Undertaking research in Law and Political Sciences in Belo Horizonte offers a unique lens to analyze the intersection of legal frameworks and political dynamics within Brazil’s dynamic social and institutional landscape. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais’ (UFMG) interests are in Law and Political Sciences focusing on International Law; Comparative Law; Legal History; Law and Technology. Comparative Politics; Security, Peace and Conflicts; Foreign Policy; Political Institutions; and International Organizations. 

The scholar will develop research and also have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), and Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA). The four universities constitute the Fulbright Interdisciplinary Network (FIN) along with UFMG.

FIN is an initiative by the U.S. Embassy and the Fulbright Commission in Brazil to promote joint studies of the United States among Brazilian and U.S. academics and researchers.

The Fulbright Award in Law and Political Science at UFMG

The Fulbright Brazil award in Law and Political Science at UFMG can total two, three or four months long.

Two- or four-month awards can be split into equal segments of 1+1 months or 2+2 months between July 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027. Split awards are known as Flex Awards.

What is a Flex Award?

Flex awards allow the stay to be split into two visits of one or two months each between July 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027. There must be a period of at least two months between the two in-country stays.

Please be aware that most institutions in Brazil take a recess between December and January.

What should I know before starting my application?

• Brazil welcomes applicants with no previous experience in the country
• For this award mid-career, and senior candidates are welcomed
• There is no need to have advanced skills in Portuguese. In most cases, English will be sufficient.

Benefits of the Fulbright in Law and Political Science award

• A fixed sum of US$ 5,400 per month to cover all expenses but housing.
• The partner university will help find accommodation for the award period.
• Additional U$ 1,200 monthly to help with housing costs. This amount corresponds to the estimated housing costs at a medium-priced hotel or Airbnb in a good location.
• Scholars who opt for a Flex Award will receive US$2,400 for two international roundtrip tickets.
• Scholars on non-flex awards will receive US$1,500 for an international roundtrip ticket.

Why a Fulbright in Brazil?

Brazil has a wide range of higher education institutions, with over 200 universities, as well as 3,472 master’s programs and doctoral programs with 122,000 graduate students. There are currently over 37,000 research groups around the country, with more than 200,000 researchers. Its leading research centers in agriculture, energy, biotechnology, environmental sciences, and epidemiology attract scholars and students worldwide. Among the top 20 universities listed in the Times Higher Education 2020 ranking, 13 are from Brazil. Additionally, Brazil is responsible for 52% of Latin American publications in indexed journals, which places the country as fourteenth worldwide by the Scimago Journal and Country Rank

If you are a Brazilian scholar who would like to host a U.S. colleague in your institution, please direct your questions to the Fulbright Commission.