Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Brazil

The Botanical Garden in Curitiba, greenhouse, Brazil with people sitting in front of it.

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Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Brazil

Live and learn in Brazil at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) in the southern city of Curitiba! As an exchange student, you are able to take courses from a variety of disciplines taught in English and you will also have the opportunity to take Portuguese language courses.

Location

Curitiba, Brazil

Term

Spring, Fall, Academic Year

Housing

Apartments

Program Highlights

Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) is a private, not-for-profit university in Curitiba, Brazil. PUCPR offers options for exchange students to study at the university for an academic year or semester term. Students select courses from different schools such as communication, business, life sciences, education, architecture & design, and many others. PUCPR offers courses taught fully in English while Portuguese language and culture classes are available to interested students. Exchange students are also able to participate in many cultural activities, including a visit to Iguazu National Park, home of the largest waterfall in the world.

Situated in Curitiba, the capital city of the state of Parana in Brazil, the PUCPR campus features many state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, learning, and entertainment. The campus is home to noteworthy initiatives such as the Technological Park, where RD teams from more than 20 companies share a space for innovation with PUCPR researchers.

There are also several helpful resources on campus. Most notable is the PUCPR International office which can assist you in finding housing and offers a buddy program to help you acclimate to life in Brazil. You are also able to participate in student organizations, observe or join in the rich culture of campus life with musical and theater performances, and stay active at PUCPR’s fitness centers.

Program Contact Information

Molly Papay

Assistant Director, Education Abroad

Email: mpapay1@kent.edu

Office Phone: 330-672-3067

Application Process

Students will be required to complete two applications:

an internal ��MŮ�� Education Abroad application,
and a partner university application.

These quick steps will help walk you through the process.

1. Start an Education Abroad Application

When you click the "Apply Now" button (located towards the top and bottom of this page), you will be brought to the Education Abroad application system where you can view program costs and start an application. Be sure to submit your application before the deadline!

2. Wait for Acceptance

Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed by an Education Abroad Advisor. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. Please note that acceptance to the program by ��MŮ�� does not serve as final approval. The host institution or program provider grants final approval for each applicant.

3. Complete the Host University Application

Once your Education Abroad application has been accepted, you will be nominated to the host university. You will complete the host university’s application and wait for official acceptance to the program.

Academics

Academic Programs

Courses are taught fully in English in a variety of subject areas at the Curitiba campus. The subject areas include the following:

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Architecture
Biotechnology
Business
Engineering
Gastronomy
Humanities
...and more!

Students may also take Portuguese Language and Culture courses, designed to help incoming international students with little or no previous knowledge of the language. To maintain full-time status, students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours while abroad.

View the to see what is typically offered!

Transferring Credits

Transfer Credits

With this program, students enroll in courses at a partner (host) institution. You will need to transfer the credits you earn abroad back to ��MŮ��.

Upon successful completion of the program, the host institution will issue you an official transcript, which will be needed for the credit transfer process.

You must earn passing grades on the courses you take abroad for the credits to transfer.

Prior to departure, students will meet with their academic advisor to complete a Transfer Course Planning (TCP) Form, which will outline the courses you plan to take while abroad and how the courses will transfer to ��MŮ��.

Some courses have already been pre-approved for transfer to ��MŮ�� and can be viewed on the Transfer Credit Guide. Please note that this is only a guide and is NOT a comprehensive list of courses available at each partner institution.

Credit Approval

Prior to departure, it is your responsibility to meet with your academic advisor to discuss the courses you plan to take while abroad.

If a course needs to be evaluated for transfer, you are responsible for working with your education abroad advisor to obtain the syllabus and have it reviewed by ��MŮ�� faculty.

Location & Transportation

Curitiba, Brazil

Considered the best capital city to live in Brazil, Curitiba is known for its many parks, its innovative public transportation system, and its high cultural diversity. Curitiba is the capital of Paraná, a state in southern Brazil. Focusing heavily on promoting sustainability through various green initiatives, Curitiba has many beautiful outdoor attractions such as the Botanic Garden, Barigui Park, Tangua Park, and many others. The city is popularly known for its many coffee shops; you can easily find a coffee shop on every single corner you turn and each one has a special feel to it. Because the city was colonized by many different European and Mid-eastern countries, Curitiba has a huge variety of cultural communities and the cuisine is extremely diverse.

Unlike what most people think, the official language of Brazil is Portuguese, and not Spanish. Other famous attractions in Curitiba and nearby include the Oscar Niemeyer Museum, popularly known as the “Eye museum” because of its shape, the Wire Opera House, and Iguazu Falls (located in the city of Foz do Iguaçu).

Transportation

Airports

You can fly into Curitiba through the Afonso Pena International Airport. The airport is around 20 minutes from PUCPR by car.

Local Transit

Curitiba offers a local bus service to help navigate the city.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

There is a financial aid counselor specifically for Education Abroad. You can schedule an appointment with them on KSU Advising (Group Name: Education Abroad) or email finaideducationabroad@kent.edu.

It is possible to use your federal financial aid to go on ��MŮ��-approved education abroad programs. You can learn more on the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center website.

It is also possible to use most ��MŮ�� scholarships for education abroad costs. You can find education abroad scholarships on ScholarshipUniverse.

Health & Safety

Pre-Departure Orientation

Prior to your study abroad experience, you will participate in a mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Office of Global Education. During this orientation, you will be provided with information including but not limited to:

international travel procedures;
in-country resources;
health and safety resources and information;
culture shock and resources to help prepare for living abroad.

All students are encouraged to register with the prior to departure.

You can also review a wide variety of resources we’ve pulled together for you on our “Before You Go” page.

Country Profile

You can learn more about your destination(s), including travel advisories, through the .

In addition, we encourage you to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel page for for traveling to your destination(s).

If vaccinations or medications are needed according to the CDC, you should make arrangements for appointments with your healthcare provider or the DeWeese Health Center as soon as possible. Appointment openings at the DeWeese Health Center are limited and vaccines may need to be ordered, which takes time. Please note that not all immunizations are available at the DeWeese Health Center.

Visa Information

A visa is a document required by many countries, in addition to your passport, that allows you to enter the country for a certain purpose (whether that’s to stay, transit, or exit). Essentially, it is the country's government giving you legal permission to enter their country to travel, study, work, etc.

Please note, it is solely the responsibility of the student to:

determine the entry, transit, and stay requirements for the country or countries to which they will travel,
and to apply for any necessary visas, stay permits, or any other immigration requirements of the host nation(s).

It is also the responsibility of the student to:

verify the correct documentation required to apply for the required visa(s),
apply for the visa(s) early enough to ensure there is enough processing time,
and pay any fees associated with obtaining the visa(s).

��MŮ��'s Office of Global Education is available to provide general guidance regarding student visa requirements and procedures; however, each student who travels abroad is expected to manage their own legal obligations regarding international travel.

It is strongly recommended by the Office of Global Education that you carefully review the appropriate consulate or embassy website for the nation(s) you plan to visit in order to determine current entry/study/exit visa requirements.

Costs and Funding

Costs for the program will differ for every student. You can use our Cost Calculator to get an estimate of what you might expect for your program.

We also encourage you to meet with your Education Abroad Advisor and the Financial Aid Counselor for Education Abroad to see how your aid may apply to an international program by emailing finaideducationabroad@kent.edu.

Ethan and two friends sitting on the colorful Escadaria Selarón

Ethan Cregan

Entrepreneurship

“This photo comes from one of the prettiest and most colorful landmarks in all of Brazil. The awesome, decorated stairs are known as Escadaria Selarón. I really liked them because I love art and I also think they capture the essence of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio is such a colorful, alive city and you can really feel the energy of the people when you are there. I think it just might have some of the most fun and happiest people anywhere on the planet. The people are always dancing samba and playing music! The steps have little ceramics with paintings of different places on them going all the way up and I think this also represents how much of a melting pot Rio is with all its many types of people from all ends of the world.”

Your Journey is Just Beginning

Why Go Abroad

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