Aside from being one with the lowest illiteracy rates, Curitiba is also number 1 in terms of education among the Brazilian capitals. It is therefore not a wonder why many students in the country – and around the world – prefer to study in the city. It is also here where the top schools and universities in Paraná are located.

Federal University of Paraná

The Universidade Federal do Paraná or the Federal University of Paraná is the country’s oldest university and the state’s biggest. Offering 88 graduate courses, the university also provides higher education programs for free. To get admitted to the university, a student has to pass the vestibular (entrance exam) which comes in two parts. Of the 40,000 applicants each year, only 15,000 or less than 50% get to proceed to the second part of the exam.

Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná

A non-profit, private Catholic University, the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná or the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná is considered to be one of the most prestigious and largest universities in Brazil, it has once been ranked as the country’s number 1 university. Run by the Catholic Archdiocese in Paraná, PUC-PR offers 53 undergraduate courses and 150 postgraduate programs.

Aside from these two, there are a lot more educational institutions in the city, that stand out not just in the state but throughout Brazil as well.