A "república", in Brasil, describes a house shared by a group of university students. Ouro Preto has a long-standing tradition of repúblicas. These are totally self-organized by a committee of students. Most of the students of the UFOP (Federal University of Ouro Preto) live in repúblicas. Occasionnally, when events such as EBP happen outside the academic semesters, repúblicas offer rooms to rent.