Unesp (Universidade Estadual Paulista) applied this Monday (8), second day of the second phase of the 2026 entrance exam, with 12 language discursive questions and an argumentative dissertation-essay. The theme — presented in the form of questions — was “are we experiencing an epidemic of loneliness?” “.
For the teachers consulted by the report, the proposal maintained the recent profile of the panel, combining social themes, textual diversity and the possibility of different argumentative lines.
According to Paula Nogueira, Portuguese language professor and editor of Objectif, the collection brought together a history of the concept of loneliness, a poem by Carlos Drummond de Andrade, a comic strip, an opinion article and data from the WHO (World Health Organization) on the global increase in feelings of isolation.
She says the candidate could defend the existence of an epidemic, associating it with individualism and the use of social networks, or deny it, treating loneliness as a choice, self-care and a space for reflection. According to the professor, possibilities for considerations based on social inequalities, gender and symbolic violence were also considered.
The essay is worth 28 points and follows traditional Vunesp criteria, such as clarity of thesis, argumentative coherence, logical structure, and mastery of the standard. Departing from the subject, copying extracts from the collection, using ready-made models or inserting identification marks leads to the text being invalid.
For Victor Santos, writing professor at the Oficina do Estudante school, the question in the first person plural broadens the collective perspective of the phenomenon. “The collection shows that loneliness is not just a feeling; there is data that proves the social impact. The candidate needed to understand this complexity,” he says.
In addition to writing, the candidates answered questions in Portuguese, literature and English. Teachers consider that the test presents a balanced level, with a strong interpretive predominance and specific requirements on the technical repertoire.
Vera Ramalho, professor of literature at the Oficina do Estudante, says the test was anchored in the interpretation of texts, figures of speech and grammatical functions, with low complexity for those who master the terminology. The exam included a poem by Casimiro de Abreu and rich rhyming questions. “A student who studied literary chronology and grammar did very well. It was not a difficult exam,” he says.
Nogueira said the exam required careful reading of different genres – chronicle, poem, preface to an indigenous work and comic strip – in addition to grammatical content such as direct and indirect speech, the order of terms and connectors. For Kauan Schiavon, grammar teacher at the Oficina do Estudante, the test followed the standards of the exam and maintained the emphasis on interpretation.
He believes that the predominance remains stable: interpretation above grammar, which in turn surpasses literature in volume of collections.
The English test also attracted attention. Carlos Alexandre Torres, an English professor at the Oficina do Estudante, calls the collection of texts and images “well-articulated,” addressing topics such as agricultural production, climate, art and culture. For him, the level of difficulty was moderate and focused on careful interpretation.
The most complex questions, he said, were questions 35 and 36, both concerning Frida Kahlo. The first required identifying subtle information about the construction of the cultural icon; the second asked to draw attention to the objects in the collection.
Wellington Pimentel, Professor of Objective, emphasizes that the exam followed the tradition of short texts and direct questions, indicating the paragraph from which the answer should be drawn. “The goal is to check reading and synthesis skills, not isolated grammar,” he says.
Sunday (7), first day of the second phase, Unesp applied 24 discursive questions from the human sciences, nature and mathematics. Candidates reported greater difficulties than expected, but teachers found the exam balanced and in line with academic standards, with classic themes such as the industrial revolution, Kantian morality, ecology and spatial geometry.
Unesp offers 5,867 vacant positions in 24 cities. The second phase requires up to seven times the total number of places per course and includes up to 3,000 top-performing trainers. The discursive questions of the two days total 72 points, which determine the final ranking.
The final result will be published on January 30.
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