About UNIFAL-MG
Our history
The Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) was founded on April 3, 1914, as the Alfenas School of Pharmacy and Dentistry (Efoa), and was recognized by State Law No. 657 of September 11, 1915. Federalization occurred in 1960, an important milestone in its history, since its "federal" status further boosted its growth, with the expansion of its facilities and the opening of new courses.
In 2001, the institution became a Federal University Center (Efoa/Ceufe), offering new courses to society and meeting the specialized workforce needs in the health field. Efoa/Ceufe was concerned not only with the expansion of classroom courses but also with distance learning, creating in February 2004 the Center for Open and Distance Education (Cead), which began developing new proposals for undergraduate and specialization distance learning courses.
In 2005, through Federal Law No. 11,154 of July 29, 2005, Efoa/Ceufe was transformed into the Federal University of Alfenas, adopting the acronym UNIFAL-MG, chosen by the academic community.
The institution is administratively structured into four units, with its headquarters and the Santa Clara Educational Unit in Alfenas, and advanced campuses in Poços de Caldas and Varginha.
In 2024, UNIFAL-MG celebrated its 110th anniversary. The institution has been the driving force behind the academic training of more than 21,000 professionals in undergraduate programs and 3,500 in stricto and lato sensu graduate programs. Currently, with 35 undergraduate courses, 34 stricto sensu graduate courses, and a community of approximately 8,000 students, UNIFAL-MG continues to write its success story.
With more than 100 years of existence, UNIFAL-MG believes it effectively responds to society's educational demands and participates in the problems and challenges posed by local, regional, and national development. Recognized as a higher education institution of outstanding quality, the University has achieved significant results through its free undergraduate and graduate courses, and it constantly seeks opportunities for growth and improvement in teaching, research, extension, technological innovation, and internationalization.
According to the Ministry of Education (MEC), UNIFAL-MG has a grade of 4 (out of 5) and ranks among the 10 best in Minas Gerais.
UNIFAL-MG accreditation by the Ministry of Education: Ordinance No. 1,905, dated October 31, 2019.
110 Years Shaping Minds, Building Futures
Timeline
A public, tuition-free university ranked among Minas Gerais' top 10, committed to transforming education since 1914.
Where we are located
The Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) operates across several locations: the Main Campus and Santa Clara Campus in Alfenas, and additional campuses in the cities of Poços de Caldas and Varginha.
Undergraduate Courses
Postgraduate courses (Master's and Doctorate)
Students enrolled: Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Teachers
Technical-administrative staff
Outsourced workers and interns
Healthcare services and educational initiatives
Research and Scientific Initiation Projects
University Extension Projects and Activities
Facts about UNIFAL-MG
- Completely free (no fees or annual dues!)
- 13 Academic Units
- 2 academic semesters: 1st semester (February to July) | 2nd semester (August to December). Breaks in December, January, February, and July.
- 4 campuses in southern Minas Gerais: Alfenas (Headquarters), Alfenas (Santa Clara Unit), Poços de Caldas, and Varginha
- It offers undergraduate and postgraduate (master's and doctoral) courses in multiple areas of knowledge, such as health sciences, exact sciences, natural sciences, applied social sciences, humanities, languages, and others.
Culture is an essential part of university life. At UNIFAL-MG, you can participate in various cultural projects such as popular and classical music orchestras, Renaissance choirs, maracatu, percussion groups, ballroom and contemporary dance groups, capoeira, film clubs, among others, in addition to having access to musical and performing arts presentations, visual arts exhibitions, and soirées on campus.
In terms of international themes, we have the University Friend Project, an initiative of the UNIFAL-MG Directorate of International and Interinstitutional Relations (DRI) to welcome and integrate foreigners who are at the university, promoting cultural and social exchange through activities such as conversation circles; the Meet up Project, which aims to create an environment conducive to practicing English conversation for the UNIFAL-MG community; and Idioma Sem Fronteiras (Language Without Borders), which offers free language courses, made available collaboratively by the Andifes-IsF Network, aimed at undergraduate and graduate students, professors, and technical-administrative staff at UNIFAL-MG.
UNIFAL-MG offers facilities and programs for responsible sports and leisure activities on its campuses. In addition to institutional activities, the academic community can participate in initiatives organized by students, such as tournaments and course athletic associations.
Currently, there are athletic associations for the courses of Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Geography, Medicine, Nutrition, Dentistry, and Chemistry, as well as for the Humanities, Biological Sciences, the Sports League of the Poços de Caldas campus, and Muquirana of the Varginha campus.
In addition to medical, nutritional, physical therapy, and dental care at our clinics, the university offers psychological support through the Office of the Dean of Community and Student Affairs (Prace) and participates in programs to promote health and quality of life in the university environment.
One of the opportunities is the Academic Development Incentive Program, Progrida/UNIFAL-MG Sem Estresse, which offers activities such as therapeutic oriental exercises, chess games, therapeutic massage, auriculotherapy, taekwondo, dance, capoeira, volleyball, among other activities that contribute to the physical, mental, and social health of university students.
UNIFAL-MG also has a University Pharmacy (FarUni), which can provide compounding services for prescriptions, officinal preparations, and cosmetics, as well as free dispensing of some medications.
Human Rights and Inclusion are fundamental themes for UNIFAL-MG. We want university students to feel welcomed and respected in their diversity. To this end, the University has developed a policy that includes structural actions, debates, projects, and specific centers such as the Accessibility Center (NAI), the Center for Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous Studies (NEABI), the Center for Sexual Diversity and Gender (Diverges), the Group for Management and Mobilization Against Harassment (GEMA), and the Center for Women’s Care (NAM).
Our university is for everyone! And if you want to use your social name, you can!
Join a University with History and Vision
For over a century, UNIFAL-MG has prepared thousands of professionals and researchers, contributing to local, regional, and national development. We are committed to teaching, research, extension, innovation, and internationalization in a supportive, diverse, and stimulating environment.
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