Centro Universitário Assunção

What Centro Universitário Assunção does

Centro Universitário Assunção (operating as UNIFAI) is a private Catholic higher education institution headquartered in Vila Mariana, São Paulo, Brazil, maintained by Fundação São Paulo (FUNDASP), a nonprofit foundation established by the Archdiocese of São Paulo. The institution traces its origins to the Diocese Seminary of São Paulo (1856) and offered Brazil's first Philosophy course in 1908 before being reorganized as a Centro Universitário in 1971. It serves individual undergraduate and postgraduate students through 9 undergraduate programs (Administration, Library Science, Accounting, Law, Philosophy, History, Pedagogy, Social Service) and 30+ postgraduate offerings spanning specialization, MBA, extension, and improvement courses, including a recently expanded vocational Retail School and a postgraduate course on applied legal AI. Teaching is delivered primarily on-campus at the Vila Mariana location near the Santa Cruz metro station, supported by Open Journal Systems for academic publishing, Microsoft Teams for virtual sessions, a virtual tour platform, and student/faculty portals operated via FUNDASP.

The institution's revenue is generated through semester-based tuition fees (subscription/recurring), one-time enrollment and transfer fees, and academic service charges, with aggressive 50% early-payment discounts and a low R$ 49.90 transfer enrollment fee signaling a capacity-fill enrollment strategy. Go-to-market relies on direct-to-consumer channels: the institutional website, online vestibular (selective process) and document-based transfer admission, participation in education fairs, WhatsApp inquiry, and a network of practice centers (NPJ for legal practice, CEOPp for psychopedagogy, NAF for accounting/fiscal services, and the Administrative Practices Center) plus CIEE/NUBE internship partnerships. International distribution is layered through an International Relations Office and academic cooperation agreements with Universidade Católica da Argentina (UCA), Universidade Católica do Uruguai (UCU), and Universidade Pontifícia de Salamanca (UPSA), complemented by a Teletandem virtual language-exchange program and a scholarship partnership with Germany's Stiftung Kinder-Schirm (Umbrella Futura Program).

Customer segments are individual learners segmented horizontally into undergraduate students, postgraduate professionals, and community/lifelong learners, with horizontal segmentation across humanities, social sciences, business, and education disciplines. Academic credibility is supported by Revista Lumen's A3 CAPES Qualis classification (ahead of many public universities), 94% of faculty holding Master's/Doctoral degrees, and strong ENADE 2024 results in Philosophy, History, and Pedagogy alongside a 2025 ANEC national-assessment recognition.

Name

Centro Universitário Assunção

Legal name

Centro Universitário Assunção

Website

https://unifai.edu.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Centro Universitário Assunção (UNIFAI) is a private Catholic university center in São Paulo offering 9 undergraduate and 30+ postgraduate programs, serving individual students through on-campus teaching, online enrollment, and international exchange partnerships under Fundação São Paulo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Humanities & Creative Research Universities (EDAHABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate specialization courses
• Catholic university education
• Professional practice centers

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees (Mensalidades): Semester-based tuition fees for undergraduate and graduate programs, with discounts for early payment and transfers
2. Enrollment Fees (Matrícula): One-time enrollment and transfer fees for new student admission
3. Academic Services: Revenue from diploma issuance, document validation, and academic service fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Centro Universitário Assunção is a private Catholic higher education institution in São Paulo offering 9 undergraduate degree programs (Bacharelado and Licenciatura in Administration, Library Science, Accounting, Law, Philosophy, History, Pedagogy, and Social Work) and over 30 postgraduate specializations, MBAs, and continuing education courses. The institution supports teaching with four supervised practice centers (NPJ for legal practice, CEOPp for psychopedagogy, NPA for administration, NAF for accounting and tax), academic journals, and a library, delivered primarily on-campus at its Vila Mariana campus with online enrollment and international mobility options.

Product overview

Centro Universitário Assunção is a private Catholic higher education institution in São Paulo offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings consist of undergraduate degree programs (Graduação) across humanities, social sciences, and business disciplines, alongside graduate and professional development courses (Pós-Graduação) including MBAs and specialization programs. The institution operates academic publishing through its journal platform hosting Revista Lumen (A3-rated multidisciplinary journal) and Mathetai (student philosophy journal). Supporting infrastructure includes student and faculty portals, a library with digital resources, and practical training centers such as the Legal Practice Center (NPJ), Psychopedagogical Center (CEOPP), Administrative Practices Center, and Accounting/Tax Support Center (NAF). The Retail School (Estúdio de Varejo) provides vocational training in retail management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Graduação (Undergraduate Programs) Traditional undergraduate degree programs (Bacharelado and Licenciatura) including Administration, Library Science, Accounting, Law, Philosophy, History, Pedagogy, and Social Work, for high school graduates seeking professional or teaching qualifications.
• Pós-Graduação (Postgraduate Programs) Specialization and professional development courses (Lato Sensu) including continuing education, MBA programs, and professional certifications across multiple disciplines, targeted at professionals seeking advancement.
• Revista Lumen

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% faculty with advanced degrees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Fundação Kinder-Schirm (Stiftung Kinder-Schirm)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023International partnership for the Umbrella Futura Scholarship Program, distributing scholarships to youth in social vulnerability situations. Cooperation celebrated in January 2023 with visits from German Foundation representatives and inauguration of the Umbrella Futura program plaque.
• Universidade Católica da Argentina (UCA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral academic cooperation agreement promoting international exchange, joint research projects, academic events, and cultural activities between institutions.
• Universidade Católica do Uruguai (UCU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic cooperation agreement fostering international mobility, joint projects, and shared academic events between the two Catholic universities.
• Universidade Pontifícia de Salamanca (UPSA), SpainflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership with Spanish Pontifical university strengthening cultural and academic exchange programs.
• CIEE (Centro de Integração Empresa-Escola)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for student internship placement and career support services, providing regular job postings and internship opportunities across various areas.
• NUBE (Núcleo Brasileiro de Estágios)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternship integration partnership connecting students with employment opportunities and career development support.
• Arquidiocese de São PauloflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral relationship that indicated the German Kinder-Schirm Foundation partnership, reinforcing commitment to humanitarian values and social responsibility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidade São Judas Tadeu: Large São Paulo private university with humanities, law, business, and education programs at multiple campuses; competes directly for the same student pool on tuition, location, and program breadth.
• Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie: Major São Paulo private religious university (Presbyterian) with comparable scale, multi-program undergraduate and graduate catalog, and emphasis on academic quality, competing head-to-head in the same São Paulo catchment for humanities, business, and law students.
• Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP): Largest Catholic university in São Paulo, also maintained by Fundação São Paulo (FUNDASP/Archdiocese), offering a similar portfolio of humanities, law, business, and graduate programs with comparable Catholic humanist values and competitive recruitment in the same Vila Mariana/region.
• Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID): Private São Paulo university offering undergraduate and graduate programs across humanities, law, and business, with comparable tuition positioning and direct overlap in candidate student base.
• Universidade de Santo Amaro (UNISA): São Paulo private university with a broad catalog of undergraduate and graduate programs including law, education, and humanities; targets similar student demographics and competes on tuition and program flexibility.
• Universidade Ibirapuera (UNIB): Private São Paulo university with similar humanities, education, and business program mix, competing on tuition affordability and accessibility for the same student demographic.
• Universidade Anhembi Morumbi: Part of a large São Paulo private higher-education group with diversified programs including humanities, business, and graduate studies; competes for similar students across the metro region.
• Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE): Large São Paulo private university offering humanities, law, business, and graduate programs across multiple campuses; competes on price, program breadth, and flexible scheduling in the same metropolitan student market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/centro-universitario-assuncao

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centro Universitário Assunção