A little girl in a poor village way up in the north of Brazil observes her siblings and draws her math problems in the ground. She is not out to become a celeb or a millionaire but to be an educated person. Perhaps it makes her want to be a teacher, who knows—maybe a nurse, maybe a lawyer who can come back and defend the rights of his or her community. But she is aware that there is a mountain between.

It is not her inability that is the mountain. It has to do with inaccessibility. It is the price to travel to a city, the price to live in a dormitory, the price to eat, the price to buy books, and the price to take transport. When it comes to many of the Indigenous students around Brazil, getting an education is not a question of “would like,” but rather a case of life and death.

Worse still, what most people will not know is this: programs are in place that have been created with the sole purpose of helping. As a low-income student of Indigenous background in Brazil, you do not have to worry since you have resources to fund your studies. They simply cannot always be seen or comprehended. That is where this guide will change it.

The Reason Why Indigenous Students in Brazil Face Greater Obstacles

It can be argued that there exist numerous factors that explain why Indigenous students are underrepresented in Brazilian universities and technical schools. The history dates back many years, yet the issues are of the present.

• Isolation areas equate to a low number of high schools, a low number of teachers, and the lack of resources.

• To get to one of the public universities can imply the departure of your country and your family and your language.

Even those who get to college feel that they are coerced to leave. It is not the fact that they do not manage to pass their classes; it is because they cannot afford to remain. This sums up to rent, food, and transport.

For many Aboriginal parents—particularly those whose livelihood depends on subsistence agriculture or casual labour—they just do not have money even to pay school fees of their children just to study years.

And that is exactly where the low-income Indigenous student funding in Brazil goes beyond useful, as it becomes essential.

What the Student Funding Is All About

When we discuss funding, we are referring to money and support structures that permit students to stay in school. It comprises such things as:

• Financial support to cover the basic needs in a month

• Cheap accommodation or halfway-house facilities for studying-away students

• Private university tuition scaling: Tuition coverage at the private universities is made available through scale of tuition coverage. In it, the number of students who are being covered by the tuition coverages are determined using the scale.

• Meal assistance

• Availability of transportation: Access to the public transportation

In Brazil, the money is available through various sources. National programs are run by the federal government. Numerous states and cities have their own scholarships. Colleges tend to give their own assistance, and even nonprofits come into the picture where government funding is insufficient.

There are still a lot of students who do not apply, despite such opportunities. They simply do not know much about what is available, or they are overwhelmed by the process. This is why it is important to know each of the options.

Who Can Get Indigenous Student Funding

What this means is that being Indigenous and born into a low-income background satisfies the two most significant set of qualifications. This sounds good, but what does that mean?

Indigenous Identity

You do not have to “demonstrate” your culture through DNA test or history book. It is all a matter of:

• Your community recognizes that you are a certain someone.

• The fact that you are an Indigenous person

• That you are able to get records with FUNAI, a council of Indigeneity or your local leadership

Majority of them will accept a declaration of his/her known Indigenous association or a certificate of ethnicity awarded by FUNAI. Contact a local Indigenous affairs office or community group (who will know how to acquire this) in case of doubt.

Income Requirements

The definition of low-income usually implies that the income of your family is below some amount. This is usually as a rate per inhabitant of the house. Low-income, as defined by the federal programs, is typically the income rate lower than 1.5 or 2 minimum wages per capita.

The documents you will be requested to produce include:

• An income statement (to be signed by one of parents or guardians)

• Documentation of participation in social programs (e.g., Auxílio Brasil)

• Other means without formal documents: utility bills or local community attestations

What Kind of Support Is Present and What Is Its Source

Not like there is this one large scholarship that is the fund. It takes various forms based on the provider of the same.

Government-Based Programs

The Indigenous students are given a number of structured programs offered by the federal government. Such programs assist with tuition, food, and housing. They are coordinated at the Ministry of Education (MEC) and the associated agencies.

The existence of programs such as:

• Bolsa Permanência

• Prouni

• SISU

…does not only increase enrollment of students in the university, but also assists in maintaining them there. We are going to discuss each of them in further detail soon.

State and Local Programs

There are other possible scholarships dependent on your state or the area in which you live in. Other states, such as Amazonas, Pará, and Mato Grosso do Sul, have specific initiatives when it comes to Indigenous people.

Local governments can help in transport, meals, or housing of the students studying in the urban schools or the university.

University Programs

Most of the Brazilian public universities offer Indigenous students:

• Dedicated federal scholarships

• Hostels and food subsidies

• Indigenous student offices that can include tutoring, mentorship, and mental well-being services

When you are joining a federal university, you can enquire on what kind of aftercare they have after admission—and it is not only financial, but social and academic as well.

NGO and Community Help

Non-governmental organizations have a few scholarships available, usually through Indigenous-related non-governmental organizations and their particular programs. Things are starting to change, as it has become increasingly difficult to resist calls to action related to Indigenous education.

This means that in some cases, scholarships for specific programs—such as nursing, teaching, or law degrees—are available. These are usually less in number, but more malleable, and often involve mentoring or internships.

Organizations such as:

• Instituto Socioambiental (ISA)

• BrazilFoundation

…have been reported to promote Indigenous education either directly or through their partners.

Bolsa Permanência: The Lifeline of University Students

Bolsa Permanência could be your primary and initial stimulus in case you belong to the category of those Indigenous students who were accepted to a federal university.

Intended to address inequality, this program—organized by MEC (Ministry of Education)—provides Indigenous and Quilombola students who meet the requirements with a monthly stipend (approximately R$900).

The principle behind that idea is straightforward: boarding students are far away, so they require accommodation, food, and study supplies.
Bolsa Permanência means they no longer need to decide on attending or missing class just to survive the week.

To be considered:

• Be either descended from Indigenous or Quilombola origin

• Be enrolled in a full-time course at a federal university

• Send in the required documents (identity, income verification, enrollment verification, and recognition of Indigenous status)

The applications normally occur via a university channel or the MEC portal. The payment can be accepted once and stays until you leave the school and/or fail to meet academic demands.

According to many students, this is the only reason they could maintain themselves in school.
It is not just a scholarship—it is protection.

The Way Prouni Opens the Doors with Private Universities

Not all Indigenous students study in a public university. In other cases, the closest viable institution is a private one. This is where Prouni (Programa Universidade para Todos) becomes critical.

Prouni offers scholarships between partial and complete tuition fees to students of private universities.

This is of particular importance to Indigenous students because it involves affirmative action measures—a certain amount of available places is set aside for students representing underserved communities, including Indigenous Brazilians.

In order to apply to Prouni, you must:

• Have completed high school in well-organized public schools or via scholarships in private schools

• Live in a low-income household (usually ≤ 1.5 minimum wages per person)

• Have passed the ENEM (Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio) with a score higher than the program cutoff

• Indicate Indigenous status on the application

You can do this online during official application windows. If selected, you will get your tuition paid either in full or partially, depending on your income level.

Some students combine Prouni scholarships with housing assistance, part-time jobs, or family support, since this scholarship program only covers tuition. However, for deserving individuals, it can be the opportunity to go to school nearby, or even in a city with no state university.

SISU and the Quota Law: Entering the Universities of the People

The SISU system is the main pathway to the students who target to join public universities. Taking the ENEM exam allows you to obtain a score, taking advantage of which through SISU you can apply to hundreds of state institutions.

In a nuance, the Lei de Cotas (Quota Law) guarantees that governmental universities save a certain proportion of the places to:

• Indigenous students, Black and Brown (Pardo)

• Public school students

• Students with disabilities

• Low-income students

This has the effect that assuming you are Indigenous and possess sufficient income, you will compete in a special category and not with the rest of the population.

This is how many Indigenous students are admitted—particularly, those who are students of underfunded schools in rural areas.

University Support Services

When this is done, there is a lot more assistance provided by most universities:

• Rent-free or low-rent accommodation

• Dining halls in universities

• Transport subsidies

• Tutoring programs and psychological support

• Indigenous and Quilombola-specific support departments among students

The Gap-Filling Programs at the State and Local Level

Brasília does not always come in handy. State and local governments, as well as municipalities, usually provide some of the most effective and realistic assistance.

Where the populations of large Indigenous groups live—such as in Amazonas, Pará, and Mato Grosso do Sul—local education departments can provide:

• Travel vouchers or travel cards

• Student stipends paid monthly to students who have moved to city schools

• Shared apartments or host families

The targeted populations are rural and Indigenous youth through specific programs.

Don’t Know What’s Offered in Your Area?

In case you do not know what is offered in your area of residence, consult with your local Secretaria de Educação or with community leaders that will have already assisted others.

Word-of-mouth is a strong tool.

The Additional Ways Universities Can Assist in the Non-Classroom Setting

As soon as you get accepted to university, either publicly funded or privately funded, the second battle starts: how to remain.

It is not uncommon to find substantial support of Indigenous students in federal universities (UFs); this includes:

• University housing reserved spaces

• Eligibility to Bolsa Permanência

• Free lunches or food coupons

• Indigenous student groups and on-campus support groups

• Integration programs on racism, integration, and culture accommodation

Others go as far as to:

• Coordinate cultural orientation weeks

• Provide language support

• Provide funding of Indigenous-led research and artistic endeavours

Tip: Always inquire when attending a university whether they have an Indigenous student support office or a Student Welfare Department. They provide you with a lifeline both on the financial front and otherwise.

Non-Governmental Assistance: The Role of NGOs and Foundations

Government aid is the focal point, but where they fall short, organizations such as NGOs and private foundations come to fill many of the necessary gaps.

Such organizations frequently:

• Offer microgrants or emergency assistance

• Finance transport or study resources

• Fund young leaders in a certain area (e.g., education, health, environment)

• Link students with mentorship, internships, or foreign exchanges

Examples include:

• Instituto Socioambiental (ISA): Occasionally collaborates with academic institutions

• BrazilFoundation: Education-centered grants popular among students and groups

• Ford Foundation (Brazil): Agent of funds to Indigenous rights and capacity building

• Instituto Clima e Sociedade: Affirms young people in climate research

A lot of these programs are necessitated by:

• A brief project outline or aim

• Evidence of enrolment

• Community letters or teacher letters of recommendation

How to Apply to Get Funding: Step-by-Step

This is a simple blueprint to go by:

1. Collect Documents in Advance

• Income verification (Cadastro Único or signed declaration)

• Registration of Indigenous identity (FUNAI, association letter, etc.)

• ENEM score report

• Diploma and high school transcripts

• CPF and personal ID

2. Choose Your Way

• Choose to apply through SISU, Prouni, or directly to a particular university

• Look up programs that match your background and goals

3. Meet Deadlines

• There are specific SISU and Prouni application windows (typically early and mid-year)

• Scholarships offered by universities follow their own in-house schedules—ask early

• Some state programs offer rolling applications

4. Seek Help in Case of Need

• Speak to teachers, school administration, or Indigenous education advisers

• Indigenous students can find peer groups on WhatsApp or Facebook

• Consider using help desks at public libraries or NGO offices if you lack internet access

Hard Times That the Students Still Encounter

This is because although funds are available in plenty, sometimes it may be difficult to obtain them. The common problems are:

• Communication problems in making online applications on the internet

• Obscure documentation requirements

• Payment or program delays

• Bureaucratic language which is hard to read

• The isolation of the culture at university level

The solution?

Network. Move or reengage with peers, mentors, professors, and support services. Trade recipes. This is also the case of keeping documents updated and organized.

The Possible Stories That Are Exhibited

• One Yanomami student on the territory got into a federal university through SISU quotas, and won Bolsa Permanência. Nowadays, he is pursuing a degree in public health specialist.

• The daughter of a small town in Maranhão participated in an expensive law school through Prouni in Belém. She also combined it with an NGO travel stipend to help her get to the job in the morning.

• Another student in Mato Grosso do Sul got a state scholarship and college dormitory so that she could graduate with a teaching degree to go back home and serve as a school leader.

These are not exceptional cases—they are illustrations of what happens when access is combined with determination.

The Conclusion Is: This Place Is You in Higher Education

You do not need to seek a permit to get education. It is a right. In Brazil, it is supported by law, policy, and programs.

The fact that one is Indigenous and on low income should not be a hindrance. As a matter of fact, there are numerous systems that are currently in place which all exist to help you move ahead.

At least, you need to begin.