The Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC) has officially announced the enrollment schedule for the 2025 Sistema de Seleção Unificada (Sisu) following the publication of Edital nº 35/2024 on December 26, 2024. With only one registration window available per year, students will have the opportunity to register from January 17 to January 21, 2025. This year marks the continuation of efforts to streamline the application process for aspiring university students across the country.
According to the MEC, "Inscrições são gratuitas e podem ser feitas exclusivamente pela internet, por meio do Portal Único de Acesso ao Ensino Superior" (Registrations are free and can only be made online through the Unified Portal for Access to Higher Education). This accessibility is aimed at ensuring all qualified candidates have the chance to compete for higher education placements based on their performance in the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (Enem). Note must also be taken of the timeline established for results; the regular call results will be announced on January 26, 2025, providing students with immediate insight on their standing.
To be eligible to register, students must have successfully completed their high school education and participated in the 2024 edition of the Enem without receiving a zero score on the writing section. The rules specify clearly, "O candidato não poderá escolher em qual semestre vai ingressar, porque isso dependerá de sua classificação no curso pretendido" (The candidate cannot choose which semester to enroll, as this will depend on their ranking for the desired course). This positioning reflects Sisu's structure, reminding candidates of the competitive nature of the enrollment process.
All registered candidates will be classified based on their performance on the Enem 2024, which will first follow the model of broad competition. Subsequently, there will be reserved spots according to the Lei de Cotas (Law of Quotas), which aims to aid candidates truly requiring compensatory policies for access to higher education. The MEC stressed the importance of this aspect by stating, "A oferta de vagas reservadas observará a proporção de estudantes de escolas públicas, de baixa renda, com deficiência, pretos, pardos, indígenas e quilombolas" (The offer of reserved vacancies will observe the proportion of students from public schools, low-income households, with disabilities, black, brown, indigenous, and quilombola students).
The list of accepted candidates will have significant repercussions, as students who are not selected during the regular call will also have the chance to express interest in the waiting list. This must be done during the period from January 26 to 31, 2025, through the same online portal. By ensuring continuous access to potential seats, the Sisu aims to fill any gaps left by regular admissions, encouraging even greater participation from the student body.
Once the results are provided, the period of enrollment will run from January 27 to January 31, 2025, during which students will have to finalize their university positions. This timed approach ensures both students and universities maintain clear communication surrounding the availability of slots and the admission process. The MEC's commitment to maintaining transparent procedures emphasizes the initiative's goal of fostering equitable higher education accessibility.
With the growing focus on transparency and availability, the Sisu 2025 process continues to strive for inclusion within Brazilian higher education through standardized guidelines and structured enrollment periods. It stands as not just a program for academic advancement but as part of broader socio-economic initiatives fulfilling educational equality across the nation.
For students aiming to pursue their higher education aspirations, the Sisu framework is more pivotal than ever, underscoring commitment to innovative educational strategies. Keeping track of the deadlines and requirements will prove beneficial for hopeful candidates who are ready to take their next steps toward their academic futures.
To summarize, this year's enrollment window is set for January 17 to 21, 2025, with results announced shortly thereafter, and students are encouraged to make the most of the simplified participation process enabled by the Sisu initiative.
