CNPEM’s full-time undergraduate program offers a degree in three years and includes room and board as well as immersion in the country’s most modern research complex, from the first year of study
Applications are now being accepted, from September 1 to 6:00 PM on December 15, 2026, as part of the free 2027 admissions process for the Ilum School of Science, the undergraduate degree program at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo. This institution has an innovative, interdisciplinary mission and is offering 40 slots in its Bachelor of Science and Technology program, with at least 50% reserved for students graduating from public high schools. Applications will only be accepted via the electronic form available on the Ilum website.
A unique characteristic of Ilum’s selection process is that admission does not depend on traditional college entrance exams. The initial screening considers the candidate’s score on the Brazilian National High School Exam (ENEM) taken in 2025 or 2026, along with the letter of interest submitted when they first apply. The applicants with the top 250 ENEM scores are invited to participate in remote individual interviews, where the admissions committee evaluates each candidate’s competencies, skills and affinity with the interdisciplinary curriculum contained in the program, not just performance on traditional exams.
The program extends over three years, and students receive housing, meals, transportation, a laptop computer, English lessons and psychological support. Even more, while they are still undergraduates students begin to participate in the everyday routine in the state-of-the-art laboratories at CNPEM, which is home to Sirius, the country’s largest scientific installation. From the very start of their studies, they come into contact with researchers who work on the cutting edge of knowledge in areas such as energy, materials, bioscience and nanotechnology.
This early immersion in pioneering research significantly expands the career possibilities for Ilum graduates. The interdisciplinary curriculum combines chemistry, physics, math, biology, data science, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and the humanities. This prepares graduates for both academic careers, going on to obtain master’s and doctorate degrees, as well as work in public and private research institutes or technology-based companies, with practical applied skills that are not often seen in new graduates.
The 2027 selection process begins at a time when Ilum is experiencing record demand. In 2026, the number of applicants for the course grew 53% over the previous year, soaring from 1,488 to 2,279; most are public school students, who accounted for 66.6% of the total.
“From its conception, Ilum was designed to offer a comprehensive education and all the necessary support for students to focus exclusively on their studies and academic training. Here, all new students are known by their first and last names, which makes them feel more comfortable about staying on track in their pursuit of knowledge. For this reason, the retention rate for the first two classes of Ilum graduates is over 80%, an impressive number in Brazilian higher education,” said Ilum director Adalberto Fazzio.
The remote interviews will be held from January 25–29, 2027, and the initial list of accepted candidates is scheduled to be released on February 2, 2027.
About the Ilum School of Science
Ilum offers a free undergraduate degree program that utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to train scientists and professionals in science and technology. With an innovative educational model, the three-year full-time bachelor program offers courses that connect life sciences, materials science, data science, artificial intelligence, and the humanities in order to prepare researchers to work in an ethical and collaborative manner in the search for solutions to the global challenges of the twenty-first century. The Ilum School of Science is funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC) and is part of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo, a social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI). Ilum’s educational mission offers early contact with experimental activities, in teaching labs at the school as well as at CNPEM, in projects carried out together with researchers.
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment with activities on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) with input from the Ministries of Education and Health, CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. CNPEM is responsible for Sirius, the country’s largest scientific research infrastructure, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. Research and development activities at CNPEM are conducted by its National Laboratories in the areas of Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology.
