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Study Mathematics at IMPA
IMPA — Instituto de Matemática Pura e Aplicada, Rio de Janeiro — runs real, tuition-free Master's and Doctorate programs in mathematics. This page exists to help you actually apply, not to advertise anything of mine.
This page isn't affiliated with IMPA's admissions office — it's here because readers of this site keep asking where the n-bonacci/dm³ research lineage connects to formal graduate study, and the honest answer is: IMPA is a real CAPES top-rated institute, it's free, and the application process is straightforward. If you're considering it, apply directly through IMPA's own system linked below.
The programs Free of charge
IMPA offers an academic Master's degree — a two-year, in-person program in mathematics and applied mathematics — and a Doctorate covering the same range of topics. Both are rated at the top tier by CAPES (Brazil's Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), and both are offered free of charge to all admitted students.
Research topics on offer:
Partial differential equationsDynamical systemsProbability
GeometryAlgebraCombinatoricsFoliations
Mathematical physicsComputer graphicsData science
Fluid dynamicsMathematical economicsOptimizationMachine learning
Entry periods
Second period
August – November
IMPA accepts applications on a rolling basis; complete applications are reviewed by the Teaching Committee as they arrive. Note: in the Master's program, August admission is only possible in exceptional cases, due to the number of courses on offer that term.
How to apply
- Create an account in IMPA's "IMPA Institutional" online system.
- Select the program you want to apply for (Master's or Doctorate).
- Fill in your personal information and every field marked compulsory.
- Upload the required documents (listed below).
Required documents:
- A 3×4 photo for a document (front-facing, alone, white background) and a photo ID.
- Academic recommendations from at least two professors.
- Official transcripts from your institution. If still studying, send as complete a transcript as possible — diploma issuance is conditional on presenting an undergraduate degree.
- A short letter, written by you, on your plans during and after the program.
- A list of university-level mathematics textbooks you've read in full or largely.
Deadline that actually matters: IMPA can only guarantee review of applications submitted by October 15 with complete documentation. Documents can still be sent after that date, but review isn't guaranteed if there isn't enough time. Only complete applications are considered, and submitted documents aren't returned.
Start my application on institucional.impa.br →
Not ready for a full program?
IMPA also accepts free-course students — you don't need to be enrolled in a degree program to take a course. Registration is through the same online system; courses are free except for evening offerings. Whether remote/external students are accepted, and whether they're graded (pass/fail vs. regular grading), is decided per course by the instructor.