More than 50 students from state schools in the regions of Bauru and Marília (SP) will have the opportunity to study for three months in schools in countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. They were approved in the “Prontos pro Mundo” program and embarked on the exchange in 2027.
In the Bauru region, 25 students were selected and in Marília, 29 students, totaling 54 approved.
Student Izabela de Oliveira, aged 17, approved in the program in 2025, had the experience of studying in New Zealand. In an interview with g1, the student says that in addition to studying common high school subjects, she can also participate in excursions and tours around the country, in addition to learning more about the country's culture.
"It was incredible! A dream come true that I will never forget. Still at the airport, I was a little scared about how my life was changing, but at no point did I feel afraid or want to give up. I had the support of a wonderful host family, who welcomed me like a daughter. And everything turned out better than I could have imagined", she says.
The exchange is free of charge for students from the state network and one of the prerequisites for participating in the program is taking the Saresp test, which assesses academic performance. Izabela says that she prepared a lot for the exam and was also selected for an English course.
“During the course, I continued preparing as if the exchange was a certainty, and in the end it was”, he highlights.
For the young woman, who is a student at Escola Estadual Henrique Rocha de Andrade, the experience of living in another country was very important for her personal growth.
"I think the most important part is how after all this, the world seems very small. All dreams seem possible, and opportunities seem better. But it wasn't the world that changed, it was me. I matured, I learned to be away from everything I know and that was definitely the most important part."
Canada was the destination of student Helena Teles de Oliveira, who was also selected in the exchange program. The preparation for living and studying for three months in the country included several experiences of living with the English language, which is one of Canada's official languages.
"Since the ninth year, I was already preparing a lot to take the Saresp, which is an assessment that is part of the program's criteria, and I had high attendance at school, I was rarely absent. After finding out that I had been selected, I took the English course offered by the program, and throughout the year I continued creating an immersion in the English language. I watched films and series all in English. I started following foreign influencers, and changed the language on my cell phone, to have daily contact with the language", she says in an interview with g1.
Helena also highlights that during the exchange experience you can experience local culture such as music festivals, Halloween and Thanksgiving, which are very traditional in the country.
"It was the best experience of my life. The adaptation was smooth, I felt very welcomed. I learned a lot from everyone I met and had experiences that made me grow a lot. I feel that after I returned I became a more confident, communicative and independent person", adds the student at Escola Estadual Professor Francisco Alves Brizola.
At 16 years old, Rafaela da Silva Almeida also collects the experiences and learnings from the exchange. She lived and studied for three months at a school in Ireland. Special moments that she “keeps in her memory”.
"Everything I experienced, from the little everyday things to the big experiences, were remarkable for me. At the time, I didn't even realize how special those moments were, but now that it's over, I miss them", he confesses.
The young woman also says that despite the distance of being in a country on another continent, with different language, customs and climate, she was not afraid of not adapting.
"I wasn't really afraid of not being able to communicate or adapt, I was open to new experiences and for me it was peaceful. My host family supported me and helped me better understand English on a daily basis, simple conversations make a difference, I think being immersed in the language is one of the best ways to learn."
For students who also have the goal of going on an exchange, the student advises: "I think the main advice is really not to be afraid to try. When I applied, I didn't even think I would be accepted, but I thought 'why not?'. This is one of those opportunities that is really worth taking. And if you have the opportunity to go, allow yourself to discover new things and make the most of them as you can, because afterwards you will miss even the little things", she concludes.
For 2027, 500 exchange places were offered for the first school semester in the countries that are part of the program. Each year, the project takes 1,000 students to experience High School (similar to High School) in English-speaking countries, in two selection periods per year, in the first and second semester.
The 54 students from Bauru and Marília embark on a three-month exchange period in the second semester of 2027.
More than 50 thousand students enrolled in the 1st year of high school in the state network competed for the 500 exchange places at this stage. Students who meet the following requirements are classified for the selection test:
They have attended the public school system since the 6th year of elementary school;
They took the Saresp last year, when they were enrolled in the 9th year of Elementary School;
They took the English course offered by the program;
Have passed the English language proficiency test;
They achieved school attendance of 90% in the first semester of this year in regular classes;
They recorded a grade of 7 or higher in all subjects in the curriculum.
The students called are divided into two lists: by municipality and general classification. Initially, Prontos pro Mundo classifies a student representing each municipality in São Paulo.
The vacancies in cities without students able to compete for the exchange were allocated for distribution according to the program's main criteria (Saresp score and Prontos pro Mundo test score) in order of classification.
The Prontos pro Mundo Program exchange is 100% free for the student and their family, with all costs and organization provided by Seduc-SP. Items such as personal documents (passport, visa), accommodation, classes, transfers, airline tickets will be covered.
During their stay abroad, students also benefit from a grant for personal expenses.
