Despite progress in gender equality, women in Brazil remain underrepresented and underperform in male-dominated academic areas, especially STEM fields. This thesis aims to address a gap in literature originated by the fast and disorganized growth of online higher education in the country — a circumstance frequently ignored by existing research — by answering two questions. First, how do women perform academically in online universities, particularly in fields of study where they represent a gender minority, such as STEM? Second, what is the socioeconomic and racial profile of women applying to online universities, again in areas where they are underepresented? These two questions are addressed using microdata from the Brazilian National Assessment of Student Performance (ENADE). Findings show women in online programs are older, have a challenging financial situation, and frequently balance work, education and family responsibilities. Academically, they score lower than online male students and than both genders in traditional in-person education, highlighting a significant performance gap. These results suggest that while virtual learning increases education access for disadvantaged women, it also risks deepening inequalities due to lower educational quality and structural challenges. Addressing these disparities is essential to achieving true gender equality in male dominated academic fields.