Aeronautics Technological Institute

Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica

Type	Public
Established	1950
Rector	Anderson Ribeiro Correia
Academic staff	180
Administrative staff	170
Undergraduates	600
Postgraduates	1200
Location	São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
Campus	Urban, inside CTA's campus
Website	www.ita.br

The Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA; English: Technological Institute of Aeronautics) is an institution of higher education and advanced research with emphasis in aerospace science and technology maintained by the Brazilian Federal Government with the support of the Brazilian Air Force. It is located in São José dos Campos, Brazil. ITA is rated as one of the top and most prestigious engineering schools in Brazil.

The school's admission exams for its undergraduate courses (called vestibular in Brazil) are considered to be the most competitive in the country, and take place annually in over 25 cities throughout Brazil. Its undergrad program acceptance rate in 2016 was only 1.12% (140 accepted students out of 12493 nationwide applicants ).

It is one of four institutes that encompass the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA), having its facilities, along with its laboratories and R&D centers, inside the campus of CTA. ITA is often mistakenly considered to be a military institution, because of its location, but it is 100% civilian in nature, with a vast majority of civilian teachers, directors and students. The Air Force does help maintain the institution, though, and in exchange uses it for the training of its engineers.

The institution was created in 1950, being responsible and contributing in a great extent for the research and development of the aerospace and defense sectors in Brazil, including the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research - INPE, Embraer and Avibrás.

ITA offers regular 5-year engineering undergraduate courses (Bachelor of Engineering) and graduate programs including master's and doctoral degrees. All undergraduate students are granted full scholarships and board during entire five-year period. Complete residential facilities are offered to the students inside the campus, at a minimal cost. The college is known for being rigorous, demanding focus and a great effort from the students.