enem

ENEM stands for Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio, a national standardized examination in Brazil administered by the Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (INEP) on behalf of the Ministério da Educação. Established in 1998, it is the core tool for assessing high school performance and serves as a major pathway for entry into higher education.

The test is typically held annually over two days and includes 180 multiple-choice questions across four areas: Languages, Codes and Technologies; Mathematics; Human Sciences and Technologies; and Natural Sciences and Technologies. In addition, candidates write a permissive essay (redação). The examination lasts about five hours and thirty minutes in total.

Scoring involves converting raw results into a standardized scale. Each question contributes to a score that is translated through equating to a common scale, and the essay is scored by trained evaluators using a defined rubric. Results are released to participants and used for admission decisions.

The primary use of ENEM is to determine eligibility for admission to Brazilian higher education through the Unified Selection System (Sisu), which allocates spots in public and private institutions based on ENEM scores. ENEM scores are also utilized by various government and private programs for student funding and scholarships, including initiatives that support access to higher education for students from diverse backgrounds.

ENEM is a central element of Brazil’s higher education landscape, offering a common evaluation framework that supplements or replaces other admission tests in many institutions. It remains one of several pathways to higher education in the country.