EXCHANGE STUDENT HANDBOOK
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WELCOME, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS!
The UFJF community welcomes you our university. We are delighted that you
have chosen to attend our Institution. Being an international student at UFJF
is a great experience. The University was established more than 50 years ago
and offers an inviting and stimulating environment with world-class research
and high-quality teaching in a range of programs.
This handbook is intended to give you important information you will need
to prepare for your trip to Brazil, your stay in Juiz de Fora and your academic
program at UFJF. We look forward to being a helpful part of your UFJF
experience.
Our best wishes for a successful and enjoyable stay!
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„„ PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD
PASSPORT AND VISA
All international students must obtain a valid passport and student visa
(VITEM IV) before travelling to Brazil. You should apply for a passport as soon
as you are accepted in the program, as the process can take several weeks.
After receiving the Acceptance Letter from UFJF, you can apply for a student
visa. Visa processing can take up to 30 (thirty) days. Information about the
required documents for a visa application form can be found on the internet
on the website of the Brazilian embassy in your country. The complete list of
the Brazilian embassies and consulates around the world can be found at:
www.itamaraty.gov.br/o-ministerio/o-brasil-no-exterior.
Contact the Brazilian representatives in your country in advance and beware:
after receiving your visa you have 90 (ninety) DAYS to enter the Brazilian
territory. If you don’t come to Brazil within this period, your visa will be no
longer valid!
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„„ PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD
PLANNING YOUR BUDGET
Living comfortably in Juiz de Fora will require a monthly expense of
approximately R$1,500. This value is related to rental costs (R$550 to R$900),
bus rides (R$90), food (R$300) and books/ materials (R$100), among others.
The living costs are based on the reported experience of previous exchange
students, which include having a single room and internet access for example.
Rent (including water, electricity and building maintenance fees)
R$550 to R$900 / month
Bus fare
R$2,25 / ride
Meal in the university restaurant (includes juice and dessert)
R$1,40 / meal
Meal in self-service restaurants
At least R$35 / kg or R$10 (fixed price) / meal
Movie ticket
R$6 to R$26 / ticket
Study expenses (books and photocopies)
At least R$40 / month
PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD ƒ
HEALTH INSURANCE AND VACCINATION
Students must insure themselves at their home countries. It’s the students’
responsibility to contract with a health insurance service. Please check the
insurance companies’ rules before leaving your country and bring some
verification with you.
Also, check the vaccinations you need in Brazil. We recommend you to take
a yellow fever shot. There’s no risk of getting yellow fever in Juiz de Fora, but
it’s necessary to be vaccinated if you intend to visit other parts of the country,
especially rainforest areas and rivers of the Northern and Midwest regions.
The vaccine against yellow fever is distributed for free by the local public
medical departments of the Brazilian cities and should be taken 10 days
before your trip to endangered areas to be protected in case you have not
been vaccinated before. More information at: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/
bvs/febreamarela/viajantes.php
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„„ PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD
FINDING ACCOMMODATION
We strongly recommend students to make a previous reservation in some
type of accommodation before their arrival at Juiz de Fora, either temporary
or permanent. The rental conditions vary, depending on the quality and
location of the accommodation, between R$400 and R$900 per month.
UFJF does not provide accommodation yet, but we suggest you look for
accommodation in neighborhoods near UFJF.
Popular neighborhoods for students:
São Pedro, São Mateus, Centro, Cascatinha, Granbery
You can also check websites and
students’ support groups on social
networks to help you find
accommodation.
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PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD ƒ
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HOW TO GET TO JUIZ DE FORA
From Rio de Janeiro
You can go from Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU) Airports to the bus
terminal Novo Rio by cab or the blue bus (“frescão”). The price by cab varies
between R$40 and R$60. It’s safer to take cabs that belong to cooperatives.
The “frescão” bus (Real Auto Ônibus, Line 2018 – Aeroporto Internacional do
RJ/Alvorada) costs R$13. At the Novo Rio bus terminal, look for the company
Útil, on the 2nd floor. Buses to Juiz de Fora depart every 1 hour or so. The
fare ranges from R$39 to R$57 and the journey takes approximately 3 hours.
For more information, check www.util.com.br.
From São Paulo
By bus: buses to Juiz de Fora depart from Tietê bus terminal, with the
company Cometa and tickets cost from R$94 to R$183. The journey takes
around 9 hours. For more information, check www.viacaocometa.com.br.
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„„ PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD
By plane: the airlines Azul and Gol have flights to Juiz de Fora, departing
from Viracopos International Airport (VCP) and Congonhas Airport (CGH)
to Zona da Mata Regional Airport (IZA), in Goianá. They offer free bus
service connecting all São Paulo Airports and there is also a private bus
service from Goianá to Juiz de Fora. Check flight availability on their
websites: www.voeazul.com.br and www.voegol.com.br.
From Belo Horizonte
By bus: to arrive at the bus terminal from Confins International Airport (CNF),
you can take the bus lines 5250/5270 (R$8.70) or 5252/5271 (R$7.05). Buses
to Juiz de Fora depart from Belo Horizonte bus terminal, with the company
Atual and tickets cost from R$76 to R$89. We recommend you not to buy the
“PARADOR” ticket, because the journey can last a lot longer. The usual journey
takes around 4 hours. For more information, check www.ciaatual.com.br.
By plane: the airline Gol offers flights to Juiz de Fora, departing from
Confins International Airport (CNF) to Zona da Mata Regional Airport (IZA),
in Goianá. Bus service from Goianá to Juiz de Fora is available. For more
information, check www.voegol.com.br.
If you buy your flight to Galeão
(GIG) or Goianá (IZA) Airports, please
check with us the availability of our
airport pickup service. It’s free of
charge and we pick you up at the
airport and bring you to your
accommodation here.
PREPARING YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD ƒ
PRE-DEPARTUE CHECKLIST
££ Make sure you have a valid passport and it is valid
for the duration of your stay.
££ Apply for a student visa in the Brazilian Consulate.
££
££ Check whether you need any vaccinations.
££ Buy traveller’s health insurance.
££ Send to [email protected] a copy of your
Purchase your flight ticket.
visa, along with the information of your health
insurance.
££ Choose the courses you intend to attend. In UFJF’s
website you can find a catalog of the courses offered
by UFJF. You have until the second week of classes to
inform us about which courses you will attend.
££ Organize financial arrangements to withdraw
money in Brazil.
££ Make all possible arrangements for your
permanent accommodation in Juiz de Fora.
££ Make a copy of all your important documents.
££ We recommend you learn at least basic
Portuguese and carry a dictionary.
££ Upon arrival in Brazil, you must register at the
Federal Police. Attend to the International Office
as soon as you arrive for further information.
„„ FINALLY IN BRAZIL
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REGISTRATION AT THE FEDERAL POLICE
To be registered in Brazil, you must go to the Federal Police (PF) as soon as possible. If you do not do it within 30 days
upon arrival, you will have to pay a daily fine. Here are the steps to register:
1. Fulfill the form. Go in www.dpf.gov.br, click in “Estrangeiro”, then “4. Requerer registro e emissão/renovação de Cédula
de Identidade de Estrangeiro” and fulfill the form in the step 1.
„„ FINALLY IN BRAZIL
2. Fulfill the “Guias de Recolhimento da União”. Go in www.dpf.gov.br, click
in “Estrangeiro”, then “4. Requerer registro e emissão/renovação de Cédula
de Identidade de Estrangeiro” then “3. Pessoas e entidades estrangeiras”.
Fulfill the data and demand the generation of the paying fees (GRUs), with
the codes 140082 (R$64,58) and 140120 (R$124,23). Print and pay both
pages in any bank branch.
3. Present yourself at the Federal Police. Book an appointment through the
telephones +55 (32) 3250-1036 or +55 (32) 3250-1037. The PF office address
is: Independência Shopping, Av. Itamar Franco, 3600/G2, Cascatinha.
At the International Office we can
help you in the process. If you have any
difficulty, please contact us.
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FINALLY IN BRAZIL ƒ
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN JF
Each region in Juiz de Fora has different colors of buses. Many green buses
pass through UFJF Campus. You need to sign for the driver to stop. To get
out of the bus, you must pull the cord in the ceiling of the bus or press the
red/orange button. A whistle will blow and the bus will stop in the next bus
stop. Inside UFJF, free gray buses circulate from 8h30am to 5h30pm, Mon-Fri.
The city bus lines that pass through UFJF Campus are:
525, 535, 545 or 555 – Universidade
190 or 590 – Zona Sul / UFJF / CAS
755 – Zona Norte / UFJF
532 or 599 – São Pedro
534 – Santos Dumont
544 – Recanto dos Brugger
547 – Nossa Senhora de Fátima
548 - Adolpho Vireque via Jardim
Casa Blanca / Morada do Serro
549 – Nova Germânia
560 – Av. Pres. Itamar Franco via
Shopping
There are two apps that inform you
about all bus lines and its timetables.
Download: Busão JF or CittaMobi.
„„ FINALLY IN BRAZIL
ENROLLMENT – STEP BY STEP
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1. As soon as you get your Brazilian Visa (VITEM IV), send a scanned copy to
[email protected]. We will make your enrollment in UFJF and send
you the student number as soon as it is generated.
2. Choose the courses you wish to attend at UFJF. The catalog with the
available courses is in the site: www.ufjf.br/sri-foreign-student/study-atufjf/undergraduate-division-courses/.
3. We recommend the exchange students to apply for 20 local credits per
semester. Each credit at UFJF represents 15 hours/class. Check with your
home university if you need a specific number of credits.
4. The grading system goes from 0-100, with minimal grade for approval of
60. Tests and homeworks are made in Portuguese. You must also attend at
least 75% of each class to be approved.
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FINALLY IN BRAZIL ƒ
5. In the first day of classes we will do an Orientation Day at the International Office in which we will enlighten you on some
procedures in and outside UFJF.
6. You have until the second Thursday of classes to hand us the sheet with the codes, the names and the classrooms of the
courses that you will attend (ex: CAD845 – Sociologia II – Turma A). After this deadline, it will not be possible to alter the courses.
7. To access SIGA platform, go in www.ufjf.br/siga, sign in the login with the CPF that we will provide to you and the
password – 010101 or the date of your birth (DDMMYY). Change the password in your first access!
8. On SIGA platform you
have access to your grades,
academic calendar, courses
descriptions, transcript of
records, participation in cultural
draws and much more. If you
study here for more than one
semester, you can also do the
enrollment in the courses you
wish to attend by yourself.
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FINALLY IN BRAZIL ƒ
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
The International Office is part of the University’s Central Administration
and supports and coordinates the UFJF international activities. We build and
manage international collaborations and agreements, develop and promote
international programs, provide information and logistical support for
international students and scholars, help UFJF students/faculty/staff expand
international opportunities that enrich research and learning, coordinate
inward visits by overseas delegations, and work to increase the visibility of
UFJF’s international activities around the globe.
Adress: Diretoria de Relações Internacionais
Campus Universitário, at Centro de Vivência
Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - Bairro São Pedro
CEP: 36036-900 - Juiz de Fora - MG
Telephone: +55 (32) 2102-3389
Email: [email protected]
„„ LEISURE AND CULTURE
ABOUT JUIZ DE FORA
Juiz de Fora is a large-sized city with over 600,000 inhabitants located in the
“Zona da Mata Mineira”, Southeast of Minas Gerais. The city is known for its
quality of life and is reference in sectors such as education, with more than
twenty higher education institutions, including the Federal University of Juiz
de Fora, and health, with a large network of medical and hospital care with
an excellent service. Juiz de Fora is located among the major capitals of the
Southeast: Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. So you have several
options to get here.
Most of UFJF students live in the city, which allows an intense social life in Juiz
de Fora. Entertainment options are widely available for all tastes: theaters,
cultural centers, museums, cinemas, restaurants, bars and night clubs.
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„„ LEISURE AND CULTURE
CLIMATE
The altitude of 700 to 900 meters makes the weather in Juiz de Fora
usually cooler and rainier than the lower surrounding areas. Juiz de
Fora’s climate is classified as a humid subtropical climate, with two
distinct seasons, one hotter and rainier (October to April) and one cooler
and drier (May to September). The average annual temperature is around
19°C (66°F), lowest 3ºC (37oF) and highest 36ºC (97oF). It is very humid
with average humidity of 80%.
People in Juiz de Fora like saying
they experience the four seasons in
the same day. Be prepared!
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LEISURE AND CULTURE ƒ
SOME TOURISTIC
ATTRACTIONS IN JF
Museu Mariano Procópio
With about 50,000 pieces of
art, it houses one of the biggest
collections about the historic
and cultural life during the
colonial and imperial times,
as well as collections from the
Ancient Egypt, Greek culture
and Middle Ages. The museum
also has a botanic garden with
a wide range of exotic and
endangered plants.
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Morro do Imperador
Also known as “Morro do
Cristo”, it is one of the main
touristic points in Juiz de
Fora. It offers a wonderful
panoramic view of the city and
whereabouts. The 505 – Morro
do Cristo bus line takes you on
Sundays and holydays to the
Cristo from the city centre.
„„ LEISURE AND CULTURE
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Cine-Theatro Central
The biggest and most important theatre in the city, Theatro Central is a
sensorial and aesthetic experience. Its architectonic construction impresses
for the beauty and grandiosity and the acoustics enchant the artists who get
on its stage. It receives well-renowned performers from all over Brazil and
also abroad. (www.theatrocentral.com.br)
Fórum da Cultura
Fórum da Cultura is one of UFJF’s cultural spaces that allows people of Juiz de
Fora to be in contact with fine arts and stage theatre shows, along with the
diffusion of folk culture and music. The house was built in 1920 in eclectic
stile, with stained glass, staircase and ceilings in hardwood and a neatly
made floor. Currently, the place houses the theatre group “Divulgação”, a folk
culture museum, an art gallery and the University’s choir.
“Divulgação” was established in 1966 and nowadays is organized in three basic
production nuclei: the University’s students, high school students and the
elderly. Run by professors and academics, the group’s focus is on research in
performing arts and has a systematic programming with plays, seminars and
other events offered to the community. (www.ufjf.br/forumdacultura)
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LEISURE AND CULTURE ƒ
Museu de Arte Murilo Mendes – MAMM
MAMM was created in 1976, after the city’s renowned poet Murilo Mendes
died. It houses his library and his visual arts collection. The museum aims
the development scientific-cultural studies and actions guided by the
principles of conservation, preservation and dissemination of bibliographic,
documentary and visual arts collections. (www.ufjf.br/mamm)
Centro Cultural Pró-Música
Pró-Música propagates good music, trains musicians, researches and
preserves Brazilian colonial music, among others. It helps making the city a
storehouse for new talents. The centre is honored with the Cultural Merit
Order award, recognition from the Brazilian presidency to the contributions
made towards disseminating Brazilian culture domestically and abroad.
(www.promusica.org.br)
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„ LEISURE AND CULTURE
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Calçadão da rua Halfeld
Parque da Lajinha
Cinemas
It is one of the main streets in
Juiz de Fora, with galleries that
transform the city in a great
open mall. The city’s economy
is boosted by the popular
commerce. Calçadão is also
important in its architectural
ensemble.
A great opportunity to be in
contact with nature and to
know a bit about Brazilian Mata
Atlântica, the park has more
than 860,000m2 with waterfalls,
lake, cross-country and walking
trails and gardens. Besides, the
visitor can walk through history,
seeing two former city trolleys,
the sun clock and the gazebo.
Juiz de Fora has four main
cinema theatres in malls and
at the city centre: UCI Kinoplex
Independência – Independência
Shopping; Cinearte Palace –
Halfeld Street; Cine Santa Cruz
– Santa Cruz Shopping; and
Espaço Alameda Cinema – Alto
dos Passos.
LEISURE AND CULTURE ƒ
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Shoppings
The city has 5 main malls:
Independência, Alameda, Mister
Shopping, Santa Cruz and Free
Marechal Shopping, where
you can find clothes, electronic
devices, food plaza, bookstores,
cinema theatres and game
stations.
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Nightlife
Craft beers
The nightlife is concentrated in
pubs and nightclubs throughout
the city. A local tradition is drinking
and eating snacks with friends. The
most bohemian neighborhoods in
the city are Alto dos Passos, São
Mateus, São Pedro and Jardim
Glória. There are also nightclubs
such as Privilége, Cultural Bar,
Mansão e Bar da Fábrica.
The history of the craft beers
in Juiz de Fora goes back to
the period of the German
colonization in the city, over
120 years ago. Recently, craft
beer’s lovers started to brew, in
small scale, high quality beers in
the city. Currently there are 11
brewers that commercialize and
various hobbyists.
„„ LEISURE AND CULTURE
SEASON HOLIDAYS
January 1st: New Years
February 17th/2015 and 9th/2016:
Carnival
October 12th: Nossa Senhora
Aparecida
October 28th: Public Servants Day
April 5th/2015 and 3rd/2016: Easter
November 2nd: Remembrance Day
April 21st: Tiradentes Day
November 15th: Republic Day
May 1st: Labor’s Day
December 25th: Christmas
June 4th: Corpus Christi
June 13th: Santo Antonio (city
holiday)
September 7th: Independence Day
For information about events and the
cultural programs in Juiz de Fora access
www.portaldoturismo.pjf.mg.gov.br
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LEISURE AND CULTURE ƒ
TRAVEL IN MINAS GERAIS
Minas Gerais has a rich tradition and history, with cities built during the
Eighteenth Century’s gold cycle that consolidated the colonization of the
country. The most important artistic and architectural achievements of
colonial Brazil are housed in its mining towns, especially Ouro Preto, Mariana,
Diamantina, Congonhas, Tiradentes, Sabará and São João del Rei, which are
all cities worth visiting.
Near Juiz de Fora there are several options for tourism. It’s possible to travel
to the famous Minas Gerais historical cities, make contact with nature in
environmental reserves like Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca or, if you prefer
big cities, visit Rio de Janeiro. Be sure to visit in Minas Gerais the “Instituto
Cultural Inhotim” (Brumadinho town), which brings together in one place a
collection of Contemporary Art, Botanical Garden and actions of education,
culture and citizenship. (www.inhotim.org.br)
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„„ RETURNING TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY
BEFORE GOING BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY
Some procedures that must be taken before returning to your country:
• Check on your SIGA platform whether your transcript is correct. If not,
contact the International Office as soon as possible. We will send your signed
transcript to your home university, as well as a digitalized copy to your email.
• Request your professors’ emails, in case you need some information later;
• Close your bank account (if you opened one in Brazil);
• Close your internet, telephone, cable television, electricity and water
accounts, if you own them;
• Return books borrowed from UFJF library.
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FAQ
1. What is CPF? Do I need to do it? How do I do it?
All Brazilians have a CPF (something like Social Security Number in the USA).
It allows you to do various operations, mainly financial ones, such as opening
bank accounts, buying flight tickets, activating mobile phone accounts, among
other daily activities. It is not compulsory to issue a CPF, but if you’d like to do
so, you can ask for it at the Brazilian Consulate or, once in Brazil, go to any
Banco do Brasil or Correios agency, pay around R$5 and, by phone, make an
appointment to retrieve your CPF card at the Internal Revenue Service.
2. Is it possible to open a Bank account in Brazil?
Yes, it is possible to do so in the following banks: Banco do Brasil, Santander,
Itaú, Bradesco or HSBC. We recommend you to check at the bank agency the
necessary documents to open a bank account.
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3. How do I do to have a mobile phone account?
As a foreigner in Brazil you can cheaply purchase a prepaid phone number
(GSM system). The major carriers in Brazil are Vivo, Claro, Tim, and Oi. To get
a prepaid phone card it is necessary to show a CPF number (Vivo, Claro or
Oi), or passport (Tim) or take a Brazilian friend with you to register the new
phone number on his/her name. In general, we recommend you to choose
the same carrier as your Brazilian friends since there are many offers for calls
within the same carriers.
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THANK YOU!
Thank you for your interest in our International Program.
We are proud of our international students and their accomplishments, both
during the exchange program and even more so in their professional lives.
Do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] should you have
any further questions. We will be happy to help!
UFJF Community
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF JUIZ DE FORA
Headmaster
Júlio Maria Fonseca Chebli
Deputy Headmaster
Marcos Vinício Chein Feres
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
Dean of International Relations
Rossana C. N. Melo
General Coordinator
Tiago Timponi Torrent
Executive Secretary
Vítor Hugo Terra
Pedro F. D. Rocha
Special Programs Coordinator
Arlene Audi Brasil Gazêta
PEC-G Program Coordinator
Carla Visentin
International Public Relations
José Renato N. Lima
International Agreements Coordinator
Vítor Hugo Terra
Events Coordinator
Valéria Borges Costemalle
Acknowledgements
The International Office receives collaboration
from professors, researchers and university
employees that work in various sectors,
including the agreements coordination and
selection boards.
HANDBOOK CREDITS
Writing and Data Synthesis
Rossana C. N. Melo
José Renato N. Lima
Clarissa Campos Figueirôa
Hugo Nogueira Rocha
Eliene Thiermann Duque
Revision
Hugo Nogueira Rocha
Pedro F. D. Rocha
José Renato Lima
Tiago Timponi Torrent
Layout
Milena Dibo
Photography
Amanda Fogaça (1), Carlos Mendonça (2),
Chensiyuan (3), Géssica Leine (4),
Gil Velloso (5), Júlio Boaro (6),
Natália Ferreira (7), Public domain (8),
Shutterstock (9), Stefânia Sangi (10)
Incoming Exchange Programs Coordinators
Hugo Nogueira Rocha
Clarissa Campos Figueirôa
Outgoing Exchange Program Coordinator
Thiago Coelli
- January 2015 -