Eight things you need to know about the Brazilian junior market

Over the last decade, Brazil has become one of the most important countries for the international education sector, consistently featuring among the top 10 source markets.

According to the available data, a considerable number of Brazilian students choose to study abroad each year. Here are some examples:

In the USA, 3,654 Brazilian students enrolled in Intensive English Courses in 2022, along with 3,007 higher education students in the 2022/23 academic year;
Canada hosted 10,405 Brazilian students with study permits in 2023;
Australia enrolled 34,079 Brazilian students across various sectors in 2023;
15,103 Brazilian students studied English in Ireland in 2023, and 2,824 were enrolled in higher education institutions in 2022/23.

Study Destinations for Brazilian Students

Brazil is an especially strong source market for the ELT sector and has become increasingly important for higher education, but another sector is now gaining traction: high school and short-term programmes for juniors.

Globally, students are deciding to pursue education abroad at an increasingly younger age, and Brazil’s growing demand for junior programmes shows the country is no exception to this pattern.

BONARD sat down with key figures in the Brazilian international education sector to discuss trends in the junior segment. Here is what you need to know.

The junior market is growing
While Brazil is a mature market and there have been no major shifts in the past few years, Alexandre Argenta, President of the agency association BELTA, said that the junior market is growing fast.
“I have seen an increase, more than expected, in high school programmes and summer programmes abroad,” he told BONARD.
The top destinations for juniors
The top three destinations for junior students from Brazil are Canada, the UK, and the US, according to Argenta.
Other study destinations, such as Australia, New Zealand, Malta, Switzerland, and Ireland, are also popular. 
The top programmes
Two programmes are in particular demand: high-school programmes and summer camps. 
High school programmes have always been very popular with junior students and their families, Flavio Crusoe, owner of BEX Intercâmbio, told BONARD, but summer camps are now rising in popularity as well. 
For some students, high school programmes are not just a brief international experience, but a springboard to a university education abroad.
Talking specifically about Canada, André Simonetti, Product Manager at Central de Intercâmbio Viages, observed: “Usually students apply for one semester, but some then extend for one year, or stay for graduation. This is because they want to continue their education in Canada.”
Transparent relationships & fast communication
Educators and institutions worldwide are eager to connect and partner with Brazilian agencies. Asked how institutions can better engage with agents in Brazil, Argenta said: “Brazil is a very mature market, so every single institution that wants to deal with agents in Brazil must make sure to deliver exactly what is in the brochure!”
Also, he emphasised, communication needs to be fast and efficient.
Top-quality accommodation and homestays
Accommodation is a priority for Brazilian students and their parents.
Problems with accommodation can tarnish the reputation of even otherwise excellent programmes.  “Sometimes the school can be perfect, the programme can be top tier, but if the accommodation is not the best, it’s going to create a negative view about the whole programme,” Argenta said. 
Clovis Almeida, owner of USB Intercâmbio, added that homestays are a top-of-mind concern for parents.  
“Brazilian parents always ask about homestays!” he said.
Safety is another top concern for parents. 
As with most parents worldwide, safety and security are the main factors guiding Brazilian parents’ decisions when choosing a destination or programme for their children.  Crusoe told BONARD: “Brazilian parents are very protective; they need to know students are well looked after.”
Students are looking for an unforgettable experience abroad
A short-term programme abroad is usually the first international experience for young Brazilians. This means that the destination and tourist attractions or activities on offer are often the first factors guiding their choices. Argenta explained: “The content of the programme is important as well, especially if some students look for some more specialised programmes… but at first, the destination and the fun activities are the most important factors.”
Price sensitivity
Brazil is a price-sensitive market: cost and scholarship opportunities play a huge role in guiding students’ decisions when it comes to choosing a destination or programme.
Maura Leão, CEO at Yet Education & Travel -Yázigi Travel Intercâmbios, told BONARD: “When parents think about sending their kids abroad, the main concerns are safety and the cost of the investment or the budget they have to send their kids abroad. They know the importance of having their kids go abroad, but they need to know if they can afford it.”
Scholarships, she added, are very appealing and can help widen access to international education experiences for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“If the university gives a scholarship, it’s very appealing – even if it’s a merit-based scholarship, or a scholarship because they want to recruit more students from a certain part of the world, I think it’s a very nice thing to offer,” she said.
“Sometimes, thanks to scholarships, we can help people who could never go abroad but are very talented and have very high academic results in Brazil.”

These insights were gathered during a recent trade mission to Brazil delivered by BONARD. BONARD has organised several trade missions for global partners in Brazil and across the globe. The latest event, organised with our partner CAPS-I and supported by Flywire, PhoneBox, StudyInsured,™ and Belta, brought together 18 Canadian school districts/boards and 36 Brazilian agencies.

“The level of enthusiasm in the room was contagious, and a testament to Brazil’s importance for the global international education sector,” said Silvia Slobodnikova, Recruitment Solutions and Events Project Manager at BONARD.