About this opportunity
Ashinaga Brasil is looking for the fourteenth cohort of its Iniciativa Ashinaga África (IAA), an international leadership programme that funds a full undergraduate degree in Brazil for young Africans who have lost one or both parents. The idea behind it is simple and serious at the same time: invest completely in a student's education, and ask them to bring that learning home.
IAA covers the full cost of studying abroad. That includes tuition, accommodation, travel and other necessary expenses, plus a monthly living stipend. As of August 2026 scholars receive R$ 2,500 per month while living in the São Paulo metropolitan region and R$ 2,200 per month outside it. University placement runs through the Brazilian federal government's PEC-G programme, so you can name a first and second choice of course and city, while the university itself depends on the vacancies available in the year you apply.
Before university begins, every selected candidate completes a mandatory one year preparatory programme, also fully covered. It combines academic reinforcement with professional orientation, personal development and leadership work, delivered partly online and partly in person at the Ashinaga Uganda offices in Nansana. Performance during that year is assessed, and only candidates who are recommended move on to become IAA scholars.
The scholarship is not a one way gift. Scholars commit to graduating within the normal length of their course, keeping good academic standing, respecting Brazilian law and their university's rules, completing a six to eight week internship in a Sub-Saharan African country (cost support can be requested for this), and presenting an Ashinaga Proposal at the end of the degree. That proposal is a practical project addressing a social problem you care about, to be carried out during or after graduation. Scholars also join the Tsudoi, the annual July leadership gathering in São Paulo, and the Ashinaga Proposal Congress.
Applications are free. Ashinaga Brasil states clearly that no person or organisation is authorised to charge a fee at any stage, and anyone doing so is acting in bad faith. The organisation also states that it does not discriminate on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, disability, sexual orientation, religion or any other factor during selection.
What you receive
- Full financial support for an undergraduate degree in Brazil, including accommodation, travel costs and other necessary expenses
- Monthly living stipend of R$ 2,500 in the São Paulo metropolitan region or R$ 2,200 outside it, as of August 2026
- A fully funded one year preparatory programme in academic reinforcement, professional orientation, personal development and leadership
- Study in São Paulo, a state with high quality institutes of higher education, through the federal PEC-G university placement programme
- Six to eight week internship in a Sub-Saharan African country, with cost support available on request
- Annual leadership training at the Tsudoi in São Paulo plus the Ashinaga Proposal Congress
- A lifelong network of IAA scholars and alumni working on social projects across Sub-Saharan Africa
- No repayment required as long as the programme rules and commitments are met
Who can apply
- You have lost one or both parents
- You are a national of Mozambique, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau or Sao Tome and Principe
- You are 22 years old or younger as at 31 December 2026
- You completed secondary school with a final overall average of 65% or higher (a mark of 13 out of 20)
- Your final Portuguese language grade is 65% or higher (a mark of 13 out of 20)
- You do not have the financial means to attend university without support
- You are able to take part in the one year preparatory programme before starting university
- You are in good health and physically able to study abroad
- You do not have Brazilian parents or Brazilian nationality
- You are willing to return to your own country or another Sub-Saharan African country and contribute to your community after graduating
- You can submit all documents in Portuguese
- Reapplication is allowed if you applied before and still meet every requirement
Who should not apply
- Candidates with Brazilian parents or Brazilian nationality are not eligible
- Applicants who do not submit the required documents are disqualified
- Anyone charging a fee at any stage of this process is not affiliated with Ashinaga Brasil
Documents to prepare
- Scanned copy of your identity document (Bilhete de Identidade), front and back
- Death certificate for the deceased parent or parents, or an alternative official document such as a court record, a sworn declaration or an official letter from a local government officer
- Scanned secondary school transcripts for grade 10, grade 11 and grade 12 (or grade 13 for technical secondary students)
- All documents must be submitted in Portuguese
How to apply
- Go to the Ashinaga Brasil portal and register to complete the eligibility verification form
- Declare your eligibility honestly against the criteria listed above and upload your documents in Portuguese
- Wait for the review. The eligibility form is assessed within seven working days
- If you are found eligible, the full application form is unlocked on the same portal. Complete and submit it
- Strong candidates from each country are then invited to the assessment stage: a Portuguese language and subject knowledge test, a project you create and present, and an individual interview, all online
- Up to five candidates in total are selected for the IAA 2027 cohort at the end of that stage
- Submit your eligibility form by 25 October 2026 at 21:00 Brasilia time, which is 01:00 West Africa Time on 26 October. The portal closes at that moment
Selection process
- Stage one is an eligibility check. Only students who meet the published criteria receive the application form
- Stage two is the full application, submitted through the portal
- Stage three is assessment: Portuguese and subject knowledge test, project creation and presentation, and an individual interview, all conducted online
- Up to five candidates are selected across all eligible countries at the end of the third stage
- Selected candidates then begin the mandatory one year preparatory programme, where continued performance determines who becomes an IAA scholar
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Why is there an age limit of 22?
Ashinaga Brasil gives two reasons. The programme prioritises young people for this leadership track, and students aged 23 or older face more difficulty obtaining a student visa to study abroad.
Why is the scholarship for orphaned students?
The Ashinaga movement began as a civil society campaign for access to education for students from families affected by traffic accidents, and it has kept that focus on young people who have lost parents.
What if I cannot obtain a death certificate?
Another official document can be accepted, including a court record, a sworn declaration or an official letter from a local government officer.
Can I choose my university?
Placement runs through Brazil's federal PEC-G programme. You can indicate a first and second preference for course and city, but not for the university, which depends on your ranking and the vacancies available that year.
Does the scholarship have to be repaid?
No. Ashinaga Brasil does not ask for the investment back as long as the scholar follows the programme rules and meets the commitments attached to the award.
I applied last year. Can I try again?
Yes, provided you still meet every requirement. If you no longer fit the criteria you will be disqualified during the eligibility check.
Important disclaimer
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