At ESPM
Study Brazil from a university setting in Rio
ESPM gives the route an academic home while students study Brazil through business, language, culture, and city life.
Brazil route / Winter break / J-term / Short-term intensive
Brazil Study Abroad: Business, Culture, and Language
Study business, culture, and Portuguese language through Brazil: arrive in Sao Paulo, pause in Paraty / Green Coast around New Year's, and continue to Rio de Janeiro for most coursework.
Program highlights
Why this program is worth a closer look.
Travel during a longer U.S. winter break or J-term, when Brazil is in summer.
Start with Sao Paulo's business energy, slow down on the Paraty / Green Coast, then settle into Rio for most coursework.
Pair International Business with Portuguese language and Brazilian culture, with ESPM anchoring the university setting in Rio.
Brazil in context
See one country from three very different settings.
Sao Paulo, Paraty / Green Coast, and Rio de Janeiro put business, coastal history, language, culture, and university coursework into one focused route.
Company visit
Study Brazilian organizations in context
Professional visits give students concrete examples of how organizations respond to Brazil's markets, media, consumer culture, and city life.
Student life
Experience Brazil at different speeds
Sao Paulo, Paraty / Green Coast, and Rio change the pace of the program, from business scale to coastal history to everyday city life.
Planning next steps
Get the current program details before making plans.
Request Info gives students and families the practical information behind the route: dates, pricing, housing, transportation, visits, course materials, and credit guidance.
A winter-break route
The program is planned for a longer U.S. winter break or J-term, giving students Brazil in summer without giving up a full semester.
A university base in Rio
ESPM gives the program an academic home in Rio while students work with their home university on credit approval.
Practical details before plans
Request current dates, housing, pricing, transportation, visits, and course materials before booking travel or relying on credit.
Route
Move through Sao Paulo, Paraty, and Rio with business, culture, and language in view.
Sao Paulo introduces Brazil's business scale, media, markets, and pace. Paraty / Green Coast creates a heritage and coastal reflection block. Rio de Janeiro carries the main classroom work, city observations, and faculty-led discussion.
Destination
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sao Paulo is the Brazil arrival city and a natural starting point for studying business, finance, media, consumer markets, migration, and the pace of Brazil's largest economy.
- Use the arrival city to notice how business scale, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and daily movement shape first impressions of Brazil.
- Study the city's finance, media, creative, and consumer markets before the route moves toward the coast.
- Start the first comparison point here before the route moves toward the Green Coast and Rio.
Destination
Paraty, Brazil
Paraty / Green Coast gives students a coastal and heritage-focused stop between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with tourism, culture, conservation, and reflection shaping the program.
- Examine the historic center and surrounding landscape through questions of heritage, conservation, tourism, and local economies.
- Use the New Year's period to notice how celebration, place, hospitality, and visitor economies interact.
- Compare Paraty's scale, heritage economy, coastal setting, and public life with the business intensity of Sao Paulo and the academic base in Rio.
Destination
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro is the main coursework base for the Brazil route, with class meetings, ESPM partner context, creative industries, public institutions, urban identity, and Brazilian culture.
- Use Rio as the main academic base where coursework, faculty discussion, and Brazil observations come together.
- Study how business, culture, media, tourism, public life, inequality, and urban geography shape how organizations operate.
- Examine a city students recognize through business, culture, and institutional questions in class.
Housing
Brazil Program Housing
Sao Paulo, Paraty / Green Coast, and Rio de Janeiro
Brazil housing is selected city by city for safety, practical location, class access, group movement, and reasonable comfort.
- Expect housing chosen for safety, program logistics, and access to academic meetings or group movement.
- Housing varies by city because Sao Paulo, Paraty / Green Coast, and Rio de Janeiro each play a different role in the route.
- Ask Summit about lodging, rooming, commute, and support information before relying on housing assumptions.
Course focus
International Business, studied in a real Brazil setting.
Students take International Business in Brazil as the primary academic track for this program. Company visits, cultural experiences, city observations, and written reflection give students examples from the places they visit to examine in class.
See International Business coursesCourses
Review credit-bearing courses for each route.
Core course family
3 credits Business
International Business in Brazil
Students examine international business through Brazil's economic, cultural, and institutional setting, using city observations and professional examples in faculty-led discussion.
Ask your home university whether ESPM course materials can support business or elective credit review.
Possible added course
3 credits Portuguese language and Brazilian culture
Intensive Portuguese Language and Brazilian Culture
Students build practical Portuguese language exposure while studying Brazilian culture, communication, history, daily life, and city learning alongside the International Business route.
Ask your home university whether ESPM course materials can support language, culture, humanities, area studies, or elective credit review.
Credit transfer
Understand credit approval before you commit.
Students, parents, and academic advisors
ESPM And Home University Preapproval
Brazil's academic host is ESPM. Students still work with their home university to confirm how Summit coursework can apply toward degree progress.
- 1 Request ESPM course titles, syllabi, credit values, grading model, and transcript wording for home-university review.
- 2 Share course materials with the home university advisor, registrar, study abroad office, or transfer-credit office.
- 3 Ask how each course may apply toward major, minor, language, culture, general education, elective, or graduation requirements.
- 4 Keep written confirmation from the home institution before counting transfer credit toward a degree plan.
Academic guidance
Faculty keep the academic focus clear across the route.
Faculty stay engaged across the route
Faculty guide class meetings, visits, cultural sites, city observations, and written work throughout the route. Students return to what they noticed, compare it with the group, and use it in discussion and assignments.
Course discussionWritten reflectionVisit context
Before applying
Carry the program into the next conversation.
Students can bring the route, courses, partner context, housing, cost, support, and credit questions into family and school conversations before applying.
Courses
See how class time, visits, written work, and credit fit together.
Brazil destinations
See how Sao Paulo, Paraty, and Rio de Janeiro shape the route through business, culture, language, and city life.
Credit Transfer
Understand what your home university may need before you rely on transfer credit.
Financial Aid
Explore scholarships, approved affordability options, and funding conversations before building a budget.
Health & Safety
Understand preparation, housing, communication, and support abroad.
For Parents
See how credit, support, housing, cost, timing, and group travel fit into the family decision.
For Advisors
See the course, credit, partner, and route materials students can bring to an academic reviewer.
University Partners
Learn how Summit's academic partners fit into the Europe and Brazil programs.
ESPM
See how ESPM supports the Brazil program's Rio academic setting.
Student voice
Students remember the structure, movement, and cultural depth.
"I would recommend this program to other students. I really liked the structure and how well we were able to view and capture all aspects of the country of Brazil."
"I liked the length of time we got in each city, not constant movement, but not too static. I liked the mix of planned events and freedom to explore on your own."
"I would recommend this program to future students because there are a lot of amazing things to see and do in Brazil, and this program allowed us to spend time in three cities."
FAQs
When does the Brazil program run?
Brazil runs during U.S. winter break / J-term, which is summer in Brazil. It is especially relevant for students whose schools have longer winter breaks. Request Info for program dates before using the program for school, travel, work, or family plans.
What is the Brazil route?
The Brazil route begins in Sao Paulo, pauses in Paraty / Green Coast around New Year's, and continues to Rio de Janeiro for most coursework. Request Info for dates, transportation, visits, housing, and ESPM course context.
What courses does Brazil include?
Brazil pairs business coursework with Intensive Portuguese Language and Brazilian Culture. Request the course materials your home university needs before relying on the credit for degree progress.
How would Brazil credit transfer?
Brazil's academic host is ESPM, and each home university reviews transfer credit. Request course materials, credit values, and transcript wording early so an advisor, registrar, or study abroad office can review the fit.
Where will students stay in Brazil?
Brazil housing is organized city by city across Sao Paulo, Paraty / Green Coast, and Rio de Janeiro. Request Info for lodging, rooming, neighborhood, commute, and support information.
Should I request information about Brazil now?
Yes, especially if winter break timing, credit approval, or budget planning affects your decision. Ask for dates, route structure, ESPM course materials, housing, pricing, and application support.
Next step
Request Brazil Study Abroad program details.
Compare the route, session options, courses, cohort, housing, pricing, application timing, and what your school may need for credit review.