Students at the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil's premier public university, have escalated their protests into a full-scale strike, demanding urgent improvements in housing, meals, and financial aid. Launched on April 15, 2026, the movement has paralyzed all 43 teaching units across the institution's campuses, affecting over 110 courses and representing about 60% of USP's academic offerings. This campus-wide action highlights longstanding issues with student permanence policies, exacerbated by recent administrative decisions perceived as prioritizing faculty bonuses over essential support services.

The Spark and Rapid Spread of the Strike

The immediate trigger for the strike was the approval of the Gace bonus for professors on March 31, 2026, amid reports of deteriorating student services. What began as localized assemblies quickly snowballed, with units like medicine, law, veterinary sciences, and the School of Economics joining by April 23. By late April, the Diretório Central dos Estudantes (DCE-USP) coordinated protests near the Butantã campus, drawing hundreds of participants who marched toward the reitoria building.

A key escalation came from shocking revelations about restaurant conditions. Students shared images and videos of larvae and dead insects in rice and other meals at facilities like the EACH (USP Leste) campus restaurant, Faculty of Law's Largo São Francisco bandejão, and even the generally better-regarded Medicine unit. These incidents, linked to outsourced services, prompted free entries into restaurants as acts of defiance, underscoring the urgency of demands for quality control and reinvestment.

Core Demands: Housing Shortages and Precarious Living Conditions

At the heart of the protests is the chronic shortage of student housing. USP's Conjunto Residencial Universitário do Professor Alberto Della Monica (CRUSP), the main facility in Cidade Universitária, has a capacity of approximately 1,600 residents across eight blocks. Despite reports of over 500 vacancies, needy freshmen, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, have been denied spots. Social media posts highlighted cases where vulnerable students were turned away, forcing them into overcrowded or unsafe alternatives in São Paulo's expensive rental market.

Specific calls include building dedicated housing at remote campuses like EACH, where commuting from central São Paulo consumes hours and significant costs. The Programa de Apoio à Permanência e Formação Estudantil (PAPFE), USP's flagship aid program, provides monthly stipends of around R$850-885 to thousands of students, but demand far outstrips supply. In 2025, PAPFE granted 3,659 undergraduate and 905 postgraduate aids from over 7,000 applicants, a 64-70% approval rate. Protesters seek increases to R$1,000 and expansion to match rising living costs under São Paulo's state spending cap.

Meal Quality Crisis: Outsourcing Failures Exposed

Outsourced restaurant services have become a flashpoint. Students report frequent shortages of proteins leading to long queues, spoiled food causing intoxications, and infestations at multiple sites. At EACH, conditions worsened post-2026 contract renewals, with technical inspections promised but no immediate fixes. The Faculty of Law's bandejão saw larvae complaints prompting protests on March 16.

This mirrors national trends in Brazilian public universities, where privatization cuts corners on hygiene and nutrition. Protesters argue redirecting funds from 'debatable' expenditures—like faculty gratifications—could overhaul these services, ensuring dignified meals as a basic right for low-income students reliant on subsidized R$2 plates.Learn more about the food quality reports.

University Administration's Response and Tensions

USP's reitoria has taken measured steps. On April 24, it revoked a controversial minuta that would have imposed strict accounting and revocable authorizations on student centers, responding to widespread backlash. A negotiation meeting is set for April 28, 2026. However, the Pró-Reitoria de Graduação's April 22 directive banning calendar adjustments—no extensions, remote shifts, or note deadline changes—has fueled accusations of intransigence.

Meanwhile, technical-administrative employees (TAEs) ended their nine-day strike on April 23 after securing a monthly gratificação up to R$1,600 and mobility studies, but students dismissed it as insufficient parity. DCE coordinator Júlia Urioste criticized the university's 'no money' excuse, noting funds for other priorities exist.

Photo by Richard Sangi on Unsplash

Impacts on Academic Life and Broader Campus

With 60% of courses halted, lectures, labs, and exams are disrupted across São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, and other campuses. Students face tough choices: attend amid chaos or risk academic penalties. The strike coincides with PAPFE's 2026 rollout, where 3,322 new aids exceeded the 2,500 target, yet protesters claim bureaucratic hurdles and insufficient values fail to cover São Paulo's R$2,500+ monthly rents.

Water shortages at housing and restaurants compound issues, affecting hygiene and health. Intoxications from bad meals have led to medical visits, amplifying calls for accountability.Read the full strike coverage from Folha.

Historical Context: A Pattern of Student Activism at USP

USP has a storied history of student protests. Past actions targeted 2010s budget freezes, 2020s pandemic aid gaps, and 2023 CRUSP maintenance neglect. The current strike echoes 2023 complaints of abandonment in housing, where superlotation and disrepair plagued residents. Nationally, Brazilian universities like UERJ and federals face similar permanence crises under fiscal austerity, with strikes linking to Lula's 2026 LOA cuts of R$488 million to federals.

As Latin America's top university (QS rankings), USP's struggles spotlight public higher ed funding woes, where state caps limit expansion despite booming enrollment.

Stakeholder Perspectives: Students, Faculty, and Experts

Students view the strike as a permanence fight: 'The university claims no funds for us but approves professor bonuses,' said Urioste. Faculty mixed; some support via assemblies, others decry disruptions. Experts like Adusp note outsourcing's role in meal failures, urging public tenders with stricter hygiene clauses.

Government officials highlight PAPFE expansions (3,322 aids vs. 2,500 planned), but protesters demand value hikes amid 10%+ inflation. USP reitoria insists on fiscal constraints from SP's teto de gastos.

Potential Solutions and Path Forward

Short-term: April 28 meeting could yield housing audits, restaurant audits, and bolsa adjustments. Long-term: Expand CRUSP (beyond 1,600 capacity), insource meals, index aids to inflation. Models from Unicamp's permanência programs or federal Prouni expansions offer blueprints.

Stakeholders urge participatory budgeting for student aid, redirecting from non-essentials. Successful TAEs' accord shows negotiation works; students aim for similar.Explore USP's PAPFE program details.

Implications for Brazilian Higher Education

USP's unrest signals national pressures: 2026 federal cuts, state fiscal rules, post-pandemic enrollment surges straining resources. With 8 million higher ed students, permanence policies are pivotal for equity, especially for first-gen, low-income Brazilians comprising 50%+ of USP undergrads.

If unresolved, risks grade lags, dropouts (USP's ~20% rate). Positively, could spur reforms like NEP-inspired multi-year aids. Brazil's public unis, educating 80% of graduates, must balance research prestige with support.

Photo by Gustavo Sánchez on Unsplash

Looking Ahead: Negotiations and Lessons

As the April 28 talks loom, optimism tempers caution. Past victories—like minuta revocation—bolster hopes. Lessons: Transparent budgeting, student input in outsourcing, housing expansions via public-private models.

For global higher ed watchers, USP's saga underscores affordability's role in excellence. Brazil's response could model resilience amid fiscal woes.