CET Brazil Study Abroad: Business

CET Brazil: Business At-A-Glance

Study business with an added focus on social sustainability
Direct-enroll electives at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV)
Elective options in English and Portuguese
Live with a Brazilian roommate
Traveling Seminar to Salvador da Bahia
Portuguese language classes for all levels
Out-of-class learning and assignments
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Fall

SPRING

Fall

SPring

As a study abroad student at CET Brazil: Business in São Paulo at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), you get a world-class business education with an emphasis on social sustainability. Take direct-enroll classes alongside Brazilian undergraduates at AACSB-accredited FGV, a core course that applies a lens of careful ethics and social issues towards business practices, and even go on a Traveling Seminar to witness responsible business models in action. 

Academics in Brazil

Semester
Snapshot

Curriculum & Syllabi

You take one core course, a Portuguese language class, and direct-enroll electives to meet the total 15 to 18 recommended credits.

You add direct-enroll electives to meet the total 15 to 18 recommended credits. These classes are 2 to 4 credits each and taught at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) in either English or Portuguese. To take a Portuguese-taught direct-enroll course, you are required to take FGV’s language placement test to determine eligibility. Courses vary each term, but electives that have previously run include:

Business & marketing
  • Digital Business Strategy 
  • Entrepreneurial Experience 
  • Global Marketing 
  • Corruption and Corporate Misconduct 
  • Lean Innovation 
  • Marketing for Low-Income Consumers 
  • Negotiation 
  • ESG and Institutional Investment 
  • Corporate Governance 
  • People Management 
Global & Area Studies
  • Global Corruption 
  • The Brazilian Economy 
  • Fundamentals of Global Health 
  • Latin America: A Geopolitical Guide 
  • Political Science 
  • International Financial and Monetary Relations 
Accounting
  • Financial Accounting 
  • Sustainable Accounting and Finance 
Information Technology and Data
  • Management of Information Technology 
  • Modeling for Decision Support 

CET converts final grades from FGV to US letter grade equivalents.

Professor looks at screen and students smile while in a class

Gain a new perspective on business

Mindful business methods. Your core course, Socially Sustainable Business in Brazil, uses the country’s environmental and social diversity as a case study for exploring sustainability in three distinct realms: financial, environmental, and supply chain management. By the end of the term, you leave São Paulo with a sharpened business acumen attuned to responsible best practices. 

Fundação Getúlio Vargas. The program is hosted by Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), an internationally renowned private university known for its excellence in business education. With triple international accreditation (including AACSB International, the same accreditation system that US business schools use), FGV plays a leading role in Brazil. Campus is right by Paulista Avenue, a major business center—making it easily accessible via public transport and filled with plenty to do. 

Traveling Seminar to Salvador da Bahia

Journey to a port town along the northeastern coast to learn about its history as a major port of entry for African slaves and its present-day status as a hub for entrepreneurs working to reduce the racial wealth gap in Brazil.
 
Day 1: Arrive and attend an open-air jazz concert at the Museum of Modern Art.
Day 2: Visit Dendê Valley, a local start-up accelerator that prioritizes marginalized entrepreneurs.
Day 3Head to a cocoa farm and get to now the sustainable business structures within the production process.
Day 4: See the Folkloric Ballet of Salvador at the Miguel Santana Theatre.
Day 5: Visit Steve Biko, an organization dedicated to providing resources for Afro-Brazilian teens that want to to pursue a college degree. 
Day 6: Board a schooner to island hop while enjoying live music.
Day 7: Meet with Salvador da Bahia Hub, a group of young professionals serving the local community through creative entrepreneurship. 
Day 8: Fly back to São Paulo.

Housing and Meals

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Living Like a Local

Local Roommates. Sharing an apartment with a local student can teach you everything you need to know about Brazilian college life. Where to find the best pão de queijo (cheese bread) for on-the-go snacking. What mobile apps are used locally. Which trails to hike in Ibirapuera Park. It’s no wonder students often tell us that their roommate is “one of the best parts of the program.” Learn more about living with a local roommate. 

Eating in São Paulo. For meals, take advantage of the city’s vibrant food scene and try all the local specialties. Brigadeiro (condensed milk-based chocolate truffle), anyone? Feeling like a home-cooked meal? Grab ingredients at the farmers’ market and have a night in with your roommates. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Brazil. 

Four CET Brazil study abroad students and their local roommates pose in front of a street art mural

Life in São Paulo

Student in Brazil stands on a balcony looking up at the sun, smiling, with the Sao Paulo skyline behind her

São Paulo is a diverse and vibrant city, filled with countless things to do. Go to a weekend festival. Explore the thriving food and drink scene in the Vila Madalena neighborhood. Learn to make feijoada (black bean and meat stew). Find your favorite café in Perdizes, the neighborhood you call home. Hang out with friends at a boteco (corner bar). Walk up and down a car-free Avenida Paulista on Sundays and listen to live music as you shop with local vendors. Attend a soccer match at the stadium. And if you’re studying abroad in the spring, get ready for Carnaval…

Experience São Paulo with CET

Around the city. Each term, the program offers different extra-curricular activities that allow you to explore São Paulo and Brazilian culture. You might attend a soccer match with the group, spend an afternoon learning samba, or even unwind during a karaoke night. And there’s even more to see on your own or with friends.

A Weekend Away. Spend the weekend in Paraty, a colonial city in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Go on guided visits of colonial sites and monuments. Hike through the rainforest to a waterfall and stop by a local distillery. Visit Ilha do Araújo and meet local fishermen depending on livelihoods that are both traditional and sustainable. Then join a local community leader and learn about traditional medicine before enjoying a homemade meal. Then enjoy plenty of free time to explore the area—relax on the beach, visit local craft shops, or try traditional local foods. 

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Student Resources

"Living with Brazilian roommates is a very important part to the language and cultural exchange, but more importantly, my roommates are inspiring and incredible human beings that I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet."

— Katie Strine,
American University | Fall student
"There are a lot of hours spent in class, but the homework is very reasonable. I love that we have the freedom to pursue and explore our own interests within academic settings and with the support of our professors."

— Hazel Fillmore-Brady,
Kalamazoo College | Fall student
"My Brazilian roommate has become one of my best friends; we still talk every week. I have heard of some students struggling to connect with people on their abroad programs, but I don't think anyone in my program would say they experienced that. We became a family; all the international students, the Brazilian students, and even the faculty and staff. It quickly became a second home."

— Amanda Ortiz,
Macalester College | Spring student
"Some of my fondest memories of the semester are simply hanging out with my roommates just exchanging words, cracking jokes, and laughing at each other. If you truly want cultural immersion, this is the right program for you - the Brazilian roommates will make sure you meet more locals, eat local foods, see unknown sights, and master the language."

— Jack Nudelman,
Johns Hopkins University | Spring student
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On-site Staff

Súlia Folli
Senior Resident Director

Mariana Jansen Ferreira, PhD
Senior Academic Coordinator

Vinícius Rodrigues
Academic Coordinator

Leandro Tardin
Resident Coordinator

Program Fees

Fall/Spring

$19,990

What's Included

All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.

We arrange your housing in a fully-furnished apartment about a 10-minute walk from campus. Your program fees go toward rent, utilities, furnishing, and other management costs.
 

We take you to Salvador da Bahia for a Traveling Seminar. Just bring a camera and your intellectual curiosity.

The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!

From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way. 

You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.

We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. You do the legwork, but we’ll make sure you have the documents & information you need, when you need it.

Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.

At the end of your term, you’ll receive academic documentation as proof of all you’ve accomplished abroad. Depending on your home institution, you will either get a CET grade report or a School of Record transcript from the University of Minnesota.

More on finances

Three female students smile in front of a beach town in Brazil
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $17,590 goes to tuition and fees, and $2,400 goes to housing and other student life fees.

Local Cost of Living. The cost of living in São Paulo is generally lower than that of bigger US cities. Produce is cheap (particularly if purchased at farmers’ markets), and you can find lunch for as little as 6 to 7 USD. As with any major city, your spending can vary widely depending on your own habits and lifestyle.

Estimated out-of-pocket expenses: 

How to Apply

  • •  Pre-requisites: None. Open to students of any Portuguese level, including absolute beginners
  • •  Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation.
  • •  Open to students from any US college or university
  • •  GPA: 3.0 or higher preferred, but admissions decisions are made on a case-by-case basis;  lower GPAs still encouraged to apply

Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.

Upload a scan of your passport to your online CET account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.

Use the link in your online account to send a recommendation request to one of your previous instructors.

This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements to study abroad. To send the electronic form request,  simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your online account.

Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.

Application
Deadlines

Fall Semester:

April 1

Spring Semester:

October 1

Have a question? Get in touch!

Melanie MacKenzie

Manager, Student Services 
202.846.7662
[email protected]

Price Subject to Change:

CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.

Course Availability

Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us
 

CET Jordan: Academic Consultation Board

Over the years, we’ve built a strong network of locally-based faculty that we’re proud to call our peers. These faculty make up our Academic Consultation Board—a select group of local voices and thought leaders that help advise and shape components of the CET Jordan program. 

Board members support the program in many ways, including but not limited to:

Academic Consultation Board Members

Learn More about our Programs