Primary and Secondary Schools in Brazil

In Brazil, primary and secondary schooling is called basic education (educação básica). The national education law, the Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDB, Law 9,394 of 1996), divides it into early-childhood education (educação infantil), fundamental education (ensino fundamental) and secondary education (ensino médio). Basic education is compulsory and free in public schools from age 4 to 17, and parents must enrol their children from the age of 4.

It is a very large system. According to the 2025 School Census of the education research institute Inep, Brazil has 46 million enrolments in basic education: 9.2 million in early-childhood education, 25.8 million in fundamental education and 7.3 million in secondary education. Of all students, 10.1 million attend school full time.

How schooling is organised

• educação infantil: day care (creche) and pre-school (pré-escola); pre-school is the first compulsory stage
• ensino fundamental: nine compulsory years, starting at age 6, free in public schools
• ensino médio: the final stage of basic education, lasting at least three years

The LDB sets common rules for fundamental and secondary education: at least 800 teaching hours a year in fundamental education and 1,000 in secondary education, spread over at least 200 school days. Fundamental education is taught in Portuguese, and indigenous communities may use their own languages. The curriculum follows the National Common Curricular Base (Base Nacional Comum Curricular, BNCC), and secondary education is organised in four areas: languages (including Portuguese, English, arts and physical education), mathematics, natural sciences, and human and applied social sciences.

Private schools are allowed under the LDB if they follow the national education rules, are authorised and evaluated by the public authorities, and can finance themselves. All public and private schools must answer the annual School Census.

International and bilingual schools

Families who move to Brazil for work often choose an international school that teaches in English and prepares students for universities abroad as well as in Brazil. An example is the American School of Belo Horizonte (Escola Americana de Belo Horizonte, EABH) in Minas Gerais. It describes itself as an independent, non-profit association for students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 in a full-day programme, with English as the main language of teaching, and dates its history to 1956.

EABH offers the American and Brazilian curricula. It is accredited by Cognia, which allows it to issue an American high school diploma, and it is an IB World School that uses the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) in grades 6 to 10 and offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school. Its Brazilian Program teaches Portuguese, Brazilian history and geography from early childhood to high school, based on the BNCC. The school states that it is authorised by Belo Horizonte City Hall for early-childhood education and by the Minas Gerais State Department of Education for elementary, middle and high school.

Admission for international students

Private schools run their own admission. At EABH, the admissions office guides families through the process, and the principals and the head of school review applications and decide on admission.

Students who change school are normally placed by transfer from their previous school. Under the LDB, a school can also place a student in the right grade, except the first year of fundamental education, through its own assessment, according to the rules of the education system concerned.

Foreigners who come to Brazil to take a regular course, an internship or a study exchange should as a rule apply for a temporary student visa, VITEM IV, at the Brazilian consulate for their place of residence. The documents required depend on the country and on the course, so check them with the consulate (checked October 2026). Children who move with parents relocated for work should check which visa applies to their family.

Costs

Public basic education is free. Private and international schools charge fees that vary by school and grade; ask each school for its current fees.

How to choose a school

• Language: Portuguese in public and most private schools; English at international schools such as EABH
• Curriculum and diploma: Brazilian curriculum only, or a combination with an American or IB programme
• Recognition: check that the school is authorised by the state or municipal education department
• Timetable: some schools teach full time, others half days
• Location: the daily journey between home, work and school

Frequently asked questions

At what age is school compulsory in Brazil?

Basic education is compulsory from age 4 to 17, covering pre-school, fundamental education and secondary education.

Are public schools in Brazil free?

Yes. Basic education is free in public schools. Private and international schools charge fees.

In which language are classes taught?

Fundamental education is taught in Portuguese, and indigenous communities may also use their own languages. International schools such as EABH teach mainly in English.

Can a foreign student join a Brazilian school mid-way through their education?

Yes. A student can transfer from another school, and the LDB also allows the school to assess a student and place them in the right grade, except the first year of fundamental education.