Brazil: New surveys show strong, but price-sensitive, demand for study abroad
- Study abroad is a common goal among Brazilian students, especially for learning another language
- Brazilian education agents are optimistic that students’ demand will rise further in 2026 after strong growth in 2025
- But converting demand to a placement is highly dependent on students’ ability to afford the cost of studying and living abroad
- The current Middle East conflict is the wildcard this year, affecting Brazilians’ household finances and livelihoods as it is doing in many other countries
New survey results show strong interest in study abroad among Brazilian students and an optimistic outlook on the part of education agents. However, affordability issues – particularly exchange rate fluctuations – exert a major influence on whether Brazilian students will follow through on their study abroad plans.
The Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association (BELTA) administered two online surveys from February to April of 2026. Respondents to the first survey included over 2,200 students from all over Brazil who had already studied abroad or who were interested in doing so. The second survey included representatives in various positions at 74 education agencies. More than half of agents were owners of their business.
Study abroad is common, especially for short programmes
Most surveyed Brazilian students had already had at least one international education-related experience (85%). Top languages for study are English (68%), with Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German rounding out the top five.
Nearly half of respondents studied abroad for less than three months (49%), while 26% were in exchanges of four–seven months and 24% were abroad for more than eight months.
Demand is strong, especially for language learning
About 70% of students are interested in going abroad to study in the future. About 4 in 10 are planning to go in the first or second semester of 2027, while another 3 in 10 are aiming for 2028 or later.
The preferred programme type for Brazilian students is language learning (46%), especially when a language course allows for temporary work (26%). About a quarter are interested in degree studies, with equal interest for postgraduate and undergraduate levels.
How students research and organise study abroad
The main channel on which students research study abroad options is Instagram (24%), with smaller percentages choosing YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok.
In terms of in-person resources, students turn first to agents (15%) followed by education fairs (9%).
When selecting an agency, students are first and foremost looking for someone who can help them find trustworthy study abroad experiences (22%). Students also value agents being easy to contact (16%), offering personalised service (13%), and being compatible with their budget (11%).
Most agents place language students and high school students
The top five programme types that surveyed agents place students into are language courses, summer/winter holiday courses for teens, high school exchanges, language courses with a work component, and shorter sub-degree programmes. Undergraduate and graduate programmes followed in sixth and seventh place, respectively.
Agents said that most students aren’t just interested in studying: they want to travel, work, learn a new language, and experience a different culture. A primary goal of obtaining an international qualification or career is less common.
Traditional destinations are still the most popular
Agents put Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland, and Malta as the top five destinations for students, which makes sense given that English remains the preferred language to study. Spain is also popular among the significant segment of students looking to study in Spanish.
The mood is optimistic
Most surveyed agents had a good year in 2025. More than half of agents (53%) said they sent more students abroad than in 2024. Another 17% sent about the same number, while 30% sent fewer. The average growth in placements from 2024 to 2025 was 9.5%.
Close to three-quarters (73%) of agents expect to send more students in 2026, a far greater proportion than those who expect the same or lower volume (17% and 10%, respectively).
"We see the Brazilizian market remaining strong and mature, selling all programmes and all destinations with good numbers," says BELTA President Alexandre Argenta. "Higher education programmes look like the programmes with more increasing figures than before."
But much will depend on certain factors
Agents said that currency fluctuations can either make a deal … or break it. A favourable final currency exchange rate was the most cited reason for a sale, and a currency devaluation was the main reason for a sale being made difficult or impossible.
Affordability is overall a major issue for students. Alongside currency devaluation, a reduction in a student’s purchasing power, an exchange rate increase, an increase in the cost of living in a destination country, and an increase in flight costs are all among the top 10 factors that can persuade a student not to follow through on a placement.
The economic impact of the Middle East conflict on Brazil’s economy
The Brazilian real has recently weakened against the US dollar amidst ongoing fighting between the US-Isreal against Iran-Hezbollah in the Middle East. If this currency devaluation persists, it will naturally be more difficult for Brazilian students to go abroad in 2027.
Other economic impacts of the widespread Middle Eastern conflict on Brazil are both positive and negative. Brazil’s crude oil exports are increasing, especially to China and India, as the Strait of Hormuz remains a dangerous crossing for Gulf-based oil companies. Additional oil revenue is helping the Brazilian government to minimise the conflict’s impact on domestic food and fuel prices.
However, Brazil also imports 25% of its diesel, and it is the world’s biggest importer of fertilizers. Most of these imports come from Gulf countries through the Strait of Hormuz. With diesel imports restricted, transportation and airfare costs are rising. With fertilizer imports limited, two of Brazil’s top exports – soybeans and meat – are in jeopardy.
In Brazil, as in most other countries, the Strait’s reopening cannot come soon enough.
Even so, Mr Argenta adds that, "Our currency is about 5% stronger this first semester comparing to the average exchange rates in 2025. We may see some devaluation in the second semester mainly due to our Presidential election, which usually bring some friction to the market, but economic expecations are similar to last year, so this should not affect much our market in 2026."
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