Market Snapshot: Brazil

Brazil is Latin America’s largest country and one of the world’s most significant outbound student markets. With a population of around 213.7 million and more than 89,000 tertiary students studying abroad in 2023, more than twice the number recorded in 2015, the scale of opportunity is substantial. But it is not straightforward. Income inequality, exchange-rate volatility, and uneven English proficiency mean the market is highly segmented, and success depends on understanding which students you are recruiting and through which channel.

Key findings

• Canada is the only Big Four destination showing growth, up 5.2% year-on-year to June 2026, with a strong recent three-month trend of +15.2%. The US is broadly flat, down 0.6% year-on-year to February 2026. The UK is down 4.7% year-on-year to June 2026. Australia remains a marginal market for Brazilian students, down 0.7% year-on-year.
• Argentina and Portugal are the leading alternative destinations beyond the Big Four. Argentina historically draws students to medicine through proximity and lower costs. Portugal attracts full-degree students through shared language and access to European qualifications. Ireland, France, Germany, and Spain are also growing in relevance.
• The market divides into two distinct segments. In major capital cities, highly qualified and self-directed students are more likely to pursue direct entry. In affluent tier-two cities, high-net-worth families typically require end-to-end guidance, creating a strong environment for pathway conversions through the agent network.
• Brazilian students are highly price-sensitive. In the UK, demand is strongest where scholarships, discounts, and shorter postgraduate degrees reduce the total cost. In the US, scholarship offerings are vital to attracting Brazilian students. Australia’s tuition, living, and travel costs make it a relatively expensive option for Brazilian families.
• Business and Management is the dominant subject area across all three Big Four destinations at Masters level and at undergraduate level in the UK and US. In Australia, Information Technology leads at undergraduate level (42%), with Management and Commerce second (24%). In the UK, Design and Creative and Performing Arts is the second most popular undergraduate subject (15%). In the US, Engineering features strongly alongside Business at undergraduate level (12%).
• The Brazilian real has strengthened against the US dollar (-4.72%) and pound (-3.04%) over the past year, offering a modest affordability improvement for UK and US study. However it has weakened against the Australian dollar (+5.07%), making Australia less competitive.
• Brazil has 22 universities in the 2027 QS rankings, down 13 since 2023, with no institutions in the top 100 and only 1 in the top 200. The average TOEFL iBT score is 88. English proficiency varies considerably by income, education, and location, making language preparation an important part of the student journey.
• Brazil’s gross tertiary enrolment rate has risen from 61% in 2022 to almost 70% in 2024, but access, completion, and quality remain uneven. Tuition-free public universities are highly selective, while private providers enrol approximately 77% of tertiary students.
• Transnational education in Brazil remains small, focused mainly on online or blended learning, joint and dual degrees, and institutional partnerships rather than branch campuses. Expansion is likely to be gradual due to complex regulation, uneven English proficiency, and recognition challenges.

Why it matters

• Brazil’s outbound market has more than doubled since 2015. The trajectory is clear, but the opportunity is concentrated. Providers that can segment effectively between direct-entry and pathway pipelines, and between major city and tier-two markets, are better positioned than those treating Brazil as a single homogeneous market.
• Canada’s growth momentum and the US’s relative stability signal continued demand for North American study. However, tighter study-permit rules in Canada are likely to constrain future demand, and the US pipeline depends on maintaining institutional choice, reputation, and post-study work opportunities that Brazilian students prioritise.
• Price sensitivity is structural, not cyclical. Scholarships, programme length, and post-study work outcomes are often more decisive than institutional prestige for Brazilian families. Providers with a clear and accessible value proposition will consistently outperform those leading on reputation alone
• Argentina and Portugal are not just alternative destinations. They are culturally embedded first choices for a significant portion of the market. The case for English-language study needs to be made explicitly and early in the student journey.
• TNE growth potential exists but is gradual. The strongest near-term opportunities are in online or blended postgraduate programmes, dual degrees, and short courses in partnership with established Brazilian universities.