per ride
	Car share apps from neighboring areas to campus	10 – 20 per ride
Communication	Phone plan (prepaid)	20 – 60 per month

 

Health insurance and vaccination

Students must insure themselves from their home countries before arriving in Brazil. It’s the students’ responsibility to provide health insurance. Please check the insurance companies’ rules before leaving your country and bring some verification with you.

Also, check the vaccinations you need in Brazil.

Make sure you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before traveling.

Although there is no risk of getting yellow fever in Juiz de Fora, we also recommend you to take a yellow fever shot in case you plan to travel to endemic areas in Brazil, such as the Amazon region. You can get your shots for free at local public medical departments. If you have not been vaccinated before, take your shot at least 10 days before your trip to get actual protection.

Registration at the Federal Police

Holders of temporary visas in Brazil (such as the student visa), are required to register at the Federal Police (PF) within 30 days of your arrival in Brazil. All information and steps necessary to register are available at: https://www.gov.br/pt-br/servicos/obter-autorizacao-de-residencia-e-carteira-de-registro-migratorio (content in Portuguese)

The International Office can assist you in the process. If you have any difficulty, please contact us at incoming.dri@ufjf.br.

Pre-departure checklist

• Make sure you have a passport and that it is valid for the duration of your stay.
• Apply for a student visa and CPF at the Brazilian Consulate.
• Purchase your flight ticket.
• Check IF you need any vaccinations.
• Buy travellers health insurance.
• Send to incoming.dri@ufjf.br the documents we listed as required for your enrollment, according to the type of mobility.
• Choose the courses you would like to attend*. On UFJF’s website (https://www2.ufjf.br/prograd/ementas-traduzidas-3/campus-juiz-de-fora//) you can find a catalog of the courses offered by UFJF. Please note that most courses are offered in Portuguese, so a basic knowledge of the language is recommended.
  *Undergraduate Exchange Students are enrolled on their courses after a two-week adaptation period after their arrival in Brazil.
• Make all possible arrangements for your accommodation in Juiz de Fora. If you have any troubles, you can request assistance from the Buddy Program at projetobuddy@gmail.com. They have a list of people interested in hosting international students or sharing their rooms, so we consider it worth a try.
• Make all financial arrangements so you are able to withdraw cash money in Brazil.
• We strongly recommend you to learn at least basic Portuguese and carry a dictionary/translator with you. It is not easy to find people who speak foreign languages outside the campus.
• Bring copies of all your important documents, personal and academic ones.