Four percent of the estimated 2.0 million higher education Brazilian students are registered at the University of São Paulo. The contribution of USP to Brazil is centered on the science and culture created in the university and the quality of the teaching-learning environment at the undergraduate level.

   USP was founded in 1934 and is organized into 37 colleges, 7 research institutes, 4 museums, and 4 hospitals distributed in six campuses in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The 5,200 faculty members hold the Ph.D. degree, a similar situation compared to other major world universities and significantly higher than most of the other Brazilian higher education institutions. Currently, 48,230 undergraduate and 25,000 graduate students are registered in USP.

In 2007, 214 undergraduate and 229 graduate programs were offered by USP.  These are internationally recognized by the quality of their teaching, research, and extension programs as well as providing services to Brazilian and foreign citizens.