History
UFSM was founded as a federal public university founded in 1960 and is thus considered one of the oldest universities not located in a Brazilian state capital city. Popular nicknames for Santa Maria are "university city" or "culture city", due to the large student population.
Federal University of Santa Maria Key Statistics & Highlights
- #701 Ranking
- 53 Scholarships
- 1,902 Academic Staff
- 28,337 Students
- 15,302 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
Federal University of Santa Maria Overview
Federal University of Santa Maria Scholarships
Federal University of Santa Maria Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to Federal University of Santa Maria. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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Federal University of Santa Maria Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 801 | 701 | 701 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1201 | 1201 | 1201 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 89 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080 | 1141 | 1230 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1201 | - | 1501 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
UFSM has four campuses: the main one in Santa Maria; one campus in the municipality of Silveira Martins, near Santa Maria; and two smaller ones in northern Rio Grande do Sul, in the municipalities of Frederico Westphalen and Palmeira das Missões. In Santa Maria, however, the courses of Law, Business, Accounting, Psychology, Economics, International Relations, and Dentistry are still offered off-campus, in the city centre.
Federal University of Santa Maria Campus Locations
Federal University of Santa Maria Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 4 reviews
- 5 Star 1 Review
- 4 Star 3 Reviews
- 3 Star 0 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
The only Acoustic Engineering graduation in Brazil
In my academic journey, I delved deeply into theoretical knowledge surrounding acoustics and vibrations. However, despite the rigorous preparation provided by the university, I encountered significant challenges upon entering the workforce. It's disheartening to find that much of the national industry fails to recognize the value of our specialized education, leading to constant questioning of our skills. This is particularly evident in fields like NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness), where our expertise is crucial but often overlooked. Although the university offers numerous extracurricular activities, the demanding nature of acoustic engineering leaves little time for students to participate. Many of us struggle to balance our coursework with activities that could enhance our resumes and make us more attractive to potential employers. As a result, we often find ourselves at a disadvantage when competing for job opportunities. Despite these challenges, I remain grateful for the comprehensive education I received and the opportunities to expand my knowledge in acoustics and vibrations. Moving forward, I am determined to overcome industry prejudices and showcase the valuable skills and expertise that I have gained through my academic journey
Political engagement
The experience I had at the Federal University of Santa Maria was extremely enriching because I believe that, like many Brazilian public universities, we have an emphasis on how we will reach out to those who have not had the opportunity to continue their studies. I think this is very valuable because it puts us in a position of being agents of change in the society in which we are inserted.
Woderfull experience, but hard to express in words
Good university to study, but it wasn't exactly the course I always dreamed to make