Universidade de Santo Amaro

What Universidade de Santo Amaro does

Universidade de Santo Amaro (UNISA) is a private Brazilian higher education institution founded in 1968/1969, headquartered in São Paulo with five presencial campuses across São Paulo city and Guarulhos, plus a national distance-learning network of more than 450 educational poles (EAD). The institution operates a multi-modality platform spanning presencial, semipresencial, and EAD undergraduate programs; postgraduate specialization and MBA programs; master's, doctoral, residency, professional qualification, and free extension courses. UNISA's product portfolio is anchored in health sciences — Direito, Odontologia, Medicina Veterinária, Enfermagem, and Biomedicina — each rated 4/5 by Brazil's MEC, supplemented by IT, business administration, agronomy, and psychology tracks. The MEC has awarded UNISA the maximum institutional rating of 5/5.

The university's core technology stack is a satellite-based distance-learning platform first launched in 2005 (making it a Brazilian EAD pioneer), combined with the "Unisa Digital" interactive learning trails that deliver video lessons and multi-format content, supported by a self-service online enrollment portal (emetodo60.unisa.br) and WhatsApp-led admissions. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly tuition subscriptions across modalities, augmented by a 600+ course continuing-education catalog (including 200+ free vacation courses), with payments collected via Getnet credit-card processing and PIX. Practical training is delivered through on-campus teaching assets including a school-hospital, a Clínica-Escola with more than 100 dental chairs and digital radiology, and a unique São Paulo mini farm-school (fazenda-escola) for veterinary education, plus supervised internships in partnership with SUS, Tribunal de Justiça, and Ministério Público.

UNISA serves three primary B2C segments: undergraduate degree-seekers (vestibular, ENEM, ENCCEJA, transfer, and online-essay entry pathways), graduate and professional-development learners (Lato Sensu specialization, MBA, and qualification courses), and professional extension learners (short courses and free vacation programs). The institution also pursues employer-sponsored learners through Convênios com Empresas and targets affordability via PROUNI quotas, scholarships, and financing programs. The university has 1,001–5,000 employees, is privately held without disclosed parent company or external investors, and has no publicly disclosed revenue or funding history.

Name

Universidade de Santo Amaro

Legal name

Universidade Santo Amaro

Website

https://unisa.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Universidade de Santo Amaro (UNISA) is a private Brazilian higher education institution founded in 1968, operating five presencial campuses in São Paulo and Guarulhos and 450+ EAD poles nationwide. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and extension programs—anchored in health sciences—across presencial, semipresencial, and distance-learning modalities, serving individual students in Brazil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition (Graduação): Monthly tuition payments from undergraduate students across presencial, semipresencial, and EAD modalities. Tuition varies by course, campus, shift and includes scholarships and PROUNI quotas.
2. Postgraduate and Specialization Courses (Pós-Graduação): Lato sensu specialization, MBA, and professional qualification courses with monthly payments. Courses available in EAD with over 450 poles nationwide and on-campus.
3. Professional Development Courses (Cursos Livres): Short-term extension and free courses for continuing education and professional development, including vacation courses (Cursos de Férias) with over 200 options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Universidade de Santo Amaro (UNISA) is a private Brazilian higher education institution offering undergraduate, graduate, master's, doctoral, residency, professional qualification, and short-term extension courses. It delivers education through presencial, semipresencial, and EAD (distance learning) modalities across five physical campuses in São Paulo and Guarulhos plus 450+ EAD poles nationwide. The institution emphasizes health sciences (Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing), Law, Business, and IT programs, supported by satellite-based distance learning pioneered in 2005, a school-hospital, teaching clinics, and a mini farm-school for veterinary training.

Product overview

Universidade de Santo Amaro (UNISA) is a Brazilian higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The institution operates a multi-modality platform comprising undergraduate (Graduação Presencial, EAD, and Semipresencial), graduate programs (Pós-Graduação including Especialização and MBA), Master's (Mestrado), Doctorate (Doutorado), Residency (Residência), Professional Qualification (Qualificação), and Free Courses (Cursos Livres). UNISA serves over 450 educational poles nationwide with its EAD platform and five physical campuses in São Paulo and Guarulhos. Key programs include Law, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, Biomedicine, and IT programs. The institution also provides an Employment Program (Programa de Empregabilidade) connecting students with job opportunities and a digital learning platform (Unisa Digital). Graduate offerings include MBAs in Business Management, People Management and Leadership, Digital Marketing, Financial Management, and specialized programs in Safety Engineering, Data Administration, Windows Server Administration, Project Management, and Procedural Law. UNISA holds an institutional rating of 5/5 from MEC and was a pioneer in Brazilian distance learning since 2005.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Graduação Presencial (Undergraduate On-Campus Programs) Undergraduate degree programs offered in person at five campus locations in São Paulo and Guarulhos (Interlagos, Metrô Adolfo Pinheiro, Metrô Marechal Deodoro, Guarulhos Dutra, Guarulhos Centro). Includes daily in-person classes with professors and access to laboratories, clinics, hospital-escola, libraries, and policlínic.
• Graduação EAD (Undergraduate Distance Learning Programs) Distance learning undergraduate programs available through 450+ educational poles across Brazil. Students access interactive content, video lessons, Trilhas Interativas, and specialized tutors via the Unisa Digital virtual learning environment.
• Graduação Semipresencial (Hybrid Undergraduate Programs) Hybrid undergraduate model combining in-person sessions for practical activities and networking with online coursework, offering flexibility while maintaining physical classroom interaction.
• Pós-Graduação (Postgraduate Specialization and MBA Programs)
• Mestrado (Master's Degree Programs)
• Doutorado (Doctoral Programs)
• Residência (Medical and Professional Residency Programs)
• Qualificação Profissional (Professional Qualification Courses)
• Cursos Livres (Free and Paid Short Courses)
• Aprimoramento (Professional Improvement Programs)
• Direito (Law Bachelor's Program)
• Odontologia (Dentistry Bachelor's Program)
• Medicina Veterinária (Veterinary Medicine Bachelor's Program)
• Enfermagem (Nursing Bachelor's Program) Nursing undergraduate program with 8-semester duration, rated 4/5 by MEC. Includes training in hospitals, basic health units, and pre-hospital emergency care (SAMU).
• Biomedicina (Biomedicine Bachelor's Program)
• Análise e Desenvolvimento de Sistemas (Systems Analysis and Development Technology Program)
• MBA em Gestão Empresarial (MBA in Business Management)
• MBA em Gestão de Pessoas e Liderança (MBA in People Management and Leadership)
• MBA em Gestão de Marketing Digital (MBA in Digital Marketing Management)
• MBA Executivo em Gestão Financeira e Controladoria (Executive MBA in Financial Management and Controllorship)
• Alimentos Funcionais e Nutrigenômica (Specialization in Functional Foods and Nutrigenomics)
• Engenharia de Segurança do Trabalho (Occupational Safety Engineering Specialization)
• Administração de Servidores do Windows (Windows Server Administration Specialization)
• Administração de Dados (Data Administration Specialization)
• Gestão de Projetos (Project Management Specialization)
• Direito Processual (Procedural Law Specialization)
• Nutrição em Câncer (Oncology Nutrition Qualification)
• Administração, Monitoramento e Análise de Redes (Network Administration Monitoring and Analysis Free Course)
• Programa de Empregabilidade (Employability Program)
• Unisa Digital (Digital Learning Platform)

Quantifiable outcome

• Note 4/5 in MEC for Direito, Odontologia, Medicina Veterinária, and Enfermagem courses
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tribunal de JustiçacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Tribunal de Justiça for operation of Cartório Anexo do Juizado Especial Cível, allowing law students to participate in real court processes, hearings, and reconciliations as part of practical legal training.
• Ministério PúblicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvenio with Ministério Público providing law students with internship opportunities and practical experience in public prosecution activities, expanding professional development pathways.
• SUS - Sistema Único de SaúdecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde) for supervised internships in public health units, allowing veterinary and nursing students to gain practical experience in the Brazilian public health system.
• Hospitals and Health InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with public and private hospitals for supervised internships in nursing and other health programs, providing students with real-world clinical experience.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul: Major São Paulo private university with strong health sciences programs and significant EAD pole network. Directly competes with UNISA in undergraduate and graduate programs across the same metropolitan catchment.
• Centro Universitário FMU (FIAM-FAAM): Established São Paulo private higher education institution with multi-modality programs and strong health sciences offering. Direct competitor to UNISA in undergraduate enrollment and continuing professional education.
• Universidade Anhembi Morumbi: Large private São Paulo–based university offering multi-modality programs (presencial, EAD) across health sciences, business, law, and engineering. Closest direct peer to UNISA in scale, geography, and product mix, and a fellow member of the broader Brazilian private higher education competitive set.
• Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE): Large São Paulo–based private university with multiple campuses and a substantial EAD footprint. Competes directly with UNISA across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in the same metropolitan region.
• Universidade São Judas Tadeu (USJT): São Paulo metropolitan area private university with broad undergraduate and graduate catalog including health sciences. Directly comparable to UNISA in modality mix, scale, and target student demographic.
• Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie: Premium private São Paulo university with strong reputational positioning and MEC ratings. Competes with UNISA for higher-quality undergraduate applicants, particularly in law, business, and engineering.
• Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID): Private São Paulo university offering presencial and EAD undergraduate and graduate programs including health sciences and law. Operates in the same MEC regulatory environment and competes for the same student segments as UNISA.

Regional players

• Faculdades Integradas Hélio Alonso (FACHA): Smaller Rio de Janeiro–based private higher education group offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable product model and modality mix to UNISA but operating primarily in a different metropolitan market.

Broad incumbents

• Yduqs Participações: Publicly-traded Brazilian higher education group operating multiple brands including Estácio, Ibmec, and IDOMED. A broad incumbent with overlapping program portfolio and much larger capital base, frequently cited as a sector consolidator.
• Cogna Educação: Largest publicly-traded Brazilian education group encompassing Kroton, Vasta, and multiple other brands across K-12 and higher education. Provides an aggregated sector benchmark for UNISA's scale, margin profile, and growth trajectory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnisaOficial
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/UnisaOficial/featured?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/unisaoficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidade-de-santo-amaro
• Instagraminstagram.com/unisaoficial
• TikToktiktok.com/@unisaoficial

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Universidade de Santo Amaro