Language Immersion Courses in Brazil

Brazil, with its lush jungles, vibrant cities, and picturesque beaches, is one of the most popular places in the world to study a foreign language. As the only country in the Americas where Portuguese is the national language, Brazil is the only option available to those who prefer to learn Portuguese in Latin America. It is thus distinct from the vast majority of other study-abroad destinations in the Americas, which are opportunities to learn Spanish, French, or English. With its population of nearly 200 million, Brazil has far more Portuguese speakers than any other place in the world.

When choosing a language school or language immersion course in Brazil, the most important thing to consider is where you would like to be located. Brazil is a vast country with a huge variety of different types of surroundings available – from deep, wild rainforests to the densely-populated cities of the coast. The majority of language courses and study abroad programs – especially those that focus on the language as the primary topic of instruction – will be found in the cities. These include Brasilia, the capital; São Paulo, the largest city and Brazil’s financial and cultural capital; and world-famous Rio De Janeiro, with its stunning mountains and ocean views. Any of these cities will afford ample opportunities for students hoping to learn the Portuguese language in Brazil.

Although the cities are the most popular places to live and study – 80% of the Brazilian population lives in the large metropolitan areas of the country – there are many programs that take students to a very different part of the country. The rural areas of Brazil, dominated by large open farmlands and dense jungles, are home to many sites of cultural and natural interest to foreign visitors. A long-term stay in the countryside while learning Portuguese is an opportunity to see a side of Brazil rarely seen or understood by outsiders. It will certainly be an experience very unlike the experience of studying in Rio or São Paulo.

Along with an immersion experience in the Portuguese language, studying abroad in Brazil is often an opportunity to study other issues alongside the language. Ecology and biodiversity, for example, are extremely popular topics to study in Brazil. As the rainforest recedes under the pressures of human agriculture, the threat to endangered species and to the global environment is urgent; yet preventing people from clearing the land to make food puts many among the rural poor at risk. This complex and controversial issue is of great importance, and so many people from around the world come to Brazil to learn about it and learn Portuguese at the same time. Others are interested in related topics, such as economic development, social justice, and geopolitics, all of which are prominent issues in Brazil.