The deadline to request an exemption from the registration fee for the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (Enem) 2025 ends at 23:59 (Brasília time) on Friday, April 25, 2025. This date also marks the final opportunity for candidates to justify their absence from the 2024 edition of the exam.
Requests for fee exemption must be made through the exam participant's page by logging in with an account on the Gov.br portal, which is the federal government’s digital services platform. The Ministry of Education (MEC) and the Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep) outline specific criteria for eligibility. Students who are enrolled in the third year of high school at public schools, those who completed their entire high school education in public institutions or as full scholarship recipients in private schools, low-income individuals registered in the Cadastro Único for Social Programs (CadÚnico), and participants in the Pé-de-Meia program are all entitled to request a fee exemption.
While the exact registration fee for the Enem 2025 has not yet been announced, it was set at R$ 85 in the previous year. In 2024, approximately 63.6% of the 4.3 million confirmed registrants received exemptions from this fee. This indicates a significant reliance on the exemption process, reflecting the financial challenges faced by many students.
For those who were exempt from paying the registration fee in 2024 but did not attend the two days of exams held in November, it is essential to justify their absence in order to request a new exemption for 2025. Acceptable reasons for absence include circumstances such as assault, theft, traffic accidents, marriage or stable union, family bereavement, maternity or paternity leave, relocation for family support, incarceration, and medical emergencies that necessitated hospitalization or recovery.
Documentation supporting the reason for absence must be provided, as outlined in the official guidelines from Inep. The results of the exemption requests will be announced on May 12, 2025. If an exemption request is denied, candidates will have the opportunity to appeal between May 12 and May 16. The final results of these appeals will be published on May 22, 2025.
It is important to note that receiving approval for the exemption does not automatically guarantee participation in the exam. Even with the fee waived, candidates must still complete their registration for the Enem 2025. The MEC has yet to publish the official notice detailing all relevant dates and procedures for the upcoming exam.
The Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio has long been regarded as the primary gateway to higher education in Brazil, facilitating access to federal programs such as the Sistema de Seleção Unificada (Sisu), Programa Universidade para Todos (Prouni), and the Fundo de Financiamento Estudantil (Fies). For over two decades, the Enem has been pivotal in assessing students' academic performance at the conclusion of their basic education.
The scores obtained by candidates are utilized by both public and private educational institutions to select students for admission. Each institution has its own criteria and weighting for how Enem scores are considered in their admissions processes. Additionally, these scores are recognized for application to institutions in Portugal, although these agreements do not involve financial assistance from the Brazilian government.
As the deadline approaches, students are urged to ensure they meet all requirements and submit their exemption requests on time. The Enem remains a crucial aspect of educational advancement in Brazil, and understanding the associated processes is key for prospective candidates.
