São Paulo city offers Portuguese course for foreigners

Immigrants aged 18 and older who are interested in learning Portuguese free of charge can sign up for the project Portas Abertas – Português para Imigrantes (“Open Doors – Portuguese for Immigrants”), promoted by São Paulo’s city government.

The initiative is already underway in all regions of the city. The classes are taught in 11 municipal schools and immigrants can enroll at the school where they plan to study at any point of the semester, regardless of the status of their migration and documentation.

Divided into three modules—basic, intermediate, and advanced—the course has in-person classes twice a week, featuring its own learning material for each module and activities with discussions about fighting racism, sexism, and respect for gender diversity.

Social inclusion

“The teaching of the Portuguese language is among the main tools for welcoming immigrants, as it promotes inclusion and makes social life possible, along with the creation and maintenance of community ties. It is a way to promote civic participation and ensure access to public services,” said Bryan Rodas, coordinator of Policies for Immigrants and the Promotion of Decent Work from São Paulo's Secretariat of Human Rights and Citizenship.

The documents required for the enrollment are identification—issued in Brazil or in the country of origin—and proof of residence. If the student lacks the latter, they may fill out a declaration of residence. To obtain the certificate for a module, students must attend at least 75 percent of the classes of the semester. Classes in each module total 90 hours.

More information, including a list with school addresses, can be found here.