International

Welcome to the University of Fortaleza. Located in Brazil´s Northeast, Fortaleza is the Brazilian coastal city with the sunniest days throughout the year. The University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR) was founded in 1973 and since then it has been accomplishing a growing prestige among the institutions of higher education in Brazil and is considered the best private institution in the North and Northeast of Brazil.

Unifor has about 25 thousand students, which can count with a faculty composed of 1,200 professors. Unifor offers more than thirty undergraduate and sixteen graduate programs in the areas of Business, Law, Technology, Humanities, and Health.

The campus houses a complete infrastructure that includes laboratories, auditoriums, library, theater, recreational and sports facilities, health center, cultural center, community center, research centers, and several university extension service centers.

Unifor, one of Brazil´s top institutions for education and scientific production, has been offering the best conditions for teaching and learning since its foundation. With a modern infrastructure, we gladly host students from all over the world.

Starting in the 17th century as a colonial fort, Fortaleza (meaning fortress in Portuguese) soon developed into the urban center and capital of the Ceará region of Brazil. With an explosion of economic enrichment, it became the fifth-largest city in the country, transforming from a small fishing village into a hub of cultural influence. Home to such South American literary movements as "the Spiritual Bakery," Fortaleza today is an integrated center for the artistic side of Brazil.

The tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and rich intellectual history of the area attract a wide variety of visitors from all around the globe. The world-famous beaches, breathtaking architecture, and vibrant nightlife all come together to make this a surefire place for a great experience abroad!

 Argentina
 

 Austria
 

 Belgium
 

 Bolivia
 

 Canada
 

 Chile
 

 China
 

 Colombia
 

 France
 

 Germany
 

 India
 

 Israel
 

 Italy
 

 Malaysia
 

 Mexico
 

 Netherlands
 

 Norway
 

 Peru
 

 Poland
 

 Portugal
 

 Puerto Rico
 

 Russia
 

 South Korea
 

 Spain
 

 Switzerland
 

 Ukraine
 

 United States
 

Foreign Students can study at Unifor for two semesters without paying any academic fee due to agreement between institutions. During their semester at Unifor, students can take courses in English and learn Portuguese.

The academic exchange program brings together students from the University of Fortaleza and other universities all around the world. They get to know each other, study together, and exchange experiences. Unifor offers courses to these students and provides the interaction between them and Brazilian students.

• Orientation Sessions

Unifor offers welcome and orientation sessions for the new international students. The sessions cover themes such as the University´s online system, student and library cards, public transportation, and safety tips, among others. They usually take place 2 to 4 days prior to the beginning of classes. Students and partner universities are informed the exact date by e-mail.

• Academic Calendar

February to Mid-June: 1st Academic Semester
August to Mid-December: 2nd Academic Semester
Please contact International Office at international@unifor.br for a detailed academic calendar.

• Accomodation

Unifor does not offer housing on campus. However, it is offered to the student a list of apartments to rent. (Please Contact International Office for an updated list).

Estimated cost of living: students usually spend from R$ 1.500 to R$ 2.000 per month.

Exchange students are free to choose most of the courses, regardless of their study fields after consultation with academic advisors at their home university. Course preferences must be stated in the application form. The availability, however, is subject to its demand, therefore, the International Office cannot guarantee a spot in the student's preferred course.

Unifor also offers courses taught in English, most of them allocated in the Business field. They may vary from semester to semester. (Please contact International Office for an updated list).

The student must attend a minimum of 12 credits and a maximum of 24 credits per semester. International students may choose a mix of courses taught in Portuguese and English. They can also attend Portuguese courses as a Foreign Language I and II throughout the semester.

During your semester at UNIFOR you can also be a part of volunteer and art programs, most of the programs are held inside of the university campus and benefit the poor community that lives close to the university. A certificate is issued at the end of the semester validating all the programs. 

Art Groups 

In order to encourage some art activities such as Theater, Dance, Singing and Instrumental Music, the Edson Queiroz Foundation through the University of Fortaleza is a great developer and supporter of the arts groups:

The Unifor Theater Group Mirante is composed by 15 members, including students and members of the external community. The actors have theatrical formation and develop children's and adult plays. Thus, the group contributes to the formation of a solid theatrical base in the city of Fortaleza, enhances the local theater by encouraging new staging and promoting artistic interventions. To possibible to join the group, but it is necessary to go through an audition with the coordinator, prof. Hertenha Glauce.

The Unifor Dance Company is composed by 16 dancers, all students of the University of Fortaleza, based on classical and modern dance, the company develop choreographies in both styles and some thematic plays that fill the Company's creative presentations with sparkle. It is possible to join the dance company after an audition with the coordinator, prof. Marcio Carvalho

The Unifor Choir is composed by 30 components among students, staff and members of the external community. The choir plays musical pieces in various tones and rhythms, in the voices of sopranos, bass, tenors and basses, and bring joy to many people. To compose the group it is necessary to participate in audition with coordinator, conductor Luis Carlos Prata.

Unifor Camerata is a chamber orchestra is formed of 18 musicians, featuring eclectic instrumental and classical music featuring violins, viola, cello, sweet flute, transverse flute, clarinet, sax, and piano. Coordinated and conducted by conductor Marcus Vinicius Cardoso, violinist, the group also records their own albums and many other artists. To be a part you need to audition with coordinator Marcus Vinicius and have your own instrument.

The Big Band Unifor is formed by 17 musicians and with instruments typically from American, featuring saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, guitar, acoustic bass and drums, Big Band Unifor regularly performances under the baton of the conductor Robson Lima. The repertoire is quite diverse, from big band classics to the most popular productions, including bossa nova, samba, funk, frevo, among others, always with a jazzy outfit and arrangements by established musicians. To be a part, you need to audition and have your own instrument.

Social esponsability Projetcs 

The Project acts through playful work with those interned in the following institutions: Children’s Hospital Albert Sabin, Nucleus of Integrated Medical Attention, Support House Sol Nascente, House Torres de Melo and Pediatric Center of Cancer. The age group of the project acting goes of preschool age until elderly people. It is used various techniques to socialize the competencies and abilities of the volunteer students adaptable to the institution’s needs. The work of the Jovem Voluntário (Young Volunteer) consists in providing moments of joy, relax through drawing, painting, storytelling, playing games, puppets etc., and has as main reason humanize medical consults and bandage through ludic work with those interned in hospitals or need to be kept in institutions for medical care.

Besides make the students aware of how contribute to their community, so they might learn how to deal with different social and economic realities and train young people to exercise their solidarity, citizenship and their rights, as volunteers, in society’s transformation. Moreover, the projects seeks to contribute with the partner institutions to help the next one by doing something to improve other’s life, either in the community service or in the Program’s administration.  

The Elementary School of Application Yolanda Queiroz is located within the campus of the University of Fortaleza, serves the children of unifor employees and the children living in Dendê Community and surrounding the institution. Currently, the school has 540 children enrolled from aged 4 to 12 years old. The classes take places in the morning from 7: 30 am to 11:30 am and from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. The curriculum includes Informatics, English, Physical Education, Children’s Literature, Music and Arts classes, besides the regular disciplines. The pedagogical action is based on a social interactionist proposal where the children are the protagonist in the construction of knowledge and the teacher is a mediator of this learning. Understanding that learning happens at all times and social interactions are privileged moments for this, the school is open to receive the academic community for the exchange of knowledge through active participation in the routine of children. The school is patterned in academic practice space for University students that play a role in their field of practice for the development of research in many areas. For International Students interested in doing volunteer work, the school offers four hours per week, divided in two days to participate in the different activities and age range.

Are you a new international student looking for guidance and friendship in Fortaleza? Unifor has the perfect program for you. The Buddy Program is designed to create a mutual learning opportunity for new international students and Unifor students. It consists of a team of Unifor students who volunteer their time as mentors. They will help you adjust to the university and the city environment. The Buddy Program is a great opportunity for educational and cultural exchanges to take place throughout the exchange period. You will be assigned to one of our students who will contact you by email before the beginning of the semester. This person will be your mentor and will help you in your adaptation process at Unifor and in Fortaleza.

Foreigners that want to study in Brazil - without any immigration goals or intent to perform paid activities that are not internships - need to apply for a special temporary visa at the nearest General Consulate or Brazilian Embassy. Student visas in Brazil are called Temporary Visa IV, or VITEM-IV.

The VITEM-IV is valid for up to one year at a time, depending on which course the student is enrolled in, and can be renewed as many times as necessary in order for the student to finish the course. The request for extending the visa must be done at a Federal Police Department or at the Ministry of Justice within 30 days before the current visa expires. It is important to mention that those who come to Brazil with a VITEM-IV are not allowed to engage in paid activities that are not internships.

Contact your local Brazilian consulate for further information.

RNM

• What is the RNM?

The RNM (Registro Nacional de Imigração) is the equivalent to a Brazilian citizen's identity card and is considered as such whenever a person is asked for proof of identity in Brazil. It testifies the identity of the foreign citizens with a temporary or permanent residence in Brazil. It allows them, for example, to open a bank account, buy a scholar pass or perform any activity that requires the confirmation of prolonged stay in the country.

• Who needs a RNM?

Any foreigner admitted in the country on condition of temporary, permanent, under asylum, or refugee must be registered in the country and recognized by the justice ministry. This also applies to exchange students. After arriving in Brazil, the student has thirty days to register themselves at the federal police, requesting their RNM. If this time passes and the person does not start the process, the bureaucracy of getting an RNM becomes a very costly and time-consuming process.

The international office of UNIFOR promotes a few events to integrate international and Brazilian students during the semester. Such events like the “International Fair”, in which International Students have a space to talk about their country and university;

Brazilian students that are interested in participating in Exchange programs have the opportunity of asking natives questions about culture and studies. “Cultural Connection”, in which International and Brazilian students have the opportunity to discuss the differences between education, culture, and professional experiences in their countries and Brazil.

Another form of integration between international and Brazilian students is the “Sports Day”, one day in which international students have the opportunity of playing sports with Brazilian during the day.

The international office is always trying to promote new events of integration, a few other invents are probable to be implemented every semester.

The University of Fortaleza (Unifor), of the Edson Queiroz Foundation, is one of the six institutions of higher education (HEIs) in Latin America selected by the European Commission to discuss and strengthen internationalization policies, aimed at students, professors, and technical-administrative staff.

The I-MAT project (Innovative Mobility Attracting Tools for Latin America) is sponsored by the European Union and its main objective is to enable, through the know-how of European universities, Latin American Higher Education Institutions to attract students, teachers, and technical-administrative personnel to international mobility initiatives, through digital and innovative approaches.

Besides Unifor and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) in Brazil, two institutions from Peru (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and Universidad Católica San Pablo) and two from Colombia (Universidad de los Andes and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana) were selected. The European representatives are AGH University (Poland), Vilnius Tech (Lithuania), and Instituto Superior Técnico from the University of Lisbon (Portugal).

The project’s activities are divided into phases over the next three years, and UNIFOR is one of the institutions responsible for hosting an international conference in 2025 for partner and non-partner universities. At the end of the project, it is expected to create innovative tools that attract students, professors, and technical-administrative personnel to Latin American universities.

Project Activities and News:

• European Union program selects Unifor to develop innovative policies for international exchange.