February 24, 2026
English Learning Strategies by Brazilians for American Universities
Joana Sherrill Duarte; Renato Alessandro dos Santos
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This study identified and analyzed the strategies of young Brazilians, mostly from public schools, to achieve the English proficiency required by universities in the United States. The research detailed the self-taught methods, informal resources, and motivations that allowed them to overcome the deficiencies of formal language teaching in Brazil. It also investigated these students’ perception of the quality of English teaching in basic education, seeking insights for public policies and pedagogical practices that democratize access to international education. The premise was that, given structural limitations, individual agency and the use of unconventional resources are determinants for the academic mobility of low-income students.
The Brazilian educational scenario presents challenges in teaching English. Despite the mandatory nature of the language from the 6th grade of Elementary School to High School (Brazil, 1996; Brazil, 2020), national proficiency is low. A study by the British Council revealed that only 5.1% of the population aged 16 or over has some knowledge of the language, a figure that rises to 10.3% in the 18 to 24 age group (Patel and Copeland, 2023). This deficiency is corroborated by the Education First English Proficiency Index, which in 2024 ranked Brazil 81st out of 116 countries, with a low proficiency level and behind other South American nations (Education First [EF], 2024).
This linguistic barrier impacts international mobility. The Institute of International Education (IIE) points to a lack of English proficiency as a central obstacle to entering foreign universities. In 2016, only 0.6% of Brazilian undergraduates participated in exchange programs, a rate lower than that of countries like Ecuador (2%) and Colombia (1.2%) (Robles and Bhandari, 2018). In 2023, the number of Brazilians starting undergraduate studies in the USA was 8,213 (Institute of International Education [IIE], 2023). The analysis of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) suggests that the pedagogical approach, focused on grammar over communicative competence, contributes to this precarious training (Ribas, 2018).
The issue is exacerbated by socioeconomic inequalities. Studies such as Borges (2016), on the Science Without Borders program, have shown that income, race, and type of school (public or private) correlate with English proficiency. This reality consolidates fluency as a privilege, fueling a market of private courses that fill the gap in the public system (Marques, 2021). In this context, the trajectory of low-income youth who achieve fluency and are admitted to American universities, often with scholarships, is a fundamental field of study, as their experiences can reveal effective and replicable learning strategies.
The investigation is justified by the need to understand the mechanisms of academic success in an adverse environment. By focusing on high-performance, low-income students from the EducationUSA Opportunity Program, the study seeks to extract practical lessons from their journeys. The analysis of their informal strategies, involving the digital environment and recreational activities, aligns with research on the importance of learning outside of formal schooling (Pereira et al., 2019). The results aim to inform managers and policymakers about the urgency of reformulating English teaching to make it more inclusive and effective.
The study adopted a descriptive research approach, such as a multiple case study, to detail the group’s strategies and perceptions within their context. The sample consisted of 18 Brazilian students, all of legal age, from diverse regions, who participated in the EducationUSA Opportunity Program between 2010 and 2025. This program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, supports high-potential, low-income youth, making them an ideal group for analysis. Selection was by convenience, through the program’s online communities. The period from 2010 to 2025 was chosen to capture the use of digital technologies in autonomous learning, such as applications and streaming platforms. The sample, predominantly composed of alumni from public schools, represents individuals who developed advanced linguistic skills through their own efforts.
The data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire (survey) on Google Forms, combining closed-ended questions (multiple choice, Likert scale) for quantitative data and open-ended questions for qualitative data on experiences and strategies. The questionnaire was disseminated in two private WhatsApp groups of program participants, ensuring voluntary and anonymous participation. The research followed ethical precepts, with an Informed Consent Form (TCLE) detailing the objectives, the voluntary nature, and the confidentiality of the data. The TCLE informed about the low risk and the exclusive use of the information for academic purposes. This mixed approach allowed for the quantification of trends and the capture of the richness of individual narratives.
The demographic analysis revealed a group aged between 18 and 38 years, from ten Brazilian states and three already in the USA (Texas, Kentucky, and Illinois). The most significant data was that 94.4% (17 out of 18) attended High School in public schools. All had formal contact with English in basic education (94.4% in Middle School and 88.9% in High School), indicating compliance with legislation (Brazil, 2018), but not its effectiveness.
The perception of formal education was overwhelmingly negative. When asked if the classes prepared them for proficiency tests (such as TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS), 88.9% (16 participants) strongly disagreed. Similarly, 94.4% (17 participants) strongly disagreed that the school prepared them for the application process as a whole, which involves essays and portfolios. This highlights a disconnect between the curriculum and the competencies for academic mobility, as pointed out by Lage and Cavalcante (2022).
Despite the critical evaluation, 88.9% of respondents felt “confident” (66.7%) or “very confident” (22.2%) in their English communication, suggesting that proficiency was acquired through means external to the school. The qualitative analysis reinforces this: 14 out of 18 students mentioned the repetitiveness of the content, with excessive focus on basic grammar such as the “verb to be”, and 13 pointed out the lack of practice in communicative skills (listening, speaking, writing), corroborating Ribas’s (2018) critique regarding the neglect of performative competence.
The narratives revealed recurring themes, such as the perception of “shallow” classes and problems with teacher qualification, including incorrect pronunciation or absence of a teacher. Positive points, such as the use of music and films, were seen as isolated and insufficient initiatives. Four students explicitly stated that effective learning occurred outside of school, using the formal environment only as a basic introduction, while fluency was built autonomously.
Research on autonomous strategies revealed that 61.1% of students did not attend private English courses. Of this group, 27.8% of the total sample learned the language exclusively on their own, while 33.3% acknowledged a secondary contribution from school. This challenges the notion that English learning in Brazil depends on the private sector (Marques, 2021), showing the emergence of self-directed learning. Continuous exposure and immersion were cited as crucial factors, with the consumption of English content being a universal practice: movies and series (used by 100% of respondents), music (94.4%), and books (88.9%).
Technology was central: 83.3% used free mobile applications, and access to online videos and classes was frequent, aligning with the observations of Pereira et al. (2019) on learning with digital media. Beyond passive consumption, active practice was crucial, including conversation with other speakers (83.3%), deliberate study of grammar (88.9%), and consultation of dictionaries (88.9%), indicating a multifaceted learning approach. Interaction with native speakers, facilitated by social networks, was highlighted as providing authentic practice.
When asked about the support schools could offer, suggestions focused on structured and individualized support. Mentoring with experienced students was the most popular (77.8%), followed by private tutoring and study groups (66.7%) and more after-school English classes (61.1%). They also emphasized the importance of teacher training, dissemination of opportunities and free resources, and the development of extracurricular programs. There was a call for psychological support and a change in school culture to deconstruct the stigma that studying abroad is unattainable for low-income students.
The findings point to a critical gap between English teaching in public basic education and the competencies required for international selection processes. Students’ negative perception of school contrasts with their high self-confidence, evidencing that their success is a product of their own initiative, resilience, and use of informal and self-taught learning resources. The strong reliance on digital media, such as movies, series, music, and apps, demonstrates a paradigm shift in language acquisition; learner agency and digital immersion play a more significant role than formal instruction.
The practical implications of these findings are substantial. It is imperative to invest in the quality of education, with continuous teacher training, methodologies focused on communicative skills, and diversification of resources. Student suggestions — mentoring, remedial classes, and guidance on the application process — offer a roadmap for schools to take a more active role in supporting their students. Promoting a school culture that values and supports the pursuit of global opportunities, regardless of socioeconomic background, is fundamental to democratizing access and developing national talent. It is concluded that the objective was achieved: it has been demonstrated that young Brazilians from public schools predominantly use self-directed and informal learning strategies, based on media consumption and technology use, to overcome the deficiencies of formal education and achieve the English proficiency required to apply to universities in the United States.
References:
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BRAZIL. 2018. Ministry of Education. National Common Curricular Base. Brasília.
BRAZIL. National Education Council. Resolution CNE/CP nº 1, of June 17, 2020. National Curricular Guidelines for Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Official Gazette of the Union, Brasília, DF, June 18, 2020.
BRAZIL. Law nº 9.394, of December 20, 1996. Law of Directives and Bases of National Education. Official Gazette of the Union, Brasília, DF, Dec. 23, 1996.
Education First [EF]. 2024. English Proficiency Index. Available at https://www. ef. com/assetscdn/WIBIwq6RdJvcD9bc8RMd/cefcom-epi-site/reports/2024/ef-epi-2024-english. pdf. Accessed on Mar. 6, 2024.
EDUCATION USA. n. d. Academic Opportunities Program. Available at: https://educationusa. org. br/institucional/oportunidades-academicas/programa-oportunidades-academicas-undergrad/. Accessed on: Mar. 30, 2025.
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Executive summary from the Final Project of Specialization in School Management of the MBA USP/Esalq
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