Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
A Jesuit university in Gávea, at the edge of the Tijuca Forest, where the Lua programming language was born.
- Students
- 10,786
- 8,439 undergraduates
- Tuition
- R$43,212
- From · 2026
- Founded
- 1940
- QS World Ranking
- #620
- 2027 edition
About PUC-Rio
PUC-Rio is a private, non-profit Catholic university founded in 1940 and run by the Society of Jesus together with the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. Its single main campus sits in Gávea, in Rio's South Zone, at the edge of the Tijuca Forest. It is a mid-sized university by Brazilian standards: 8,439 undergraduates and 2,347 master's and doctoral students in 2024.
Teaching is organised into four centres: Theology and Human Sciences (CTCH), Social Sciences (CCS), the Science and Technology Centre (CTC) and Biological and Health Sciences (CCBS). Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Applied and Computational Mathematics and Chemistry students all start in the shared CTC Basic Cycle and choose their professional course from the third semester. Law, Economics, Psychology, Communication and International Relations are large, popular programmes, and newer courses include Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience, Sustainability and Pharmacy. In March 2026 the Ministry of Education approved a new undergraduate Medicine course.
Admission is through PUC-Rio's own vestibular, ENEM results from 2022 to 2026, or international exams (Abitur, AP, French Bac or IB), all via one registration. The university suits students who want a selective, research-active private university in the heart of Rio, taught in Portuguese, with strong links to industry and more than 300 international exchange agreements.
Alis Grave Nil
“With wings, nothing is heavy” — university motto
Why students choose PUC-Rio
Three ways in through one registration: the PUC-Rio vestibular, ENEM (2022-2026) or an international diploma such as the IB (30+ points) or French Bac (12+).
Engineering and science students share a Basic Cycle before choosing among courses such as Computer, Petroleum, Chemical or Materials and Nanotechnology Engineering.
More than 300 exchange agreements on every continent, plus double-degree programmes with selected partners abroad.
Scholarships for new students include academic-merit awards, full Pró-Licenciatura scholarships for teaching degrees and socioeconomic scholarships of 50% or 100%.
Admissions
Vestibular PUC-Rio 2027 (entry in the first or second semester of 2027)
Selectivity
PUC-Rio does not publish an admit rate. For 2027 it offers 1,928 places (1,593 in the first semester, 335 in the second), and its candidate-per-place table counts 6,947 first-choice registrations, about 3.6 per place. Competition is highest for Law (6.0 per place), Economics (5.2) and Computer Science (4.7).
Typical entry requirements
| Vestibular PUC-Rio 2027 | Written exams by course group: Portuguese and Brazilian Literature, essay and a foreign language for all, plus group-specific papers (for example discursive Mathematics for Groups 1 and 3, Biology for Group 4, Geography and History for Group 2). |
|---|---|
| ENEM (2022 to 2026) | Enter your ENEM registration number when registering for the PUC-Rio vestibular; your scores are weighted by course group. A separate quota of places is reserved for ENEM candidates in each course. |
| IB Diploma | At least 30 points; you compete only for your first-choice course, in a small reserved quota (usually 1-5 places per course and semester). |
| French Baccalauréat Général | At least 12 points. |
| German Abitur | A grade of 2.5 or better. |
| Advanced Placement (AP) | Three required APs plus one additional AP from PUC-Rio's list, each with a score of 3 or more and at least 12 points in total. |
| English language | Undergraduate teaching is in Portuguese, and no English test is required. International-exam candidates without a Portuguese writing component sit PUC-Rio's Portuguese and essay papers as pass/fail tests. |
Deadlines
- Vestibular 2027 registration Non-binding Passed15 September 2026 (closed)
Registration ran from 27 July and was extended from 7 September to 15 September 2026. It was required for all three routes.
- Vestibular 2027 exams Non-binding Next deadline · In 5 days11 and 15 October 2026
Group 2 courses sit exams from 8:00 to 12:00 and Groups 1, 3 and 4 from 14:00 to 18:00. Theology candidates also write a memorial on 20 October and have an interview on 27 October.
- International exam results (Abitur, AP, Bac, IB) Non-binding In 23 days29 October 2026
Send results by email by this date. If you take the exam later, ask the awarding body to send results directly to PUC-Rio.
- Results and first call to enrolment Non-binding In 49 days24 November 2026
Exam scores come out on 6 November. First-call enrolment requests run from 24 November to 3 December 2026, with results on 9 December.
All dates are from the Vestibular PUC-Rio 2027 candidate manual and admissions page. Registration for 2027 entry closed on 15 September 2026, so remaining steps apply only to registered candidates.
How to apply
Register online for the Vestibular PUC-Rio 2027 (fee R$200), choosing up to three course, shift and semester options and the routes you want to use (vestibular exams, ENEM and/or international exams). Sit the exams in October if you use the vestibular route. International-exam candidates email their results to PUC-Rio by 29 October 2026. Results and the first call to enrolment come out on 24 November 2026, and further calls follow. Socioeconomic and merit scholarships have their own processes after the first call.
What admissions looks for
- Strong results on the vestibular papers for your course group, especially the discursive papers (for example Mathematics for engineering, computing and economics).
- For the ENEM route, a high weighted ENEM score from any edition between 2022 and 2026.
- For the international route, a qualifying diploma result (such as 30+ IB points), with ranking by score within a small reserved quota.
- Command of written Portuguese: every route involves Portuguese and essay tests or their ENEM equivalent.
Tips for applying to PUC-Rio
- 1 Tick every route you qualify for when registering: PUC-Rio uses your best result in each call, so the vestibular and ENEM can both count.
- 2 International-diploma candidates compete only for their first-choice course, so choose it carefully.
- 3 Law, Economics and Computer Science are the most contested courses, with 4.7 to 6.0 first-choice registrations per place for 2027.
- 4 To be considered for socioeconomic scholarships you generally need to be called in the first call within the places for your first-choice course, so aim to rank well rather than rely on later calls.
Costs & financial aid
2026 · figures in BRL
PUC-Rio awards academic-merit scholarships to new students based on vestibular or ENEM results, full Pró-Licenciatura scholarships for teaching degrees, and socioeconomic scholarships: 100% for family income up to 1.5 minimum wages per person and 50% up to 3 minimum wages, plus partial PUC scholarships for middle-income families. It also takes part in the federal PROUNI programme.
- 100% of tuition, per-capita family income up to 1.5 minimum wages
- Full socioeconomic (philanthropic) scholarship
- 50% of tuition, per-capita family income up to 3 minimum wages
- Partial socioeconomic scholarship
- Full scholarships
- Pró-Licenciatura (teaching degrees)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (entry in the first or second semester)
Law (Direito)
The most contested course for 2027, with 1,501 first-choice registrations for 250 places across day and evening shifts.
Economics (Ciências Econômicas)
Taught since 1961 with top ENADE grades (5 in the 2023-2025 cycle); alumni include Real Plan architect and central bank governor Gustavo Franco.
Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
Offered by the department whose Tecgraf group created the Lua programming language; AI is a new course with 30 places in 2027.
Engineering (CTC Basic Cycle)
320 places a year for a shared first stage, after which students choose among engineering courses, Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.
International Relations
90 places a year, supported by PUC-Rio's international institute and more than 300 exchange agreements.
Design
Taught since 1972 and graded 5 out of 5 in the last two ENADE cycles.
Research
- The Lua programming language was created in 1993 by members of the Computer Graphics Technology Group (Tecgraf) at PUC-Rio.
- The Tecgraf Institute, founded in 1987 in partnership with Petrobras, develops technical and scientific software.
- In 2024 PUC-Rio's researchers published 1,499 journal articles, and 322 doctoral theses were defended.
Schools & faculties
- Centro de Teologia e Ciências Humanas (CTCH)
- Centro de Ciências Sociais (CCS)
- Centro Técnico Científico (CTC)
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS)
Student life
Campus life centres on the Gávea campus, a former coffee farm crossed by a creek at the edge of the Tijuca Forest. The Pilotis under the Kennedy building hosts debates, shows and fairs, and the Vila dos Diretórios, a cobblestone lane of small houses each run by a student association, is the social hub. The Solar Grandjean de Montigny, an 1820s house, is the university's cultural centre with year-round exhibitions. PUC-Rio welcomed 1,049 international students on exchange and short programmes in 2024, so there is a steady international presence.
- Vila dos Diretórios: a lane of houses each looked after by a student association.
- The Solar Grandjean de Montigny cultural centre runs visual arts exhibitions all year.
- The Rede de Apoio ao Estudante (RAE) offers academic, writing, psychological and career support.
- 310 PUC-Rio students went abroad on exchange or double-degree programmes in 2024.
Location
PUC-Rio is in Gávea, in Rio de Janeiro's South Zone, close to Leblon, Ipanema, Jardim Botânico and Lagoa, with the Botanical Garden and Leblon beach within walking distance. Most students come by city bus. It is an expensive but lively part of Rio, surrounded by shops, restaurants and the Rio Planetarium.
Nearest airport: Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) for domestic flights; Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport (GIG)
Notable alumni
- PM Pedro MalanBrazil's finance minister 1995-2002; studied electrical engineering at PUC-Rio
- GF Gustavo FrancoCentral Bank of Brazil governor and an architect of the Real Plan; bachelor's and master's in economics
- MF Marielle FrancoRio city councillor and human rights activist; degree in social sciences on a scholarship
- RI Roberto IerusalimschyCreator of the Lua programming language; PhD in computer science
- MG Marcelo GleiserPhysicist and astronomer, 2019 Templeton Prize winner; bachelor's degree (1981)
- GD Gregorio DuvivierActor, comedian and poet, member of the Porta dos Fundos comedy troupe; degree in literature
- RS Rodrigo SantoroActor, known internationally as Xerxes in 300; studied journalism at PUC-Rio
Frequently asked questions
How much does PUC-Rio cost?
At 2026 rates, a first-year credit load costs about R$43,000 to R$82,000 a year (R$3,601 to R$6,869 a month over 12 months), depending on the course. The fee depends on how many credits you take, and 2027 rates will be set in December 2026.
Does PUC-Rio accept ENEM?
Yes. You can use ENEM results from any edition from 2022 to 2026, but you must still register for the PUC-Rio vestibular and enter your ENEM number there.
Can I get into PUC-Rio with the IB or another foreign diploma?
Yes. PUC-Rio reserves a few places per course for the IB Diploma (30+ points), French Bac (12+), German Abitur (2.5 or better) and AP (four APs scoring 3+, 12+ in total). If your exam had no Portuguese writing, you must pass PUC-Rio's Portuguese and essay papers.
How hard is it to get into PUC-Rio?
PUC-Rio does not publish an admit rate. For 2027 there are about 3.6 first-choice registrations per place overall, rising to 6.0 for Law and 5.2 for Economics.
Does PUC-Rio offer scholarships?
Yes: merit scholarships based on vestibular or ENEM results, full scholarships for teaching degrees, 50% or 100% socioeconomic scholarships depending on family income, and PROUNI places.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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