June 7 - July 19, 2025
Applications due February 5, 2025
Funding Deadline (Vanderbilt FLAS and Stone Center Summer Intensive Language Study): February 1, 2025
See below for more details
Please contact sclassum@tulane.edu with any questions about the program or application process. If we cannot answer your question directly, we will forward it to the appropriate member of our faculty or staff.
Program Overview
This 6-week summer program, sponsored by the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane and the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx studies at Vanderbilt University caters to graduate and undergraduate students who wish to achieve a high level of Portuguese fluency through immersion in Brazilian culture. With language classes at the intermediate and advanced levels, it allows students to study with experienced faculty while living with local families or college students in the Sao Paulo neighborhood of Perdizes. Each participant enrolls in two Tulane credit-bearing courses organized by our partner institution CET. During morning Portuguese language courses, they engage with Brazilian art, film, and literature to hone their grammatical skills. In the afternoons, they delve into the current cultural, social, and political landscape of Sao Paulo in “Contemporary Social Issues in Brazil." Outside of the classroom, participants can explore Sao Paulo and its surroundings through organized excursions to museums, landmarks, and historic sites, and set off on personal adventures with friends and roommates.
About Sao Paulo
With a population of more than 20 million people, Sao Paulo is the largest metropolitan area in the Southern Hemisphere and the most important industrial center in Latin America. Though founded in 1554 by Jesuit missionaries (on the anniversary of the conversion of St. Paul, from whom the city takes its name), the city truly blossomed in the late 1900s when coffee became a major Brazilian export. By the middle of the twentieth century, the city had overtaken Rio de Janeiro in population and GDP, and it remains an economic powerhouse and an international leader in industries from heavy manufacturing to technology to international banking and global trade. The economy has given rise to a dynamic, multicultural population with immigrants from all over the world. For example, though the largest percentages of the population identify as of Portuguese, Italian, or African descent, the city is also home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.
The diversity of the population leads to a vibrant, eclectic social and cultural scene. Especially since the early 2000s, the city has invested in energizing its streets and neighborhoods, which now boast an array of trendy restaurants, bars, and clubs. Thanks to the Clean City Law restricting outdoor advertising, one can appreciate both the city’s innovative architecture and the explosion of street murals that have cropped up to replace the signage. For more than a century, Sao Paulo has been a leading city for the fine arts: It boasts globally renowned centers like the Sao Paulo Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Municipal Theatre, as well as a wealth of smaller galleries and venues. The town also has much to offer sports fans: it is home to four major soccer teams alone and has major centers for swimming, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and auto racing. Add to this the special events like the Parada do Orgulha Gay, the largest gay pride parade in the world, and there is always something exciting to do or see.
The city’s temperate climate makes it easy to enjoy all it has to offer. Though transected by the Tropic of Capricorn, the city, which is known as the “Cidade de Garoa,” or the city of drizzle, enjoys moderate temperatures because of its situation on a plateau in the Brazilian highlands. Average temperatures range between 58 degrees during the winter and 69 degrees during the hottest summer months.
About Brazilian Portuguese
Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world and is an official language in nine nations. Of the more than 220 million native speakers, approximately 95% of them live in Brazil. Brazilian Portuguese differs from the language spoken in Portugal in important details such as the second-person address. The language taught in this program will follow Brazilian norms.
About CET
CET Academic Programs has been a leader in international education since 1982. Originally founded as “China Educational Tours,” the company has now expanded to manage programs in 16 countries on 3 different continents. The organization has overseen a semester-long program in Sao Paulo since 2015, and the Stone Center draws upon the experience, networks, and resources of CET managers and local staff to make our Summer in Brazil program a success. For more information about CET, visit their website: cetacademicprograms.com.
Academics
All students enroll in 2 courses for a total of 6-7 Tulane credits transferable to other institutions. In general, classes meet daily Monday-Thursday: language courses in the morning and content courses in the afternoon. There are no classes on Friday; though there may be additional co-curricular excursions and activities. This schedule may vary to make room for excursions and holidays.
Courses Offered
+ Intermediate Immersive Portuguese (3-4 credits) OR
+ Advance Immersive Portuguese (3 credits) AND
+ Contemporary Social Issues in Brazil (3 credits; graduate level course) – see details below
A Note on Language Placement
Final course enrollment will be determined by the CET Language Placement Exam. Students will be enrolled in the language course corresponding to their assessed proficiency regardless of their previous coursework. In some cases, students may be required to repeat a course already completed at their home institution. In this case, the student is responsible for discussing the situation with their academic advisor to determine if and how they might receive credit. Under no circumstances will a student be placed in a more advanced language course simply for the purpose of receiving credit. Language placement decisions are final and definitive.
Acceptance to the Summer in Brazil program is contingent upon the achievement of at least intermediate Portuguese-language proficiency. Students who fail to pass the threshold evaluation score will be rejected from the program. In this case, refunds will be considered according to the policy outlined below.
The CET Language Placement Exam is comprised of two components: a written exam and an oral interview conducted via videoconference. Students complete the exam in early May and receive their course placement prior to departure in June. CET staff and faculty are fully responsible for exam form and content, as well as for evaluating its results.
Contemporary Social Issues in Brazil
All students will be enrolled in Contemporary Social Issues in Brazil (3 credits; graduate level). The program hosts two sections of the course, one for graduate students and advanced undergraduates and another for early to mid-career undergraduates. Co-taught by Brazilian instructors from various disciplines, the course provides an overview of the cultural, historical, sociological, and political forces that shape the experiences of 21st-Century Brazilian peoples. Students will discuss social concepts like citizenship, religion, race, and development in the local context and explore in-depth some of the various Brazilian social welfare programs (health, retirement, education, etc). All class meetings will be conducted in Portuguese, though appropriate accommodations will be made for less advanced language learners. Students will engage with course materials through daily readings (in English and Portuguese), lectures, discussions, and cultural excursions. Their performance will be evaluated on attendance, participation, and a final paper written in Portuguese. By the end of the class, students should be able to identify the social and cultural currents that shape Brazilian realities, to connect these currents to their political, historical and philosophical roots, and to assess and debate the Brazilian welfare state. More importantly, they will be able to engage in these discussions in the target language both amongst themselves and with native Portuguese speakers.
Housing and Meals
Summer in Brazil offers two housing options: a family homestay or an apartment shared with Brazilian university students. Students will be able to indicate their preferences during the registration process, though assignments will ultimately depend on enrollment and availability.
Those who choose a homestay will be placed with a local family experienced in hosting foreign students. They will likely have their own bedroom, though they may be required to share with another program participant in the case of high enrollment. Their host families will provide breakfast every morning, but the student will be responsible for the rest of their meals.
Those who choose to stay in apartments will be placed in fully equipped and furnished apartments within a 15-minute walk from the campus. Generally, they will share a double-occupancy bedroom with either another program participant or a Brazilian university student. They will share all other common spaces with 2-4 other program affiliates. Upon arrival, each one will receive a stipend with which to buy groceries used to prepare breakfasts in their home kitchen. (NOTE: This stipend is intended to cover the cost of ingredients for homemade breakfasts, not to eat out every morning.) Students who live in an apartment will be required to pay a security deposit to be returned to them at the end of the program.
All program-provided housing is available during the Program Dates ONLY. Students who wish to arrive early or stay after the program ends should make their own housing arrangements.
Travel
Students must book their own tickets to/from Brazil. Tulane students are required and Non-Tulane students are highly encouraged to make use of World Travel Services/Concur to purchase airfare. For more information, see the booking instructions available on the Travel Management website.
Further instruction with precise arrival and departure windows will be circulated in acceptance and orientation materials.
Excursions
Summer in Brazil offers a mix of mandatory and optional excursions to help students explore the city and its surroundings. Students will go on one overnight excursion to Paraty, a colonial city in the state of Rio de Janeiro. There, they will go on guided visits of colonial sites and monuments, witness the sustainable economies of local fishermen, learn about traditional medicine, and explore the natural wonders on hikes along the beach and through the mountains.
Other mandatory excursions will take students to learn from important historical and cultural sites around Sao Paulo. In the past, destinations have included the Museu Afro-Brazil, Museu de Arte Sao Paulo, Memorial da Resistencia, Avenida Paulista, and the Soccer Museum. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to explore together through optional organized activities such as a trip to the theatre, a hike up the Pedra Grande Trail, or a night of Karaoke.
Program Cost: $7,850
Tuition: $5,000
Housing and Logistics Fees: $2,850
Tuition and fees includes 6-7 Tulane credits with all corresponding instructional materials. Housing and logistics fees cover expenses for housing, breakfast or breakfast stipend, GeoBlue international medical insurance, transportation from the airport to housing in São Paulo, in-country excursions, group activities and celebrations, and some group meals. Program costs do NOT include travel to/from Brazil, most meals, or personal expenses such as souvenirs, laundry, etc.
Financial Aid
Summer in Brazil has been designed to meet all requirements of the federal FLAS grant, which may cover much of the cost.
Tulane students should apply for funding directly through Vanderbilt University (link to the application will be posted soon). The Vanderbilt FLAS Application Deadline is February 1, 2025.
The Stone Center also manages a limited number of in-house grants. Interested students should review Stone Center funding opportunities for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. They may also check out this chart of opportunities for undergraduate funding across Tulane's campus.
Non-Tulane students are encouraged to speak with the FLAS coordinator at their university to see if they qualify.
Registration and Billing
Students will receive admission decisions within 3-4 weeks of the application deadline. Once admitted, they will be asked to pay a program deposit of $500 to secure their spot. (This deposit is REQUIRED to secure participation and will not be waived except under extenuating circumstances. Students facing severe financial hardship should communicate with both sclassum@tulane.edu and their FLAS coordinator to request accommodations. This deposit will be subtracted from the total program fee at time of billing.
All registration will be processed by Stone Center staff. In mid-May, students will be enrolled in one 3-credit Latin American Studies placeholder course, used for billing purposes only. After students’ language placement in Brazil, they will be enrolled in their respective culture and language courses.
Tuition and fees are charged to Tulane student accounts in the late Spring. Students are responsible for making sure the bill is paid in full according to the policies outlined on the Accounts Receivable website. Students can access their accounts through the Gibson Portal.
For FLAS Students: The Stone Center works closely with FLAS coordinators at other institutions. However, every school has a different policy regarding the issuance of funds: some pay the full bill directly to Tulane, some pay tuition directly to Tulane and issue the living stipend to individual students (the student must use the living stipend to pay housing/logistics fees), and others issue the entire award to students to pay their own tuition and housing/logistics fees. Each student is responsible for making sure that his/her bill is paid in full and on time. If you have questions or foresee potential issues, please contact sclassum@tulane.edu, cc’ing your FLAS coordinator.
Refund and Cancelation Policy
Applicants to Stone Center and CCSI Summer Abroad Programs are required to pay a non-refundable commitment deposit of $500.00 by the commitment deadline indicated in their acceptance letter. This deposit will be subtracted from the total program fee at time of billing. If an admitted student decides to withdraw from the program after commitment but before the program start date, the student must send written notification of the withdrawal to program administrators. This notification must be in writing and sent to sclassum@tulane.edu. The effective date of cancellation is the date this official written notification is received by the Stone Center/CCSI. The refund schedule below applies to all students regardless of the date of application or the circumstances of the cancellation.
If a student cancels their reservation in the program less than 60 days prior to the Program start date, Tulane will charge a cancellation fee according to the following Cancellation Fee Schedule.
- Withdrawal or cancellation from 31 to 59 days prior to the Program start date - the cancellation fee is $500 plus all non-recoverable costs.
- Withdrawal or cancellation from 1 to 30 days prior to the Program start date - the cancellation fee is 50% of the published Program fee or the total amount of non-recoverable costs, whichever is higher.
- Tulane will be entitled to retain the entire Program fee for withdrawals or cancellations occurring on or after the Program start date.
Accessibility and Accommodations
The Stone Center is committed to making all its programs accessible to all students. Persons requiring special facilities or accommodations should notify the Stone Center as soon as possible. All effort will be made to accommodate their needs, but students should be aware that reasonable accommodation may be required.
Medical Insurance and Travel Emergency Assistance
CET will enroll Summer in Brazil students in a comprehensive study abroad medical insurance policy provided through GeoBlue. This insurance is included in the cost of the program.
Tulane provides students with travel emergency assistance through Crisis24. Information about this program is available on the Tulane Global website.
Applicant Eligibility
Both Tulane and non-Tulane students at the graduate and undergraduate levels are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have a GPA of at least 2.5 and the equivalent of two semesters of Portuguese-language classes (PORT 2000 or 2030 for Tulane students). They may be interviewed to determine their language proficiency during the application process. Applicants must have a passport valid for at least six months following the program end date.
Application Materials
Applications are available through the Tulane Study Abroad portal
Applicaiton requires a faculty recommendation from the applicant's most recent language instructor. If you cannot provide a recommendation from your language instructor, please contact sclassum@tulane.edu to make alternative arrangements.
Application Deadline: February 5, 2025
Questions?
Contact the Stone Center
Phone: (504) 862 – 8629
Email: sclassum@tulane.edu
100 Jones Hall, Tulane Uptown Campus
