With a commitment to international partnerships and innovative research, and a tradition of welcoming students to American culture, the University of Arkansas (U of A) is looking forward to hosting over 160 Brazilian students this fall.

 

Located in Fayetteville, a thriving college town in northwest Arkansas at the foot of the Ozark Mountains, the U of A offers hiking, biking and a plethora of other outdoor activities. The land-grant and flag-ship university was founded in 1871 and today boasts a student body comprised of more than 25,000 students from 120 countries. 

 

U of A, a Carnegie research institution - the highest possible classification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching- is probably best known for its connection to the Fulbright Scholarship Program, the prestigious international exchange program created by former U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, a U of A graduate and a former president of the university. In addition, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were members of the school’s law faculty, and Mrs. Clinton founded the university’s legal clinic.

 

“The location of the university gives students a real immersion in the heart of the United States. We're all about international globalization and the concept of that is perpetuated at our university.” 

- G. Passmore

 

International students are drawn to the U of A’s prestigious engineering programs, which offer a wide range of research opportunities for those seeking bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees. Other notably strong programs include the business, agriculture, food sciences, biology, and architecture programs. The university maintains strong ties to Brazil. According to Ms. Gloria Flores Passmore, Director of Sponsored Student Programs for the Graduate School and International Education, “The University of Arkansas partners with the FUCAPE business school in Vitoria and with IBMEC in Rio. The university also has a relationship with Institute of International Education (IIE), who administers the Brazil Science Mobility Program (BSMP) undergraduate non-degree visiting program and the master’s program and LASPAU, who administers the BSMP doctoral program.”

 

Ms. Passmore points out that graduate assistantships are available in the fields of science and engineering, and the U of A encourages Brazilian students to apply for these programs.  The university offers an Intensive English Language Program, as well as opportunities for students to partner with American students and families to enjoy a home-cooked meal or to explore nearby historical and cultural sites.

 

For students who are on the BSMP scholarship program, “Our office provides a one-stop shop for international students to help them transition to their studies and campus life and for securing internships in their field.”  Ms. Passmore added, “The location of the university gives students a real immersion in the heart of the United States. We're all about international globalization and the concept of that is perpetuated at our university.”

     

 

 

Aerial view of the University of Arkansas