隆Hola, qu茅 gusto verte!
Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 蘑菇短视频 Panama Field Study Semester. The content on this page is necessary to prepare you for your departure in January, so read it carefully.
You should also review the听Panama 2026 Student Handbook here to prepare yourself for the program.
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Mandatory Pre-departure Sessions
Attendance is mandatory for all pre-departure sessions. Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will take place in Room 650 - 2001 蘑菇短视频 College Ave.
In case of a serious scheduling conflict or emergency, notify Dr. Julie Major. Failure to do so may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program.
| Session Title | Date & Time |
|---|---|
| Welcome Retreat Prep meeting |
Monday, September 22 18h00-20:00 |
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Retreat in the Eastern Townships NOTE: This session takes place off of 蘑菇短视频 grounds in the Eastern Townships. Transportation will be planned accordingly |
October 4-5 (TBC) |
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Safety and Health NOTE:听Dr. Brian Ward will lead the session. The Field Studies & Internship Office will also review the paperwork you need to complete related to this subject. |
Wednesday, October听22 18h00 - 20h00 |
| ENVR 451 Presentation |
Tuesday, November听11 18h00 - 20h00 |
| Cultural sensitivity and research ethics |
Monday, December听01 18h00-20h00 |
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Important Information
Read the information below carefully to prepare you for the mandatory tasks that you must complete to participate in the program.
Winter 2026 Program dates
Start date: 05 January 2026
End date: 21 April 2026
Program Payment Instructions
You must make all payments by specific deadlines outlined below in the Mandatory Tasks section. For details on how program payments are made, see the Program fees page.
Funding Applications
Identify and submit applications for funding (Various deadlines. Find more information on our Funding page).
Passport Verification
Verify that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of the program and order a new one if that is not the case.
Visa Verification
If you are not a Canadian citizen, confirm whether Panama requires residents of your country to apply for a visa. If so, proceed with a visa application.
Booking a Physician Appointment
Book your physician appointment ASAP if you have not already done so (see the forms required below in the Medical tasks section of the Mandatory Tasks listed below). You can also contact the Wellness Hub here to schedule an appointment with a physician there.
蘑菇短视频 Health Services
蘑菇短视频 is committed to ensuring an environment free from abuse, exploitation, harassment, and all forms of misconduct. Do not hesitate to reach out to the Director of your program if you have any issues. You can also see here which telehealth services you can use while abroad.
Insurance Requirements
Confirm that your insurance covers you appropriately for the semester, that it can be extended if you decide to stay abroad after the end of the semester, and that it includes:
Personal travel medical insurance with a minimum $1,000,000.00 CAD coverage is required to participate in the program. This can be difficult to get in Europe. It might therefore be a good idea to exceptionally get the 蘑菇短视频 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.
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 蘑菇短视频 insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving would be covered. Insurances are not all the same, so you may need to call different insurers to ensure that you are covered according to your own specific needs.
蘑菇短视频 Student Insurance - Canadian students
Canadian students are covered under their respective student society鈥檚 Health and Dental Plan: Students' Society of 蘑菇短视频 (SSMU) or Macdonald Campus Students' Society (MCSS). These plans include travel insurance for academic study abroad programs. Be sure to review the travel section of your plan carefully. You can find links to each plan here.
Travel coverage inquiries can be made using the 听
蘑菇短视频 Student Insurance - International students
International students are covered under the 蘑菇短视频 International Health Insurance Plan through International Student Services. To ensure coverage during the field study program, you must make a request for extended International Health Insurance through the International Student Service's (ISS) . Do NOT contact Medavie Blue Cross for this information, as the request must always go directly through ISS.
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Mandatory Tasks
Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines.听
|
TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM |
DEADLINE |
|---|---|
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MPFSS STRI APPLICATION FORM Upload all of the documents listed below using the links.听These documents听will be used to create your STRI ID.
|
Sept 28, 2025 |
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INFO AND PHOTO CONSENT FORM |
Sept 28, 2025 |
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STRI VISITOR REGISTRATION听 Follow the instructions linked here听to register your visit to STRI. |
Oct 31, 2025 |
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MEDICAL TASKS
|
Nov 2, 2025 |
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INSURANCE INFORMATION听
|
Nov 2, 2025 |
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FLIGHT BOOKING
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Nov 2, 2025 |
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MCGILL听TRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY
|
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MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION
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Nov 15, 2025 |
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FINAL PAYMENT - $7,163.35听 |
Nov 15, 2025 |
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COURSE REGISTRATION Register for Montreal-based 蘑菇短视频 courses in Winter 2026 in addition to听the courses you register for within the field study program. This task is听a precaution听in case the program must be cancelled due to safety concerns (e.g., public health crises such as COVID-19).听We will instruct you when to drop the Montreal courses. |
Before departure |
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