Higher education admission in Brazil: Vestibular vs. Sisu

Students seeking higher education in Brazil must navigate different admission pathways, primarily the 'vestibular' and the Unified Selection System (Sisu).

The vestibular is a selection process organized by specific educational institutions or examination boards. These processes have unique rules regarding calendars, content, and evaluation criteria, which may include objective questions, essays, or specific skill tests. Some vestibulares are conducted in multiple stages, requiring minimum scores to advance.

In contrast, Sisu is administered by the Ministry of Education and utilizes scores from the Enem (National High School Exam) to fill vacancies in participating public universities and federal institutes. While Sisu registration is free and relies entirely on Enem performance, some institutions may hold their own selection processes that use Enem scores without being part of the Sisu system.