Facts
- Programme dates: Monday 13 to Friday 24 July 2026
- Programme length: 2 weeks
- Location: Belo Horizonte
- Programme: The programme covers Brazilian politics, history, international relations geology, law, economy, arts, culture, race and Portuguese language at beginner or intermediate level.
- Language of instruction: English
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais is ranked 16th in the QS World Rankings: Latin America 2022. 72,000 people form the university community in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Montes Claros, Diamantina and Tiradentes. UFMG hosts 77 undergraduate courses, 80 postgraduate courses and more than 900 research centres.
Things to do
Translated as 'beautiful horizon', Belo Horizonte is the sixth largest city in Brazil and the capital city of the federal state of Minas Gerais.
Built on hills and surrounded by mountains, Belo Horizonte is home to several large parks and the Jambeiro Woods (Mata do Jambeiro) nature reserve, which extends over 912 hectares and is home to over 100 species of birds and ten species of mammals.
Top attractions: Instituto de Arte Contemporânea Inhotim (museum); Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (Arts Centre); Mineirão and Museu Brasileiro do Futebol (stadium, museum); Gruta da Lapinha (cave); Parque Municipal (park).
Cultural activities
UFMG have arranged the following cultural activities for summer 2026: Movie Club; day trip to the historical city of Minas Gerais (Ouro Preto); visit to Inhotim Institute and a Luau.
The Buddy Program also includes welcome and farewell activites on the Sunday before the academic programme and the Saturday after the academic programme has finished.
Travel opportunities
Belo Horizonte Airport (CNF), also known as Tancredo Neves International Airport offers direct flights to many destinations within Brazil and two direct flights to destinations outside Brazil:
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 1 hour
- São Paulo, Brazil: 1.5 hours
- Panama City, Panama: 7 hours
- Lisbon, Portugal: 9.5 hours
Climate
Belo Horizonte has a tropical climate with a dry season from May to September. July is one of the winter months in the southern hemisphere and the coldest month of the year, however the weather in Belo Horizonte is usually warm with average highs of 25.7ºC and average lows of 13.5ºC.
Finance
All students nominated to the UFMG Summer School in Brazilian Studies will receive a tuition fee waiver funded by UFMG and the University of Nottingham. Students who meet Turing's widening access criteria will be prioritised.
Turing funding
Priority is given to eligible students who meet Turing's widening access criteria and participate in a summer school of at least 14 days, excluding travel days.
A Standard grant may be available to students who have declared special educational needs or a disability (SEND) to the university. Students eligible for SEND funding will be assessed separately to Turing's widening access criteria.
Please be aware that Turing funding is limited and not guaranteed and students should not rely on this funding when considering applying for international summer schools.
Turing widening access funding rates
| | Amount | Payment |
|---|
| Widening access grant rate for 14 days, including welcome activites on Sunday 12 July and farewell activities on Saturday 25 July |
£294 |
After the Confirmation of Arrival certificate has been completed and returned to UoN |
|---|
| Widening access one-off travel grant |
Maximum £905 |
Once travel payment receipts have been provided.
Covers up to one return journey including transfers; students will only be reimbursed the total amount spent.
|
|---|
| Widening access maximum total: |
£1,199
|
|
|---|
Turing standard funding rates
| | Amount | Payment |
|---|
| Standard grant rate for 14 days, including welcome activities on Sunday 12 July and farewell activities on Saturday 25 July |
£238 |
After the Confirmation of Arrival certificate has been completed and returned to UoN |
|---|
Successful summer school applicants who are awarded Turing funding are not eligible for any additional bursaries offered by the University of Nottingham for an international summer school.
Please visit the FAQs Finance section for further information on Turing's widening access criteria.
Butex scholarships
Competitive scholarships of £600 are available through Butex British Student Mobility. Applications will open in April/May 2026. Please visit the Butex website for further information:
Butex scholarships
Costs
Below are the approximate costs you will need to budget for in order to participate in the summer school:
| Return flight UK (av. 13-25 hours) |
£1,100+ |
- Tuition and course materials
- extracurricular activities and field trips, including transportation
- Accomodation in University Housing
- Three meals per day from Monday to Friday
|
Waived |
| Meals and refreshments outside the scholarship |
Personal |
| Visa/entry to Brazil |
£0 for UK nationals |
| Health and travel insurance |
£150+ |
| Approximate budget range |
£1,300 - 1,700 |
Approximate living costs are compiled from external sources and the partner university website. Exchange rates may vary, currency exchange rate as of January 2026.
Accommodation
UFMG will offer students accommodation for the summer school; rooms will have single beds in a common environment, with a kitchen and bench separating the bedroom from the kitchen. The kitchen area includes a table, chairs, a stove, refridgerator and cabinets.
Students will be given the exact arrival and departure dates will be confirmed in due course.
Further information
UFMG Summer School website
Equaldex: Brazil LGBTQ+