The Ministry of Education (MEC) announced on 31 December that it has opened the call for 1,500 Bolsa Permanência grants for undergraduate medical students taking part in the Mais Médicos programme. Each grant will be worth R$700 per month and payments are scheduled to begin in early 2026, with the ministry committing an annual investment of R$12.6 million to support the initiative.
Bolsa Permanência Mais Médicos scheme and eligibility
The Programme Bolsa Permanência – Mais Médicos aims to reduce social inequality and improve course completion rates among students facing socioeconomic vulnerability. The MEC has set out eligibility rules that require applicants to have a gross family income per person of up to one and a half times the national minimum wage and to be registered in the national social registry, CadÚnico. Students must hold active enrolment in a medicine degree at an institution participating in Mais Médicos, must not have completed another higher education degree and may not already receive Bolsa Permanência in another modality.
Of the 1,500 grants on offer, 25 percent are reserved for students at federal universities while the remaining 75 percent will go to full‑scholarship students enrolled at private higher education institutions. Allocation will prioritise municipalities with the highest social vulnerability scores using the Index of Social Vulnerability (IVS) developed by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea). Additional scoring and extra places will be awarded to institutions located in the Legal Amazon and in Brazil’s border strip to help target the most remote and underserved regions.
Application timetable and selection process
Institutions that meet the requirements may register to participate in the scheme from 2 to 13 February 2026 via the Bolsa Permanência Management System (SISBP). Registration must be formalised by the legal representative of the institution or its maintainer. Eligible students will then have to apply through SISBP between 4 and 20 February.
Participating higher education institutions will carry out student selection from 6 to 13 March. Each institution must publish its own selection notice based on MEC’s criteria, including prioritising students with a per‑capita family income of up to half a minimum wage and those who completed their entire secondary education in public schools.
Payments and regulatory framework
The payment of grants will be administered by the National Fund for the Development of Education (FNDE). Payments will preferably be made through a Digital Social Savings account, which avoids issuing physical cards and reduces the need for beneficiaries, particularly those in remote areas, to travel to receive funds. The programme was regulated by Ordinance No. 655/2025 and the operational procedures were set out in FNDE Resolution No. 25/2025, both published on 31 December.
MEC officials say the Bolsa Permanência Mais Médicos programme is designed not only to tackle educational inequality but also to strengthen health services in regions that depend on medical students and recent graduates for care. By reducing dropout rates, the programme aims to secure longer‑term improvements in local healthcare provision.
Institutions and students with questions can contact the MEC helpdesk at 0800 616161 or by email at [email protected].
Key Takeaways:
- Brazil’s Ministry of Education will offer 1,500 Bolsa Permanência Mais Médicos grants of R$700 per month starting 2026.
- Programme prioritises students in socioeconomically vulnerable municipalities using Ipea’s IVS, with extra places for the Amazon and border areas.
- Applications: institutions 2–13 Feb 2026; students 4–20 Feb; selections 6–13 Mar. Eligibility requires CadÚnico registration and low per‑capita income.
