The National Observatory's Graduate Program in Astronomy (PPGA-ON) is accepting applications for entry in the first semester of 2027. The application period runs from September 14 to October 30, 2026, and the notice covers three routes: Master's, Direct PhD and PhD. The first practical step is to identify the correct route, because requirements such as a unified exam, research project, supervisor and recommendation letters vary by option.
Applications are submitted through the PPGA online system. The official schedule runs through December 11, when the final ranking is due. However, there are internal discrepancies between the date table in the notice, the body text of the same notice and the process-selection summary page. Applicants should therefore prepare early and keep checking the official selection page before each stage.
Who can apply to each route
| Route | Academic background | Unified exam | Supervisor and project at application | Recommendation letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master's | Undergraduate degree in Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics or a related field; final-semester students may also apply if they can prove completion by enrollment. | Yes. The PDF notice accepts EUF or EUQ taken between 2024 and 2026. | No. A project and supervisor are required only when approved candidates enroll in the program. | Not listed as a specific requirement. |
| Direct PhD | Undergraduate degree in Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics or a related field; final-semester students may also apply if they can prove completion by enrollment. | Yes. The PDF notice accepts EUF or EUQ taken between 2024 and 2026. | Yes. Both must be defined when applying. | At least two, sent directly by the recommenders. |
| PhD | Academic Master's degree in Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics or a related field; candidates finishing a Master's may apply if they prove completion by enrollment. | The notice does not set a unified exam requirement for this route. | Yes. Both must be defined when applying. | At least two, sent directly by the recommenders. |
The notice treats programs in Exact and Earth Sciences as related fields and also lists specific engineering areas, including Mining, Materials and Metallurgical, Electrical, Chemical, Nuclear, Aerospace, Biomedical and Mechatronics Engineering. Degrees earned abroad may be used in the selection without official Brazilian revalidation.
EUF: what is required and where the official sources differ
For Master's and Direct PhD applicants, the full PDF notice requires participation, between 2024 and 2026, in one of two exams: the Unified Graduate Physics Exam (EUF) or the Unified Chemistry Exam (EUQ). The certificate showing the score must be emailed to secpga@on.br by the application deadline.
The PPGA summary page, by contrast, specifically highlights EUF as the requirement. Because both statements are published by the National Observatory, anyone planning to rely on EUQ should confirm acceptance with the program office before completing the application. Taking EUF or EUQ also does not replace the PPGA application itself.
Application document checklist
The core documentation is shared across all three routes, but PhD and Direct PhD applicants have extra items. A practical way to avoid a rejection for missing files is to organize the package in two layers.
Core documents
- copy of an identity document, Brazilian ID/CPF or passport;
- undergraduate transcript for Master's and Direct PhD, or Master's transcript for PhD;
- CV in the Lattes/CNPq format for Brazilian applicants or free format for foreign applicants;
- signed and dated motivation letter for admission to the PPGA, limited to one page;
- signed document listing the course completion date or expected date, cumulative grade coefficient and grading scale, plus documented information on undergraduate research, papers, events and teaching activities;
- copy of the relevant diploma or an official statement that the degree is being issued or can be completed by enrollment;
- other documents the applicant considers relevant, optionally.
Extra items for Direct PhD and PhD
- a supervisor selected from PPGA permanent faculty who is able to take on a new student;
- a PhD research project;
- a signed letter from the supervisor confirming the commitment to supervise and explaining the project's fit with PPGA and the supervisor's research line;
- at least two recommendation letters from faculty members or researchers familiar with the applicant's academic and research record.
Recommendation letters must be sent by the recommenders themselves, from institutional email addresses, to secpga@on.br by the deadline. The notice says letters from supervisors of the PhD research projects submitted by the applicant will not be considered. For PhD and Direct PhD, the project and supervisor letter must also be sent to the same address. Potential supervisors are listed on the PPGA permanent faculty page.
Affirmative-action policy: eligibility and points to verify
The main body of the notice provides a voluntary affirmative-action option, for applicants with Brazilian citizenship, for Black, Brown and Indigenous people (PPI), people with disabilities (PcD), and women who became mothers through birth or adoption within five years before July 31, 2026. Applicants choosing this option must send the Self-Declaration Form and any required supporting documents to secpga@on.br by the application deadline.
The evaluation rules apply a 1.2 factor to the academic-trajectory score of eligible affirmative-action applicants. Applicants self-identifying as Black or Brown undergo a remote hetero-identification procedure; for Indigenous applicants, people with disabilities and mothers, eligibility is checked through documentation.
Important: Annex I of the PDF contains references to 2025 dates that do not match the 2027/A cycle, while the main body uses 2026 dates. Because of this inconsistency, applicants should confirm with PPGA which documents and cutoff dates apply to their specific case before submission.
How the selection works
After the deadline, the program office checks the documentation. For Master's applicants, a complete application can be approved for the selection stage. For Direct PhD and PhD, the project must also fit PPGA research lines and the proposed supervisor must have capacity to take on a new student.
All PhD applicants with approved applications proceed to interview. Master's and Direct PhD applicants go through a preselection. The score combines academic trajectory, weight 6, and the unified-exam percentile, weight 4. The trajectory score considers undergraduate program type, grade coefficient, undergraduate research/extension, participation in events and published papers.
The interview is remote and covers the CV, transcript, academic and research trajectory and, where applicable, the project. Candidates with an interview score below 5 are not considered eligible for admission. For Master's, the overall score combines preselection (weight 4) and interview (weight 6). For PhD, it combines academic/professional trajectory (weight 4) and interview (weight 6). Direct PhD applicants are assessed under both Master's and PhD criteria; the committee may decide that a candidate is eligible for the Master's program but not for direct PhD entry.
2027/A calendar and dates to monitor
The first-page table in the notice and the selection webpage show the following schedule:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications | September 14 to October 30, 2026 |
| Approved applications and preliminary interview list | November 6 |
| Initial appeals | through November 10 |
| Final interview list | November 20 |
| Interviews | November 25 and 26 |
| Preliminary result | December 1 |
| Hetero-identification | December 3 and 4 |
| Hetero-identification result | December 7 |
| Final appeals | through December 9 |
| Final result | December 11 |
The body of the same PDF, however, gives different dates in some sections: initial appeals through November 12, final interview list by November 17, interviews on November 24 and 25, and preliminary results by November 30. Because the official documentation contradicts itself, applicants should not rely only on a saved calendar. Check the PPGA page before each milestone and monitor email messages from the selection committee.
Scholarships: ranking does not guarantee funding
The final result also sets the ranking order for CAPES or CNPq scholarships that may be available. At the time the notice was released, the listed amounts were R$2,100 per month for up to 24 months for Master's and R$3,100 per month for up to 48 months for PhD. The number of scholarships for 2027 depends on agency quotas and availability.
Approved candidates have until January 8, 2027 to confirm by email their intention to enroll and whether they want funding. Scholarship awards follow separate rules and prioritize candidates without an employment relationship, so admission does not amount to a guaranteed scholarship.
Practical route to complete the application without missing requirements
- confirm that your academic background matches the route you intend to apply for;
- for Master's or Direct PhD, prepare the EUF or EUQ certificate and score from 2024–2026, and confirm with the program office if you plan to use EUQ;
- prepare the transcript, CV, motivation letter and signed document with the required academic indicators;
- for PhD or Direct PhD, align a supervisor and project before submission and request recommendation letters early;
- if you choose an affirmative-action option, review the Self-Declaration Form and group-specific evidence, taking the annex date inconsistencies into account;
- send all items that must arrive by email by October 30 and keep proof of submission;
- monitor the official selection page for corrections and to confirm the November and December calendar.
