The Technological Institute of Aeronautics was founded in 1950 by Casimiro Montenegro Filho, a pilot in the Brazilian Army. In 1943 Casimiro travelled to the US and visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He returned to Brazil determined to create a similar institute that would train engineers and develop aeronautical technology.
The university is maintained by the Brazilian Air Force and is one of five institutes that encompass the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA). The CTA is the national military research centre for aviation and space flight. The university is located on the CTA grounds, which is in the city of São José dos Campos, São Paulo.
The university offers six engineering undergraduate courses, which include aeronautical engineering, aerospace engineering, civil-aeronautical engineering, computer engineering, electronic engineering, and mechanical engineering. All undergraduate students at the university are granted full scholarships and boards for the entirety of their five-year course. There are also postgraduate programmes available specialising in aeronautics and mechanics, aeronautical infrastructure, electronics and computing, physics, and space science and technology.
Brazil’s most populous city, São Paulo, is known for its vibrant nightlife, annual cultural events, and rich architecture. Its buildings include a neo-gothic cathedral, a colonial-style church and the 1929 Martinelli skyscraper. Throughout the year the city hosts events such as the São Paulo Jazz Festival, the Brazilian Grand Prix, and São Paulo Fashion Week. The city’s lively atmosphere attracts increasing numbers of tourists every year. In their spare time, students can explore the metropolis and soak up its rich Brazilian culture.
