In Florianópolis there is a free Portuguese course for migrants at the state university UDESC; at UFSC courses for foreigners are paid. A migrants' course certificate is accepted by the Ministry of Justice as proof of language for naturalization, because the rule requires specifically a course at a higher education institution accredited by MEC — and a state university fits that. Enrollment announcements are posted on the universities' own websites and are not repeated every month: you need to catch the enrollment date.
Where to go in Floripa, snapshot as of Aug 2026:
- UFSC, Portuguese courses for foreigners — Centro de Comunicação e Expressão (CCE), block B, room 101, Trindade campus, CEP 88040-900, (48) 3721-3784. Extracurricular courses of the Department of Foreign Languages
- Fala Aí — Rua Jerônimo Coelho, 293, room 1201, Centro. Private school, specializes in Portuguese for foreigners
- Step1 Idiomas — Rua Lauro Linhares, 2055, Ed. Max & Flora, room 708, Trindade, CEP 88036-003
- Wizard Estreito — Rua Souza Dutra, 235, Estreito, (48) 3244-8888
The first is public, but paid: the fee per level in 2026/2 for an external student — R$ 612 in person and R$ 480 online (as of Aug 2026). The others are commercial. Three dozen more language schools on the island, with addresses, are in After-school clubs and classes for children in Florianópolis — dance, music, languages, sports and the state art school (in Russian); Portuguese for foreigners is not marked for them, you need to ask separately.
Why a free university course is not the same as courses at a private provider
The language requirement for naturalization is satisfied by a document from a closed list, see How to prove Portuguese for naturalization (in Russian). One of the eight items is a Portuguese course for migrants at a higher education institution accredited by MEC. A certificate from a private language school is not included in the list, no matter how much it costs.
Hence the practical order for someone living in Brazil and thinking about citizenship: first look for the university course, and only afterwards — the paid exam Celpe-Bras — the government certificate of Portuguese proficiency.
What is available in Santa Catarina
| Who | What | Features |
|---|---|---|
| UDESC, Faed center | Course “Portuguese as a host language” (PLAc), free, 60 hours | For migrants living in the state of Santa Catarina, 100 places. Partners — Pastoral do Migrante and Círculos de Hospitalidade. Classes online on Saturdays, final assessment — in person at Faed, Itacorubi. Certificate — with attendance not below 75%, completed assignments and grade not below 7.0. Enrollment 2026 took place 25 Jul–5 Aug |
| UFSC, PET Letras | Portuguese course for migrants and refugees, free | Two levels: beginner and intermediate. Trindade campus, CCE building. Certificate for 60 hours with attendance not below 75%. Last enrollment on the program page — 2023.2 |
| UFSC, NUPLE | Extracurricular Portuguese courses for foreigners, paid | Four levels and a conversation group, in-person and online, from 15 years old. Certificate for 60 hours with attendance from 75% and average from 6.0; for the online Portuguese course — only a participation statement. The same CCE-B building — Celpe-Bras exam center, address in Celpe-Bras — the government certificate of Portuguese proficiency |
You don't need to look for the PLAM project (UFSC) — on its own page it is stated that it ended in 2022, and its functions moved to the Andifes-Idiomas sem Fronteiras network.
The list covers Florianópolis and the state of Santa Catarina, see Living in Florianópolis — the island through the eyes of a resident, not a tourist and Santa Catarina — overview of the state and how it is organized (in Russian); courses in other states were not collected.
What to expect from the requirements
- Attendance threshold is real. Both UDESC and UFSC issue certificates from 75% of classes; UDESC additionally requires a grade not lower than 7.0, NUPLE — an average from 6.0. A course abandoned halfway does not provide the document.
- Not every online course counts. The Ministry of Justice accepts a distance course only if the student takes an in-person assessment at least once. At UDESC the final assessment is in person; NUPLE's online course gives only a participation statement.
- Volume — 60 hours. This is the level “to be able to speak in everyday life”, not “to pass an exam at an advanced level”.
- They teach the Brazilian variant. Celpe-Bras directly tests variante brasileira, and courses at Brazilian universities prepare for that same variant.
Sources
- T1UFSC, Department of Foreign Languages — extracurricular Portuguese courses for foreigners: CCE bloco B sala 101, campus Trindade, (48) 3721-3784, reception Mon–Fri 8–12 and 14–18lle.ufsc.br · primary source
- T1UDESC/Faed — free Portuguese course as a host language for migrants living in Santa Catarina: 60 hours, conditions for issuing a certificate, partnership with Pastoral do Migrante; 2026 enrollment 25 Jul–5 Aug, classes online from 15 Aug, final assessment in person at Faedudesc.br · primary source
- T1PET Letras UFSC — Portuguese course for migrants and refugees in Florianópolis: levels, Trindade campus, certificate for 60 hours with 75% attendance; last announced intake on the page — 2023.2petletras.paginas.ufsc.br · primary source
- T1Ministério da Justiça — requirement for the course whose certificate is accepted: course for migrants at a university accredited by MEC, with satisfactory result; remote — only with at least one in-person assessmentgov.br · primary source
- T1UFSC, PLAM project — Portuguese as a host language; page states the project was completed in 2022projetoplam.paginas.ufsc.br · primary source
- T1NUPLE UFSC — registration for extracurricular Portuguese courses for foreigners 2026.2: four levels and a conversation group, in-person and online, paid; contacts DLLE (48) 3721-3784nuple.paginas.ufsc.br · primary source
- T1DLLE UFSC — edital for extracurricular language courses 2026/2: level fee (for external students R$ 612 in-person, R$ 480 online), from 15 years old, certificate of 60 hours with 75% attendance and average 6.0; for online Portuguese — only participation statementcursosextra.com · primary source
T1 — primary: law, agency site, price list. T2 — secondary: press, specialist sites. T3 — other.