91ɬÂþ

Get ready to go!

¡Hola, qué gusto verte!

Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2027 91ɬÂþ 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 theÌýPanama 2027 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 91ɬÂþ 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

TBD

Retreat (Location TBD)

TBD

Safety and Health

TBD

ENVR 451 Presentation

TBD

Cultural sensitivity and research ethics

TBD

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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 2027 Program dates

Start date: TBD

End date: TBD

Program Payment Instructions

You must make all payments by specific deadlines outlined below in theÌýMandatory TasksÌýsection. For details on how program payments are made, see theÌýProgram feesÌýpage.Ìý

To check the charges to your account and payments you have made, consult theÌýAccount Summary by TermÌýin Minerva.

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.

91ɬÂþ Health Services

91ɬÂþ 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 91ɬÂþ 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 91ɬÂþ 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.

91ɬÂþ Student Insurance - Canadian students

Canadian students are covered under their respective student society’s Health and Dental Plan: Students' Society of 91ɬÂþ (SSMU) or Macdonald Campus Students' Society (MCSS). These plans include travel insurance for academic study abroad programs, but you must still e to let them know where you will be travelling and during which dates. Be sure to review the travel section of your plan carefully. You can find links to each plan here.

91ɬÂþ Student Insurance - International students

International students are covered under the 91ɬÂþ 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.Ìý

TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM

DEADLINE

MPFSS STRI APPLICATION FORM

Upload all of the documents listed below for your STRI ID ApplicationÌýhere:Ìý

Monday, 28 Sept

FIELD STUDY SEMESTER (FSS) PROGRAMS STUDENT CONSENT FORMÌý

Complete theÌý

Monday, 28 Sept

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: DIET, FOOD ALLERGENS, EMERGENCY CONTACT

Complete yourÌýdiet, food allergens/intolerances, and emergency contact informationÌýin theÌýOther Important InformationÌýsection here:Ìý
Monday, 28 Sept

STRI VISITOR REGISTRATIONÌý

Follow the instructions linked hereÌýto register your visit to STRI.

Sunday, 01 Nov

MEDICAL TASKS

  1. Complete theÌýÌýNote that you can complete one and leave the other for a later date if needed.
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  2. Either print or email these formsÌýto present them to yourÌýphysician.
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  3. Have theÌýphysician fill and signÌýtheÌýPDF icon Physician Form 2026
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  4. Upload the completed and signed Physician Form here:Ìý

Sunday, 01 Nov

INSURANCE INFORMATIONÌý

  1. Read theÌýInsurance RequirementsÌýsubsection in theÌýImportant InformationÌýsection above.
  2. ProvideÌýinformation on your insuranceÌýand upload yourÌýProof of InsuranceÌýhere:Ìý
Sunday, 01 Nov

FLIGHT BOOKING

  1. Book your flight as early as possible to help keep the cost lower. 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. Everyone should arrive in Panama and be settled in no later than DATE TBAÌý(classes begin the morning of the DATE). Since students often arrive around the same date, we will coordinate transport from the airport to the house in Bella Vista Neighborhood, hence the reason we require you to complete the Flight Information FormÌýbelow. 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. You must pay for those accommodations yourself.
  2. ProvideÌýinformation on your flightÌýand upload yourÌýFlight ItineraryÌýhere:ÌýÌý

Sunday, 01 Nov

MCGILLÌýTRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY

  1. It is mandatory to fill the before the program starts. To access and complete the form, you must download the app on your personal or device. You can complete the form in more than one sitting, saving your changes and coming back to it later. To finalize and submit it, you must accept the terms of the Travel Guidelines. Until you accept the terms and submit the form, it will remain incomplete and you will receive monthly email reminders.
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  2. Use the following information to completeÌýthe :

    Travel start date:ÌýTBD

    Travel end date: TBD

    Destination: Panama City, Panama

    Host institution name: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement ave, 401 Tupper Building, Ancon, Panama City, Republic of Panama

    Host institution phone number: +507-212-8000

    Host institution email address: Adriana Bilgray (BilgrayA [at] si.edu)

    Term: Winter 2026

    91ɬÂþ professor name & email address: Julie Major - julie.major [at] mcgill.ca

    91ɬÂþ application reviewer name & email address: Myriam Theriault - ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca

  3. Upload your proof of 91ɬÂþ Travel Registry entry here:ÌýÌý
  4. Register your travel dates with (or with your own Consulate or Embassy).
Sunday, 01 Nov

MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION

  1. Register hereÌýand complete the orientationÌývia myCourses.ÌýRegistrationÌýis only open at the start of each month, so register early.
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  2. Download your certificate as soon as you complete the course, as it will not be available atÌýthe end of the month.
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  3. Upload the ÌýPre-departure Orientation Certificate of CompletionÌýhere:ÌýÌý
Sunday, 08 Nov

FINAL PAYMENT - $7,163.35Ìý

Program fees/How do I pay my fees?

Sunday, 15 Nov

COURSE REGISTRATION

Register for Montreal-based 91ɬÂþ courses in Winter 2026 in addition toÌýthe courses you register for within the field study program. This task isÌýa precautionÌýin case the program must be cancelled due to safety concerns (e.g., public health crises such as COVID-19).ÌýWe will instruct you when to drop the Montreal courses.

Before departure


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