New Financial Aid Programs Support Higher Education Access in Brazil

The government of Pernambuco has officially opened the application process for the 2026 edition of the 'PE no Campus' program, which offers 1,000 financial aid grants to low-income students who have graduated from the state's public high school system. This initiative is designed to support the academic retention of students entering higher education, providing monthly payments over a two-year period to help cover costs associated with their studies.

According to the Pernambuco State Secretariat of Education, selected students will receive a monthly stipend of R$ 1,240 during their first academic year. In the subsequent 12 months, the benefit will adjust to R$ 620 per month. Applications for the program must be submitted online between November 11 and November 25, 2026, with the final results scheduled for release on January 8, 2027.

To qualify for the 'PE no Campus' program, candidates must have completed their entire high school education in the Pernambuco state public network within the last five years. Applicants are required to have taken the 2025 National High School Exam (Enem) or the University of Pernambuco's Serial Evaluation System (SSA/UPE). Additionally, students must be enrolled in the Bolsa Família social program or demonstrate a household income of less than three minimum wages, and they must reside at least 30 kilometers away from their university campus.

The program allocates 900 spots for students applying via their Enem scores and 100 spots for those using the SSA/UPE results. Furthermore, 25% of the total vacancies are reserved for specific vulnerable groups, including individuals with disabilities, those on the autism spectrum, victims of domestic violence, and members of indigenous or quilombola communities.

On a national level, the federal government is preparing to launch the 'Pé-de-Meia Universitário' in 2027. This initiative, announced by the Ministry of Education, seeks to address the changing demographic of federal university students, two-thirds of whom now originate from public high schools. Education Minister Leonardo Barchini emphasized that while access to university is a significant milestone, ensuring that students remain enrolled until graduation is an equally challenging task that requires targeted financial assistance.

The federal program structure includes a monthly payment of R$ 700 for ten months of the academic year, alongside a monthly savings deposit of R$ 250. Upon successful completion of a four-year degree, students will be eligible to withdraw a lump sum of R$ 10,000, adjusted for inflation. This federal effort is part of a broader strategy to combat dropout rates and promote degree completion among students registered in the federal government's Unified Registry (CadÚnico).