Brazil opens enrollment for 2026 second‑semester Fies student loans
Registrations for Brazil's Fundo de Financiamento Estudantil (Fies) second‑semester 2026 intake opened on July 14 and run through July 17, with results slated for July 30. The Ministry of Education offers more than 112,000 slots for the year, including 44,867 placements for the second semester, and will allocate any unfilled vacancies up to the total yearly limit.
Eligibility requires participation in the ENEM since 2010, a minimum average of 450 points, no zero score on the essay, and a per‑capita family income of up to three minimum wages (R$ 4,863). Half of the spots are reserved for low‑income applicants earning up to half a minimum wage (R$ 810.50) who are registered in CadÚnico, with streamlined documentation.
A new CMN resolution changes the grace‑period rules: interest is no longer waived during the grace period but accrues on the principal only, and unpaid interest can be capitalised. Financing terms remain up to 60 months for individuals and 96 months for legal entities. For the Fies Empreendedor line, interest may reach 11.19% per year, split between bank remuneration (up to 8.94%) and federal funding (2.06%).