Middlebury School in Brazil: Belo Horizonte

The Middlebury School in Brazil offers an exceptional academic program to undergraduates at U.S. colleges and universities. Students who have completed four semesters of Portuguese language training are invited to participate in the program under the Middlebury Language Pledge®, a commitment to speak exclusively the target language for the duration of their time abroad.

Belo Horizonte, also known as the Garden City, is the capital of Minas Gerais province and is located in a mountainous region, 250 miles north of Rio de Janeiro and close to Ouro Preto, the former colonial capital. Home to 2.5 million people, the city has a pronounced sense of community and family that students find inviting. The local university is situated on the edge of town and features abundant green space, indicative of the celebrated natural environment that lies beyond the city's borders.

Students take a combination of the following types of courses:

1. Middlebury-organized writing course
2. Direct enrollment alongside Argentinian students at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais.
3. Credit-bearing internships

Linguistic development and cultural understanding are at the core of the Middlebury Schools Abroad, and students have many opportunities for immersion, from coursework entirely in Portuguese to housing with local families; from internships and volunteer work to activities among the student body of Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais. Our goal is to provide

All course work is conducted entirely in Portuguese
Students adhere to the Middlebury College Language Pledge
Direct enrollment at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais
Courses in most liberal arts disciplines
Housing with Brazilian families
Internships available in many fields
Co-curricular activities
Writing course through program

Portuguese