Program Overview

The CLS Program in Florianópolis provides an intensive 8-week language learning environment designed to cover the equivalent of one academic year of university-level Portuguese study. Students receive a minimum of 20 hours per week of formal classroom instruction that focuses on intensive reading, writing, speaking, phonetics, and listening practice. Formal language instruction is supplemented with additional cultural activities and classes, such as dance classes and Brazilian leisure activities. The CLS Program in Florianópolis also incorporates a language policy, which requires scholarship recipients to speak Portuguese only during all program activities with one another and with staff.

The CLS Portuguese program is hosted in Florianópolis by the University of the South of Santa Catarina (Unisul). Unisul is a private not-for-profit educational institution located in the heart of Florianópolis, the capital of the state of Santa Catarina. Founded in 1964, Unisul is a multi-campus education institution that focuses on using innovation to prepare new generations of Brazilians to adapt to, and lead, social change, and create on partnerships with other educational institutions worldwide. The CLS Program will be hosted at Unisul by its International Center, which specializes in Portuguese language instruction and teaching education programs for international students.

Outside of the classroom, students meet with a language partner several hours each week to practice language skills and engage in learning outside the classroom with native speakers through activities such as trying local cuisine, visiting and trying local food, exploring the natural landscapes and idyllic beaches of Florianópolis, and trying local food. On weekends, CLS students participate in a variety of cultural excursions to explore the rich culture and history of Florianópolis and the surrounding state of Santa Catarina, such as attending local festivals, visiting local business enterprises, and deepening their understanding of Brazil’s unique blend of diverse cultures and colonial legacy, including the influences of early German and Italian settlers in the region. These activities are designed to deepen the students’ understanding of Brazilian culture and language through interaction with local Brazilian people.