Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil · founded 1920 · 67,000 students · public research university

Known for: Brazil's first federally-funded university, celebrated for its excellence in health sciences, engineering, and fine arts, and for its iconic main campus, the 'University City', a modernist architectural landmark.

Rankings

QS World: #421
Times Higher Education: #801

Top programmes

Medicine
Engineering
Fine Arts
Law
Biological Sciences
Chemistry

Notable alumni

Carlos Chagas — Physician who discovered Chagas disease
Oscar Niemeyer — World-renowned modernist architect
Cândido Portinari — One of Brazil's most important painters
Sérgio Buarque de Holanda — Influential historian and writer
Milton Santos — Renowned geographer and winner of the Vautrin Lud Prize
Fernanda Montenegro — Acclaimed actress, Oscar nominee for 'Central Station'
Josué de Castro — Physician, geographer, and activist against hunger
Mário Schenberg — Prominent theoretical physicist and art critic

Traditions

The 'Calourada' freshman reception with music and parties
Student protests and occupations as a form of political expression
Cultural weeks organized by different academic centers
The 'Baile da Física' (Physics Ball) party

If Federal University of Rio de Janeiro were…

As a food: Moqueca capixaba — Coastal Brazilian seafood stew—lighter and more artistic than its Bahian cousin, fragrant, colorful, relaxed in preparation but sophisticated in flavor. UFRJ has that same Rio energy: less intense than São Paulo's academ
As an athlete: Ronaldinho — Brilliantly talented, joyful, creative, and maddeningly inconsistent—capable of magic but also frustrating with unfulfilled potential. UFRJ is Brazilian academia's Ronaldinho: gorgeous campus, incredible moments of intel
As a person alive today: Seu Jorge — The soulful Rio artist who blends sophistication with street credibility, internationally respected but deeply rooted in local culture, creating beauty despite limited resources. UFRJ embodies that same spirit—producing
As a historical figure: Getúlio Vargas — The complex populist leader who modernized Brazil, championed public institutions and workers' rights, but also flirted with authoritarianism—ultimately a tragic figure of unfulfilled promise. UFRJ carries that same weig
As a movie or TV show: Black Orpheus — The 1959 film that brought bossa nova and Rio's favelas to international art cinema—beautiful, politically conscious, culturally rich, shot on location with stunning bay views. UFRJ is that same mix: artistically ambitio
As a US president: John F. Kennedy — Charismatic, culturally sophisticated, associated with a glamorous setting and progressive ideals, but ultimately more about promise and potential than sustained achievement. UFRJ has that Kennedy quality—gorgeous settin
As a city: Rio de Janeiro — It's literally in Rio and captures everything about the cidade maravilhosa—stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture, social complexity, creative energy, and the melancholy of faded glory and unfulfilled potential. The un
As an element: Copper — Beautiful, conductive, essential for carrying energy and information, but prone to oxidation and developing a patina over time. UFRJ is Brazil's copper—gorgeous Praia Vermelha campus, excellent at connecting ideas and pe
As a car: 1968 Volkswagen Kombi — UFRJ is the beach-bound counterculture icon—artsy, politically engaged, laid-back in Rio's sun, and beloved by generations of Brazilian intellectuals. It's public, accessible, a little worn but full of soul, and still ru

Campus life

Student life is deeply connected to Rio's vibrant urban culture, blending academic rigor with the city's famous beach and social scene. The main campus hosts numerous cultural events, parties ('festas'), and student protests. There is a strong tradition of student representation through the Central Student Directory (DCE).