Scholarships for Master Degrees in Brazil

I have recently received a message from Else Vieira, on the ABEP-UK (Association of Brazilian Postgraduate and Researchers in the United Kingdom) discussion list, regarding the announcement of fifty (50) scholarships for foreign students who wish to pursue a Master Degree in Brazil. The scholarships are being offered by a joint initiative of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB), with support of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As one can read in the scholarship scheme's official page," [t]here has never been a better time to pursue a Master’s Degree in Brazil. Brazil is an active participant in the world’s major political and economic forums. Its businesses are increasingly international in their reach. Brazilian cultural production continues to expand while great successes are being achieved in the reduction of poverty and inequality. Brazil is known for the excellence of its scientific investigation and research. These are only a few of the advantages of pursuing graduate studies in Brazil."

I know I am not properly dispassionate about Brazil, but I totally agree with that. There is a wide offer of programmes, ranging from Technology, Agriculture, to Business Administration and Law. Unfortunately there are few participating institutions, and I am quite impressed that Universities and programmes such as the MSc in Computer Sciences from UFPE (Federal University of Pernambuco) was not eligible for this scholarship.

Some of the main requirements for application include:

• Applicants must be citizens and/or permanent residents of one of the Member States of the GS/OAS other than Brazil. All the 35 independent countries of the America are Member States of the OAS (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba1, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago; Jamaica ; Grenada ; Suriname; Dominica, Saint Lucia; Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; The Bahamas ; St. Kitts & Nevis ; Canada; Belize and Guyana);
  

• Applicants must submit all completed documents in electronic format online, in full. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

• Applicants must read and understand the Edict (Official Document of Application Regulations) in its entirety;

• Applicants must have finished an undergraduate degree program and must have a degree or diploma;

• For applicants whose native language is Spanish, there is NO PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT. For applicants whose native language is English or any other language, proof of an intermediate level of Portuguese is required
  

Further information can be obtained in the programme's official page: http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/brazil.asp . I will try to make some comments on this topic later, but as I am preparing my stuff to go to Brazil these days, I was afraid I would possibly lose the opportunity to make this post, so here it is.

Good luck!