Amambay · Paraguay
Living in Pedro Juan Caballero as a student
Twin city of Ponta Porã, Brazil, with 6 ANEAES-accredited medicine programs. What to know before choosing where to live.
Pedro Juan Caballero, capital of Amambay department, sits right against Ponta Porã in Brazil's Mato Grosso do Sul: the two are officially twin cities and the border between them is an avenue, Avenida Internacional, which locals call "la línea". For medical students, the city hosts 7 programs evaluated by ANEAES, 6 of them listed as accredited in the report of 29 December 2025.
Your program determines which part of town makes sense, and the land border raises a common question among Brazilian students: live on the Paraguayan side or in Ponta Porã? Here are the facts that help you decide. We confirm available places and prices on WhatsApp.
Start with your university
Medical schools in Pedro Juan Caballero
Status of each medicine program according to the ANEAES report of 29 Dec 2025.
- UCPGuide in progressUniversidad Central del ParaguayMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near UCP
- UniNorteGuide in progressUniversidad del NorteMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near UniNorte
- Universidad del Pacífico PrivadaGuide in progressMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near Universidad del Pacífico Privada
- UninterGuide in progressUniversidad Internacional Tres FronterasMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near Uninter
- UPAPGuide in progressUniversidad Politécnica y Artística del ParaguayMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Accredited (National Model)Find housing near UPAP
- UNISUDGuide in progressUniversidad SudamericanaMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Accredited (National Model) · Accredited (ARCU-SUR (Mercosur))Find housing near UNISUD
- UASSGuide in progressUniversidad Autónoma San SebastiánMedicine in Pedro Juan Caballero: Not accredited (National Model)Find housing near UASS
At a glance
- Border
- Ponta Porã, Brazil, across a land border: Avenida Internacional separates the two cities
- Medicine
- 7 programs based in PJC evaluated by ANEAES; 6 accredited (report of 29 Dec 2025)
- Twin cities
- Recognized by Brazil's Regional Development Ministry Ordinance 2,507/2021, cited in Ponta Porã Law 4,651/2024
- Currency
- Paraguayan guaraní (Gs., code PYG); Brazilian real across the avenue
Documentation for international residents
- ID document
- A valid passport. For residency, the migration office also asks for a birth certificate and criminal record certificates, legalized or apostilled.
- Temporary residency
- Mercosur citizens get 2 years, non-renewable (Gs. 2,230,040 as of May 2026); the general route is up to 2 years, renewable (Gs. 2,787,550). The application is made in person. Read the step-by-step guide.
- Proof of enrollment
- For students, it speeds up rental approval. Bring it as soon as you have it.
- Guarantor, deposit or guarantee
- Requirements vary by landlord. We confirm the exact list case by case on WhatsApp.
Where to live in the city
- Downtown, by the line
- Pedro Juan's commercial center runs right along Avenida Internacional, the busiest part of town. If you want everything within walking distance, start here.
- Near your school
- The city's medicine programs are spread across different parts of town. Before looking at places, confirm the address of the campus where you'll study: that's what defines the right area.
- Ponta Porã, across the avenue
- With no river or bridge in between, living on the Brazilian side is a real option. Golden Keys works with properties on the Paraguayan side; if you're considering Ponta Porã, talk to us to compare before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Which medical schools in Pedro Juan Caballero are accredited?
The ANEAES report of 29 December 2025 lists as accredited the PJC-based medicine programs of Universidad Central del Paraguay (UCP), Universidad del Norte, Universidad del Pacífico Privada, Universidad Internacional Tres Fronteras (Uninter), UPAP and Universidad Sudamericana, the latter also under Mercosur's ARCU-SUR system. The Universidad Autónoma San Sebastián (UASS) program in PJC is listed as not accredited.
Can I live in Ponta Porã and study in Pedro Juan Caballero?
Yes: the two cities are separated only by Avenida Internacional, with no bridge or river. Before deciding, check which migration documents your university requires from students living in Brazil, and compare the trip to campus, which is what matters day to day. Golden Keys works with properties on the Paraguayan side and helps you compare.
Do I need residency to study in PJC?
Anyone living in Paraguay must regularize their residency. Mercosur citizens, including Brazilians, enter with a 90-day permit and can apply for Mercosur temporary residency: 2 years, Gs. 2,230,040 as of May 2026, applied for in person.
Can I rent before I arrive?
Golden Keys can visit and video-walk a property for you while you're still abroad, with the whole negotiation on WhatsApp.
Sources
Public sources checked on 13 Oct 2026. Program status and migration rules change: check each source's date.
- INS/CONAREM — Carreras de Medicina Evaluadas, informe ANEAES de 29/12/2025 (PDF) (23/01/2026)
- Prefeitura de Ponta Porã — Lei nº 4.651, de 27/09/2024 (cidades-gêmeas) (27/09/2024)
- IPEA — O retrato das assimetrias no espaço transfronteiriço entre o Brasil e o Paraguai (cap. 10, 2014) (2014)
- Agencia IP — Migraciones detalla requisitos y procedimientos para la residencia temporal en Paraguay (04/05/2026)