Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

PONTIFICA UNIVERSIDADE CATOLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
One exchange program is sponsored by SDSU International Business Program.
For more information, contact: ib@mail.sdsu.edu at the International Business Program or
Contact studyabroad@sdsu.edu at the International Student Center for more information

Another exchange program is sponsored by ISEP .
For more information, contact: Robert Carolin at the International Student Center

Rio de Janeiro
Language of instruction: Portuguese
Academic year or Semester Exchanges
http://www.puc-rio.br
Business Majors please click here

The Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO) is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil is the world's fifth largest country in physical size and population and covers half of South America. It is home to the world's largest rain forest and a prime source of the world's fresh oxygen and water. Rio is one of the world's largest tropical cities. It is also one of the world's most densely populated places (population 13 million), and the top tourist destination in all of South America.

Jesuits founded PUC-RIO in 1941. PUC-RIO is one of the top five universities in Brazil and one of the top 2 universities in Rio de Janeiro. It enrolls 20,000 students and offers a range of undergraduate, master's, and professional degrees. PUC-RIO is located in Gávea, one of the most aristocratic districts near the forest Its campus is a pleasant green area divided by an exquisite water stream; small monkeys and squirrels can be seen jumping in the trees.

PUC-RIO's campus has 2 restaurants (from US$3.50 to US$10 for a complete meal), 5 coffee shops, 1pizza-parlor; a bookstore; a copy center; a bank agency; a post office; and a newsstand. Close to the campus there is a great number of varied shops, bank agencies, specialized bookstores, restaurants and even a mall. The Botanical Garden and Leblon beach are within a walking distance.

THE LANGUAGE

The Department of Letters offers Portuguese for Foreigners in regular and intensive courses, at 5 levels of proficiency. A placement test given on the first day of classes indicating the appropriate level for each student. Because Portuguese and Spanish are very similar languages, Spanish and Portuguese speakers can communicate with each other. For this reason, if you haven't studied Portuguese but can speak Spanish with average fluency or better, you can be accepted for the PUC-RIO program after taking its intensive Pre-term Portuguese for Foreigners Course.

INTENSIVE PRE-TERM COURSES are also offered twice a year: January/February and July (at additional cost)

HOUSING

PUC-Rio doesn't have dormitories. Students may choose between:

Family housing - a private room in a family home with breakfast. Most of the host families live nearby the University not further than a 15-20 minutes city bus ride (US$0.60 fare) to the campus. Prices range from US$300 to US$350./month

A rental apartment - a private apartment near the campus. Students must be prepared to leave a down payment as a guarantee. Prices are usually around US$800 for a 2 bedroom in neighborhoods near PUC-Rio, like Ipanema and Copacabana. The same type of apartment in Gávea would cost around US$950. Sharing the apartment with other students is always a good way to minimize high prices.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

PUC-RIO's academic calendar: March-December. Students can be accepted for enrollment in either term.