The Brazil Initiative at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies offers annual scholarships of $500 - $1,000 for Portuguese language study at U-M. The scholarships are open to all U-M undergraduate students in any program. Congratulations to the 2020-2021 Awardees.

Alex Williams

Alex Williams, majoring in Political Science is taking Portuguese 101 and 102 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Alex has previously spent six weeks in Brazil where she stayed with a host family. “I loved my time in Brazil, as the culture is rich and the nation is beautiful.” Alex is looking forward to traveling to Brazil again and being able to move around and do things independently while enjoying conversations with people who do not speak English.

Ian Lonergan

Ian Lonergan, Global Environment and Health major, is taking Portuguese 231 and 232 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Ian began studying Spanish in Junior High and Portuguese in high school. His exposure to diverse cultures inspired him to serve in international non-profit humanitarian efforts and major in Global Environment and Health and Environment. Ian looks forward to continuing his study of Portuguese at U-M as he endeavors to improve communities and ecosystems across the globe. Whether it be working to protect the vastness of the Amazon or poverty relief efforts on the shores of Mozambique, being equipped with language skills and awareness of distinct customs will be highly beneficial.I'm really passionate about learning foreign languages and about other cultures, and this will greatly help me pursue these opportunities.  

Charlotte Beaudoin

Charlotte Beaudoin, Program in the Environment Major, is taking Portuguese 280 in the Fall term. Through Charlotte’s previous experience as an intern at an international environmental non-profit as well as at a United Nations Office, she has come to realize that to help the environment, international cooperation is imperative. After graduation, Charlotte intends to go on to law school and specialize in environmental law. She is certain that Brazil and its environmental issues will continue to require international attention due to the continued destruction and deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest, one of the largest carbon sinks in the world. “I've chosen to study Portuguese because I really love learning foreign languages. I have learned Spanish and about Latin America for many years, so learning Portuguese and about Brazil seemed like a really interesting next step. I'm planning on pursuing a career in environmental fields, and this is a skill that can open doors to work on environmental issues in different areas of the world.”

Matthew Krasner

Matthew Krasner, Economics Major, is taking Portuguese 231 and 232 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Matthew hopes to study law after graduating, and specialize in international finance and international mergers and acquisitions. While many international lawyers speak Spanish, he has observed a need for lawyers proficient in Portuguese, especially given the importance of Brazil’s emerging investment market. “I chose to study Portuguese due to my interest in Brazilian music and culture. Also, Brazil has one of the largest developing economies of the world, so I hope to potentially utilize Portuguese later on in my career.”

This scholarship opportunity is open to all U-M undergraduate students studying the Portuguese language at the University of Michigan.

  • $250 scholarships are available on a competitive basis for students who enroll in, complete, and pass the one-credit mini-course LACS 490 (Portuguese for the Professions) in Winter 2022. Students must provide evidence of an upcoming professional project or internship in Brazil.
  • $1000 scholarships are available on a competitive basis for students who enroll in, complete, and pass the full sequence of Port 101 in Fall and Port 102 in Winter.
  • $1000 scholarships are available on a competitive basis for students who enroll in, complete, and pass the full sequence of Port 231 in Fall and Port 232 in Winter.
  • $500 scholarships are available for students who enroll in, complete, and pass Port 280 in Fall; $500 scholarships are available for students who enroll in, complete and pass Port 281 in Winter (Students who take both 280 and 281 may apply for and receive both scholarships.)

See our funding page for more information.