Similarly to other Brazilian universities, Unicamp offers no large-scale in-campus housing, and most students live either near the campus or in Campinas. A student tradition in Brazil, inherited from the Portuguese universities, is the "república", a fraternity-style private housing where multiple students rent large houses or apartments and live together. Dues to the suburban campus and the large number of students coming from other cities, "repúblicas" play a key role in the student life, serving as centers for social life, parties and also study and work areas. While some "repúlicas" have existed for decades, sometimes moving from one house to another, most are formed by students in the same or similar classes, and last for a few years.