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UFRJ's course list covers all three main degree levels: undergraduate (graduação), master's (mestrado), and PhD (doutorado) programs. Exchange students can therefore select courses across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral offerings, provided they come through an institutional agreement and meet the Portuguese language requirement.

The three course levels

The course list published by UFRJ presents options across all three levels, so the level you take depends on your home degree and the agreement between your institution and UFRJ.

Language of instruction

All courses are offered in Portuguese. There is no English-taught track mentioned for exchange students. Most schools and institutes accept exchange students with an A1 proficiency level, though this can vary depending on the specific courses chosen. Free Portuguese conversation classes are offered to incoming students, which can help you build proficiency alongside your coursework.

Because the acceptable level depends on your course selection, confirm the requirement with the incoming students officer before finalizing your choices.

How to access these courses

1. Contact the international office at your home institution — UFRJ does not accept "free movers," so you must come through an existing agreement or partnership.
2. Your home institution's international office provides the application details and nominates you.
3. Once nominated, select courses from the undergraduate, master's, or PhD list according to your level.
4. Verify the Portuguese proficiency expectation for your chosen courses with UFRJ's incoming students officer.

Key conditions to keep in mind

• Agreement required: Exchange is only possible through agreements and partnerships with international higher education institutions. Independent applications are not accepted.
• Level flexibility: The course list spans undergraduate, master's, and PhD options, but your eligibility for a given level follows your enrollment at your home institution.
• Semester timing: The academic year runs March–July (first semester) and August–December (second semester), so plan course selection around those windows.

If your goal is to take master's or PhD courses, confirm early that your home institution's agreement with UFRJ covers that level, since not every partnership may extend to all programs.

UFRJ (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian federal university based in Rio de Janeiro State. It describes itself as "an institution of excellence in teaching, research, and extension," with a history dating back to the beginning of the 19th century. If you are trying to understand what kind of institution ufrj.br represents — for study, research, or partnership purposes — the short answer is: a large, multi-campus public university with a strong research profile and an exchange program that runs only through formal institutional agreements.

Institutional profile

• Type: Federal university (public), based in Rio de Janeiro State.
• Stated mission pillars: teaching, research, and extension — the university defines extension as reaching the findings of knowledge, research, and new skills out to millions of people.
• Rankings cited on its own site: 3rd best university in Brazil and 7th best in Latin America (QS Rankings – 2018). Note these figures are from 2018 and may not reflect current standings.
• History: Traces back to the early 19th century, with what the university describes as notable scientific, cultural, and artistic accomplishments.

Scale and facilities

UFRJ is spread across many campuses and faculties around Rio de Janeiro State. Its structure includes institutes, schools, and other facilities such as:

• Museums
• Hospitals
• An ocean basin described as the third largest in the world for research on offshore oil exploitation

This spread matters practically: the campus relevant to you depends on your field, and "UFRJ" is not a single contiguous site.

Partnerships

The university states it maintains cooperative relationships with institutions on every continent, with partnerships at over 200 international institutions. It also reports partnerships with several national and multinational enterprises, some of which have facilities on campus.

Exchange and visiting students

If you are considering UFRJ as an exchange destination, the key conditions are:

Academic calendar

• 1st semester (Fall): March – July
• 2nd semester (Spring): August – December
• Summer break: about two months (Jan/Feb)
• Winter break: about two weeks (July), depending on the program

Courses

The course list covers undergraduate (graduação), master's (mestrado), and PhD (doutorado) programs.

What this means for you

• If you want to study at UFRJ as an exchange student: you cannot apply independently. Start with your home institution's international office, and confirm the Portuguese level required for your specific course choices with UFRJ's incoming students officer.
• If you are researching UFRJ's profile: treat the ranking figures as dated (2018) and verify current numbers from the ranking source itself.
• If you are exploring research or industry collaboration: the university's stated partnership base (200+ international institutions, plus on-campus corporate facilities) is the relevant starting point.

The university's own site is the authoritative source for current program details, deadlines, and contact points, since calendar and language requirements can vary by school and program.

UFRJ runs two exchange semesters per year: the first (Fall) from March to July, and the second (Spring) from August to December. Summer break lasts about two months (January–February), and winter break is about two weeks in July, depending on the program. These dates come from UFRJ's own exchange information, so you can use them to plan your arrival, visa timing, and course selection.

Semester dates at a glance

The winter break falls inside the July end of the first semester, so the exact start of your classes in the second semester can shift slightly by program.

What this means for planning your exchange

• Apply through your home institution, not directly. UFRJ states it does not accept "free movers." You must contact the international office of your home university to qualify for an exchange, since placements depend on agreements and partnerships between the two institutions.
• Align your home university's deadlines with UFRJ's semesters. If you want the March–July term, your home institution's nomination and application deadlines will usually fall months earlier. Ask your international office for the specific cut-off.
• Check your program's exact dates. The calendar above is the general framework; individual programs may adjust the start and end of classes, which is why the winter break is described as "depending on the program."

Language and course considerations

All courses are offered in Portuguese. Most schools and institutes accept exchange students with an A1 proficiency level, but this can vary depending on the courses you choose. UFRJ advises checking with its incoming students officer for details, and notes that free Portuguese conversation classes are offered. If your Portuguese is limited, confirm the requirement for your specific course list before committing to a semester.

Where to verify before you commit

Because semester dates and language requirements can differ by school or institute, confirm the following with your home institution's international office and UFRJ's incoming students officer:

1. The exact start and end dates for your chosen program.
2. Whether your course selections require a Portuguese level above A1.
3. Your home institution's nomination deadline for the semester you want.

UFRJ's exchange program operates only through institutional agreements, so your home international office is the first and most reliable point of contact for both the calendar and the application process.

UFRJ requires Portuguese proficiency because all courses are taught in Portuguese. According to the university, most schools and institutes accept exchange students with an A1 proficiency level, but the requirement can vary depending on the courses you choose. If your level or course selection is uncertain, the university directs students to confirm with the incoming students officer.

The Baseline Requirement: A1

The key facts from UFRJ's own information:

• All courses are offered in Portuguese. There is no English-taught course track described for exchange students.
• Most schools and institutes accept exchange students with an A1 proficiency level. A1 is the lowest level on the CEFR scale — basic phrases and simple communication.
• This may vary depending on the chosen courses. A course with heavy reading, discussion, or writing demands may effectively require more than A1, even if the institute's general policy is A1.
• Free Portuguese conversation classes are offered to incoming students, according to the university.

So the practical answer is: A1 is the stated floor for most units, but treat it as a minimum entry threshold rather than a guarantee that every course will be workable at that level.

Why the Requirement Is Not Uniform

UFRJ is not a single centralized campus. It comprises institutes, schools, and other facilities across Rio de Janeiro State. Each school or institute sets its own expectations for incoming exchange students, which is why the university phrases the requirement as "most schools and institutes" rather than a single number.

Two consequences follow:

1. Your host unit matters. The A1 acceptance applies broadly, but the unit hosting your exchange is the one that confirms it.
2. Your course list matters. Even within an A1-friendly unit, individual courses can demand more Portuguese — for example, seminar-based courses, courses with oral exams, or courses requiring written assignments in Portuguese.

How to Confirm Your Actual Requirement

Because the requirement depends on your specific placement and courses, the confirmation path is:

1. Contact the international office at your home institution. UFRJ's exchange program works through agreements and partnerships with international higher education institutions, and UFRJ states it does not accept "free movers." Your home institution's international office is the entry point.
2. Ask about the specific host unit and course list you plan to take, not just the university-wide policy.
3. Refer to the incoming students officer at UFRJ for the definitive answer on your case, as the university itself directs.

Practical Notes for Planning

• Timing: The academic calendar runs March–July (first semester) and August–December (second semester), with a summer break of about two months (Jan/Feb) and a winter break of about two weeks (July), depending on the program. Plan your language preparation around these dates.
• Language support: Free Portuguese conversation classes are offered to incoming students, which can help you move beyond A1 once you arrive — but they are support, not a substitute for the entry requirement.
• Eligibility route: Exchange at UFRJ is only possible through agreements and partnerships between institutions. If your home university does not have an agreement, the exchange route described here does not apply.

Bottom Line

If you are applying through an established exchange partnership, A1 Portuguese is the stated minimum for most schools and institutes at UFRJ, all instruction is in Portuguese, and free conversation classes are available. Confirm your specific requirement with your home institution's international office and UFRJ's incoming students officer before committing, since course selection can raise the effective level you need.

International students cannot apply directly to the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) for an exchange. UFRJ's exchange program works only through agreements and partnerships with international higher education institutions, and the university explicitly states that it does not accept "free movers." If your home university has an exchange agreement with UFRJ, you apply through your home institution's international office — not through UFRJ itself.

Who is eligible

Eligibility depends on your home institution's agreement with UFRJ, not on an individual application to UFRJ. Two conditions follow from the university's stated policy:

• Your home institution must have a partnership or agreement with UFRJ. UFRJ reports partnerships with over 200 international institutions across every continent.
• You must be nominated or processed through your home institution's international office. UFRJ directs prospective exchange students to contact that office for information.

If your home university has no agreement with UFRJ, the exchange route described here is not available to you.

Step-by-step: how the application works

1. Check whether your home institution has an agreement with UFRJ. Ask your international office directly, or check your institution's list of partner universities.
2. Contact your home institution's international office. This is the step UFRJ itself specifies for students seeking an exchange experience at UFRJ.
3. Follow your home institution's nomination and application procedure. Your home office manages the exchange process and communicates with UFRJ on your behalf.
4. Prepare for Portuguese-language coursework. All courses at UFRJ are offered in Portuguese. Most schools and institutes accept exchange students with an A1 proficiency level, though this may vary depending on the courses you choose. UFRJ advises referring to its incoming students officer for details, and notes that free Portuguese conversation classes are offered to all incoming students.

Key facts to plan around

Academic calendar

• 1st semester (Fall): March – July
• 2nd semester (Spring): August – December
• Summer break: about two months (January/February)
• Winter break: about two weeks (July)

Breaks may vary depending on the program.

Courses and levels

UFRJ's course list covers undergraduate (graduação), master's (mestrado), and PhD (doutorado) programs. Because course availability and language expectations can differ by school or institute, confirm the specific courses you plan to take with your home international office and with UFRJ's incoming students officer before committing.

Common sticking points

• No agreement, no exchange. The most common blocker is a home institution without a UFRJ partnership. There is no individual application path around this.
• Assuming you apply to UFRJ directly. UFRJ states it does not accept free movers, so a direct application is not the correct route.
• Underestimating Portuguese. Courses are taught in Portuguese. An A1 level is accepted by most schools and institutes, but this can vary by course, so check before selecting classes.
• Calendar mismatch. UFRJ's first semester runs March–July and the second August–December, which may not align with your home institution's academic year.