Universidade Santa Cecília

What Universidade Santa Cecília does

Universidade Santa Cecília (UNISANTA) is a private, non-profit Brazilian higher education institution founded in 1961 and headquartered in Santos, São Paulo, operating under the family-controlled holding ISESC (Instituto de Educação e Cultura Santa Cecília). It delivers undergraduate, graduate lato sensu (specialization/MBA), and graduate stricto sensu (master's, doctorate, post-doctorate) programs, plus free and paid extension courses, across three modalities: presencial on its main campus at Rua Oswaldo Cruz, semipresencial, and EAD (distance learning) delivered through more than 100 polos distributed nationwide. The institution serves traditional on-campus students in the Baixada Santista region, working professionals pursuing postgraduate credentials, and distance learners across Brazil, with secondary corporate clients served through the NDC career management unit and Convenios Empresariais.

UNISANTA's operating technology is built around a Moodle-based AVA (Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem) shared across EAD and semipresencial delivery, integrated academic portals (Portal do Aluno, Professor, Coordenador, Candidato), Office 365 webmail, Sistec/MEC diploma validation integration, and a Plataforma Brasil integration for research ethics (CEP-UNISANTA). The physical campus includes the InovFabLab for 3D modeling/printing and 14+ operational service-schools (community clinics in physiotherapy, odontology, nutrition, psychology, plus legal aid via Escritório Modelo and Juizado Especial Cível) that provide hands-on training environments while delivering community services.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly tuition across all program levels and modalities, with no enrollment fee charged. Published price points range from R$ 106/month for extension courses up to R$ 5,500/month for post-doctoral tuition. Secondary revenue streams include corporate training, HR consulting and recruitment services via NDC, fees from service-school community clients, and short-course/workshop fees. Marketing and enrollment operate through direct-to-consumer channels (unisanta.br, phone Central do Vestibular, WhatsApp), referral programs (Indique um Amigo/Alunos Embaixadores), an ENEM-based admissions calculator, and event-driven acquisition through COBRIC, ENPG, and the Mostra Integrada de Engenharia conferences. The institution holds Capes/MEC Nota 4 across all stricto sensu programs, MEC e-MEC accreditation, and 2025 RUF #1 regional ranking, but discloses no financial metrics.

Name

Universidade Santa Cecília

Legal name

Universidade Santa Cecília

Website

https://unisanta.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidade Santa Cecília (UNISANTA) is a private, non-profit Brazilian higher education institution founded in 1961 in Santos, São Paulo, delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, and extension courses across presencial, semipresencial, and EAD modalities with 100+ distance learning poles nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santos

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Monthly Tuition - Undergraduate Programs: Recurring monthly tuition across presencial, EAD, and semipresencial undergraduate programs (bacharelado, licenciatura, tecnólogo). No enrollment fee charged (Não cobramos taxa de matrícula). Includes promotional pricing with coupons (e.g., UNISANTA30 for 30% off).
2. Postgraduate Lato Sensu (Especialização/MBA) Tuition: Monthly recurring fees for specialization and MBA programs delivered via EAD, presencial, or semipresencial formats. Duration typically 4-18 months.
3. Stricto Sensu Programs (Mestrado/Doutorado/Pós-doutorado): Recurring monthly tuition for graduate research programs. Mestrado from R$ 1.485 first month, Doutorado from R$ 2.063 first month, Pós-doutorado from R$ 4.125 first month. Some scholarships available via edital.
4. Cursos Livres & Extensão (Free and Paid Short Courses): Mix of free and paid short courses and continuing education programs ranging from R$ 106 to R$ 800+. Includes free options such as the Engenharia Criativa workshop for high school students.
5. Corporate Training and HR Consulting: Professional services revenue from corporate clients in the Baixada Santista region: in-company courses, HR consulting, customized training programs, and recruitment services delivered via NDC.
6. Service-School Revenue (Community Clinics and Legal Services): Revenue from community-facing service-schools: Clínica de Fisioterapia, Clínica de Odontologia, Clínica-Escola de Nutrição, Serviço-Escola de Psicologia, Escritório Modelo, Juizado Especial Cível, Assistência Judiciária, Consultório Farmacêutico. Provides both training and fee-based/free services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Universidade Santa Cecília (Unisanta) is a private Brazilian higher education institution offering accredited undergraduate (bacharelado, licenciatura, tecnólogo), postgraduate lato sensu (especialização/MBA), stricto sensu (mestrado/doutorado/pós-doutorado), and extension/livre courses delivered in presencial, semipresencial, and EAD modalities. It operates a network of 100+ EAD polos across Brazil, runs community service-schools (physiotherapy, odontology, nutrition, psychology, legal clinics), and delivers corporate training and HR consulting through its NDC Career Management Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Revista Ceciliana: Academic/scientific journal of UNISANTA (ISSN 2175-7224), published since 2009.
• Editora Ceciliana
• NDC - Núcleo de Gestão e Desenvolvimento de Carreira
• Poliesportivo Unisanta
• Santa Portal (TV/FM Santa Portal)

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (Bacharelado, Licenciatura, Tecnólogo) Accredited bachelor's (bacharelado), teaching (licenciatura), and technology (tecnólogo) undergraduate degree programs offered in presencial, semipresencial, and EAD modalities across Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Human and Social Sciences, Applied Social Sciences, and Engineering & Technology areas. Target students include recent high school graduates (Vestibular/ENEM), transfer students (Transferência), second-degree seekers (2ª Graduação), and Histórico Escolar admits. Entry pathways include Vestibular, ENEM-based admission, Transferência, 2ª Graduação, and Histórico Escolar with no enrollment fee.
• Lato Sensu Postgraduate Programs (Especialização / MBA) Postgraduate specialization and MBA programs (Lato Sensu) delivered via EAD, presencial, or semipresencial modalities across Direito, Educação, Saúde, Engenharia, Gestão, and other areas, with typical duration of 4-18 months. Targeted at working professionals pursuing career advancement and market competitiveness.
• Stricto Sensu Programs (Mestrado / Doutorado / Pós-doutorado) Capes/MEC-accredited graduate research programs (Master's, Doctorate, Post-doctorate) in Ciência e Tecnologia Ambiental, Auditoria Ambiental/Portos/Governança, Ecologia, Engenharia, and other areas. All programs recredenciados with Capes Nota 4 in the 2021-2024 quadrennial evaluation. Mestrado from R$ 1,485 first month, Doutorado from R$ 2,063 first month, Pós-doutorado from R$ 4,125 first month; scholarship opportunities available via edital.
• Cursos Livres & Extensão (Free and Paid Short Courses) Continuing education and short courses (Cursos Livres & Extensão) ranging from R$ 106 to R$ 800+ per month, including both free and paid options. Examples include ABA Curso Livre from R$ 199/month, Acupuntura Especialização R$ 575/month, and Atendimento Educacional Especializado R$ 106/month; free options include the Engenharia Criativa workshop for high school students at the InovFabLab.
• Corporate Training and HR Consulting (NDC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 in the region by Ranking Universitário da Folha (RUF) 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Santos BrasilflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Unisanta featured in the Empresas Parceiras logo wall. Santos Brasil is a major port operator providing internships, training, and recruitment pathways for students in logistics, port operations, engineering, and administration fields.
• EcoportoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Unisanta featured in the Empresas Parceiras logo wall. Ecoporto is a port and logistics operator in Santos providing industry-relevant training and recruitment opportunities.
• NubecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Unisanta featured in the Empresas Parceiras logo wall. Nube is a Brazilian internship and trainee management platform facilitating student placement in internships across multiple industries.
• CIEE (Centro de Integração Empresa-Escola)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Unisanta featured in the Empresas Parceiras logo wall. CIEE is one of Brazil's largest student-internship integrators, providing structured internship programs and professional development for Unisanta students.
• DelltechcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner of Unisanta featured in the Empresas Parceiras logo wall. Delltech provides Dell infrastructure and technology solutions to the university.
• Universidade de CoimbraflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) for student/faculty exchange and research collaboration with one of the world's oldest universities, based in Portugal.
• Universidad Nacional de Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) for student/faculty exchange and research collaboration with the main public university in Costa Rica.
• Instituto Politécnico de BragançacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the leading Portuguese polytechnic institute for student/faculty exchange and research.
• Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the Ukrainian university for student/faculty exchange and academic collaboration.
• Universidad Abierta InteramericanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the Argentine university for student/faculty exchange and research collaboration.
• Universidad de AlmeríacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the Spanish university for student/faculty exchange, particularly relevant for environmental and marine sciences.
• Universidade de LisboaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with Portugal's largest university for student/faculty exchange and research collaboration.
• Università degli Studi di Roma Tor VergatacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the Italian public research university for student/faculty exchange and research collaboration.
• Universidade de SevilhacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the Spanish public university for student/faculty exchange and academic collaboration.
• Universidade NOVA de LisboacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the prestigious Portuguese public university for student/faculty exchange and research.
• Universidad de CádizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic agreement (Convênio Internacional) with the Spanish public university for student/faculty exchange and research collaboration, particularly relevant given the maritime focus of both institutions.
• Instituto Nau Ciranda SinparedesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic/cultural agreement (Convênio Internacional) supporting exchange and collaboration programs.
• Plataforma Brasil / ConepcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Plataforma Brasil (federal research ethics platform managed by Conep) for ethics committee (CEP-UNISANTA) protocol submission, evaluation, and tracking of human-subjects research.
• CAPES / MECflagshipOthersRecognized and regulated by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), part of the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC). All stricto sensu programs accredited under CAPES evaluation system. e-MEC registered institution (código OTUy).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UNINOVE: Private Brazilian university offering presencial, semipresencial, and EAD programs across multiple campuses. Highly comparable as a multi-modal private institution competing for similar working-adult and traditional undergraduate student segments in São Paulo state.
• UNISA (Universidade de Santo Amaro): Private São Paulo metropolitan university offering undergraduate and graduate programs in presencial and EAD formats. Closely comparable to UNISANTA in size, modality mix, and target student segments.
• UNIMEP (Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba): Private regional university in interior São Paulo with strong graduate and research programs. Comparable to UNISANTA as a non-profit, faith-affiliated/tradition-rooted institution with presencial plus EAD delivery and Capes-accredited stricto sensu.
• UNAERP (Universidade de Ribeirão Preto): Private non-profit university in interior São Paulo with undergraduate, graduate, and research programs. Comparable in governance structure (private non-profit), regional leadership profile, and Capes-accredited graduate portfolio.
• FMU / FIAP (Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas): Large São Paulo private higher education group offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple modalities. Comparable to UNISANTA in modality mix, target student segments, and emphasis on professional/career-oriented programs.

Broad incumbents

• Universidade Anhembi Morumbi: São Paulo-based private university, part of the listed Cogna (formerly Kroton) education group. Comparable in modality mix and urban footprint, but operates as part of a national for-profit platform with substantially greater capital and marketing scale than UNISANTA.
• Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul: Listed under Cogna group, Cruzeiro do Sul is a large São Paulo private university with broad presencial and EAD offerings. Comparable in modality and course catalog, but operates at much greater scale with national brand recognition.
• Estácio: One of Brazil's largest private higher education networks under Yduqs, with extensive presencial and EAD coverage. Comparable in modality and course breadth; competes directly with UNISANTA in EAD polos, but at materially greater scale and brand reach.
• Universidade Anhanguera: Cogna-group national private university with extensive EAD and presencial operations. Comparable in modality mix and price positioning; competes directly in the same price-sensitive online undergraduate segment as UNISANTA.

Emerging players

• UNINTER (Centro Universitário Internacional): Brazilian institution with one of the largest EAD operations in the country and a national polo network. Directly comparable to UNISANTA's EAD-polo-led distribution strategy and consumer-facing online enrollment model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-cecilia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Universidade Santa Cecília