2026
隆Hola, qu茅 gusto verte!
Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 91社区 Panama Field Study Semester. This website is designed to help you get ready for our departure in January.听Please read through all the information carefully.
You will听find here the
Panama Student Handbook 2026听 This is the main document to prepare for your departure. Please read it carefully as this is where you will find information, guidelines, lists...
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PREPARATION SESSIONS:
Location: Seminar Room, 650 - 2001 91社区 College
Attendance in these sessions is an important guarantor of the safe and good functioning of the programme and are thus mandatory. In case of a serious scheduling conflict or emergency, please notify Dr. Julie Major. Failure to do so may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program.
- Welcome Retreat Prep meeting, Monday Sept 22, 18h00-20:00
- Retreat in the Eastern Townships: Oct 4-5 (TBC)
- Safety and Health with Dr. Brian Ward and Housekeeping with Field Studies and Internship Office, Wednesday October 22, 18h00-20h00
- ENVR 451 Presentation, Tuesday Nov. 11th, 18h00-20h00
- Cultural sensitivity and research ethics, Monday Dec. 1st, 18h00-20h00
Please find below a list of all the forms that should be submitted before departure. Please note that all forms should be saved as PDF documents this way: "LAST NAME, NAME- form type". ex: "Fatoush, Rosemary-听insurance proof"听
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Topic |
Due date |
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| NOW: Verify that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of the MPFSS and order a new one if that is not the case.听Book an appointment with your physician asap if you haven't already done so (see the forms required below) and identify and submit applications for funding (Various deadlines. Find more information on our Funding page). | Now |
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At the start of next month:听Register and complete the 91社区 Pre-Departure Orientation via MyCourse. Registration is done through 91社区 Abroad. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REGISTRATION PROCESS IS ONLY OPENED AT THE START OF EACH MONTH. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE REGISTER EARLY. Download your certificate as soon as you complete the course as it will not be available after the end of the month. Please upload the certificate for us on the form |
First week of each month. Deadline for us to get the Diploma: Sunday Nov 2nd, 2025 |
| Final payment (How to is available in "program fees/How do I pay my fees") | September 28, 2025 |
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Provide a short Spanish CV (no more than 2 pages), a copy of your passport biodata page, a small JPG听passport size photo, and your signed |
Sunday Sept 28, 2025 |
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Fill out the |
Sunday Sept 28, 2025 |
| Upload your here.听 | Sunday Sept 28, 2025 |
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Fill out the form |
Sunday Sept 28, 2025 |
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Read the "Medical Form" information below. The听听&听 (Online) should be filled, printed, and presented to your physician with a printed version of the |
Sunday Nov 2nd, 2025听(book an appointment asap) |
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Read the information on acceptable insurance below under "Insurance Requirements". Please fill the听听online. This information will be used by our team only in case of accident. |
Sunday Nov 2nd, 2025 |
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Confirm your time of arrival and departure on our听. You can read more about the expected time of arrival in the "Flight Information" section below. |
Sunday Nov 2nd, 2025 |
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Fill up the听91社区 Student Travel Registry听and register the field study听with听(or with the Consulate or Embassy of your home country). You can find more information about the Travel Registry below. Please note that our office will check that the Travel Registry has been filled听and will contact you if information is missing. |
Sunday Nov 2nd, 2025 |
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MEDICAL FORM
This form has to be filled out with your own physician, or with a medical doctor from the Student Wellness Hub. Book your appointment NOW. You will find information to contact the Wellness Hub here.听
The Medical form should first be filled online and be printed and brought with you when you visit your physician. Please make sure that your physician fills the 鈥淧hysician form鈥� and submit the scanned copy saved in pdf under "last name, first name-Physician"听
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INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Please make sure that your insurance is covering you appropriately for the semester, and that it can be extended if you decide to stay abroad after the end of the semester.
Make sure that your travel health insurance includes:
- Personal travel medical insurance with a minimum $1,000,000.00 CAD coverage is required to participate in the 91社区 Panama Field Study Semester (MPFSS). This can be difficult to get in Europe. It might therefore be a good idea to exceptionally get the 91社区 insurance this year.
- Medevac coverage refers to emergency air ambulance services that transport clients from the site of a medical emergency to the nearest hospital equipped to provide the necessary treatment.
- Emergency health coverage.
- You should make sure to read the exclusions of your insurance attentively. Pre-existing medical conditions might not be covered as well as specific activities including some sports. For example, the 91社区 insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving听would be covered. Insurances are not all the same, and you might need to shop around and call different insurers to make sure that you are covered according to your own specific needs
91社区 Student Insurance
As a 91社区 student, you are eligible to use your student health coverage (unless you have opted out of the plan). Both Canadian and international students are covered under their respective student society鈥檚 Supplemental Health and Dental Plan (SSMU or MCSS). You can find links to each plan here. These plans include travel insurance for academic study abroad programs. Be sure to review the travel section of your plan carefully.
Important: All plans require that you notify them of your travel to Panama. You鈥檒l need to submit your official acceptance letter to the MPFSS program. Since processing can take a few weeks, we recommend starting this step as early as possible.
You may also want to print your Travel Health Passport or insurance card for future reference.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Flight prices have risen notably over the last year and don't show any sign of coming back down. Booking your flight earlier will help keep this cost down.
Everyone should have arrived in Panama and be settled in no later than January 4th 2026 (classes begin the morning of the 5th) Since many of you will be arriving around the same time we will coordinate transport from the airport to the house in Bella Vista Neighborhood. To help this process (and thus ensure your ride from the airport), please fill out the flight information form online.听The hostel is reserved solely for our group and paid for by the program starting the night of Saturday January 3. If you arrive earlier, make sure you book your accommodation, either at the Hostal Villa Grande or elsewhere, and pay for it yourself.
Please note that immigration officials upon entry in the country. If you are unsure of your return date, you may want to book a ticket that is changeable.
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91社区 Travel Registry听
It is mandatory to fill the 91社区 Travel Registry before the PFSS. Personal information, emergency contact, travel documents, insurance information and immunizations must be provided.听
To access and complete the form, you听must download the app on your personal听听or听听device.
Make sure to have the following information in hand:
- Passport, and travel visa information
- Travel insurance coverage and policy details
- Vaccinations/immunizations
- E-ticket and itinerary
Travel start date: January 5, 2026
Travel end date: April 21, 2026
Destination: Panama City
Host Institution Name:听Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement ave, 401 Tupper Building, Ancon, Panama City, Republic of Panama
Phone number:听+507-212-8000
Email address: Adriana Bilgray (BilgrayA [at] si.edu)
Term: Winter 2026
91社区 professor name: Julie Major @ julie.major [at] mcgill.ca
91社区 application reviewer: Myriam Theriault @ ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
You can complete the form in more than one sitting, saving your changes and come back to it later.
To finalize and submit the form, you will be asked to accept the terms of the Travel Guidelines.
Until you accept the terms and submit the form, the status of your form will remain incomplete and you will receive monthly email reminders asking you to complete it.
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MCGILL HEALTH SERVICES
Available to 91社区 Students
