Brazilian Portuguese Language and Society
São Paulo, Brazil
Six-Week Program: June 9 – July 19, 2026
Application Deadline: February 6, 2026
Click HERE if you would like to learn more about our 4-week program (6 credits)
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 (9 credits)
PORT 3050: Immersive Grammar & Writing (3 credits) OR PORT 3150: Immersive Grammar & Writing II (3 credits)
AND PORT 6150: Contemporary Social Issues in Brazil (3 credits)
AND PORT 6910: Special Topics (3 credits)
All Tulane credits are transferable to other institutions. Note that Language Courses (PORT 3050 or 3150) are listed at the Undergraduate level. The Content Courses (PORT 6150 and 6910) are mixed-level graduate or undergraduate courses.
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 on-site. Students complete the written exam in early May and receive a provisional 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
Students will live in apartments with local roommates. Apartments are fully equipped and furnished and are located within a 15-minute walk from the campus. Generally, students 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. They will be required to pay a security deposit to be returned to them at the end of the program. Student will be responsible for all their meals. 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.
Disclaimer: Final housing assignments are dependent on enrollment and availability. Tulane and CET reserve the right to pursue alternative housing options if necessary.
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.
Students should arrive the morning of the Program Start Date and depart anytime on the Program End Date. 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 Paratay, a colonial city in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Shorter trips will take students to learn from important historical and cultural sites around São Paulo. In the past, destinations have included the Museu Afro-Brazil, Museu de Arte São Paulo, Memorial da Resistencia, Avenida Paulista, and the Soccer Museum. In addition, 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.
Cost
Total cost: Final program cost will depend on enrollment; it will not exceed $8,500 USD (total cost including Tuition AND Housing/Logistics Fee).
If in-person, Tuition and fees include 9 Tulane credits, international medical insurance, transportation from the São Paulo airport upon arrival, housing, and all costs associated with group activities and excursions. Tuition and fees do NOT include airfare to/from Brazil, passport/visa expenses, transportation to airport for departure, meals, vaccinations, laundry, and other incidentals.
Financial aid
The Stone Center manages a limited number of in-house grants for the Summer in Brazil Four-Week Program. Interested students should review Stone Center funding opportunities for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. You'll find more information about on our resource pages for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. The Stone Center Funding Deadline is February 6, 2026.
Tulane students may also check out this chart of undergraduate funding opportunities across Tulane's campus.
Non-Tulane Students should explore options at their home institutions. This program is designed to meet all requirements of the Federal Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) grant.
Undergraduate Students: Scholarships are available through CET’s access partner, the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA). FEA funds undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are studying abroad for the first time for a minimum of two weeks. Awards range from $1,000 to $10,000. For more information or to apply, please visit the Fund for Education Abroad website.
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 will be waived for FLAS applicants who contact sclassum@tulane.edu). From there, all registration will be processed by Stone Center staff. Students will initially be enrolled in one 3-credit Latin American Studies placeholder course, used for billing purposes only. After completing the language placement exam, they will be enrolled in their respective culture and language courses.
Tuition and fees will be charged to student accounts in the late spring. Students are responsible for making sure that 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: http://gibson.tulane.edu.
Refund and Cancellation Policy
Applicants to Stone Center and CCSI Summer Abroad Programs are required to pay a non-refundable 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 data of cancellation is the date this official written notification is received by the Stone Center/CCSI. The refund schedule below applied to all students regardless of the date of application or the circumstances of the cancellation.
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 Stone Center staff 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 through 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 2030 or PORT 2000 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.
Application 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 6, 2026
APPLY NOW
Contact Information
If you have questions or would like more information, contact the Stone Center:
Phone: (504) 862 - 8629
Email: sclassum@tulane.edu
100 Jones Hall, Tulane Uptown Campus
