For increase of crop yield must have an efficient nutrient uptake in the seedling phase, due a higher seedling growth rate and for higher possibility of seedling damage in the placement of the fertilizer. The objectives of this present study were to evaluate the effect of fertilizer rates and placement on the seedling vigour and nutrient uptake of soybean seedlings. Soybean seeds, cultivar IAS 5, were seeded at greenhouse conditins. Were used two fertilizer rates: 200 and 400kg/ha (formule 00-25-25), in five fertilizer places in seed relation: with the seed, 2cm beside and below the seed, 4cm baside end below the seed, 2cm and 4cm below the seed and one treatment without fertilizer. The experiment was conducted in randomized blocks with three replications. The sowing was made in plastic trays with 7kg of soil. The following parameters were evaluated: emergence, emergence speed index, root and shoot, dry weight, roots and shoot lenght, potash and phosphorus uptake. The results allowed to obtain the following conclusions: a) the fertilizer do not increase the emergence, emergence speed index, roots and aerial parts leght, root and shoot dry matter weight in soybean seeds; b) the fertilizer placed with the seeds decrease the development of seedling in the 200 and 400kg/ha rates; c) the fertilizer can be placed 2cm beside and below of soybean seeds at the 200kg/ha rates and at 4cm beside and below at 400kg/ha; d) there is higher phosphorus uptake in the 400kg/ha fertilizer rate.