Salama!
Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 McGill East Africa Field Study Semester. This website is designed to help you get ready for our departure in January. Please read through all the information carefully.
You will find here the 
2026 Student Handbook 2026_afss_student_handbook.pdfThis is the main document to prepare for your departure. Please read it carefully as this is where you will find information, guidelines, lists...
If you have any questions about preparations, please do not hesitate to ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (subject: AFSS%20question) (contact us).
It is time to start getting excited about spending this winter in East Africa!
Students will be expected to attend mandatory pre-departure sessions through the fall. We are holding our meetings in the evening to make sure that all students can attend. If you have a class during this time, please talk to your professor to explain your situation and see how you could make up for the missed information.
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Pre-departure session |
dates, location |
|---|---|
| General information session | Thursday, Oct 2 2025, 6 to 8 pm Local 650 of 2001 McGill College With Carol Muriuki |
| Group Dynamics and Wellbeing session | Wednesday, Oct 8 2025, 6 to 8pm Local 650 of 2001 McGill College With Kiki Yelle and Melissa Cobbler |
| Positionality training | Thursday, Oct 30 2025, 6 to 8pm Local 650 of 2001 McGill College With Antoine-Samuel Mauffette Alavo |
|
Health session |
TBD |
|
Wrap-up session |
TBD |
Preparing for the MEAFSS Program
Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines. Save documents you upload as PDFs with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName - Document name (e.g., Martínez, Alex - Pre-Departure Certificate).
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Action to be taken |
DEADLINE |
|---|---|
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Verify that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of the field study program and order a new one if that is not the case. Book an appointment with your physician if you have not already done so (see the forms required below). Identify and submit applications for funding (Various deadlines. Find more information on our Funding page). |
As soon as possible |
| Complete the MEAFSS Student Acceptance Form. | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Complete the Information & Photo Consent Form. | Oct 11, 2025 |
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Register and Complete McGill Abroad's Pre-Departure Orientation via myCourses. REGISTRATION IS ONLY OPEN AT THE START OF EACH MONTH, SO REGISTER EARLY. Download your certificate as soon as you complete the course as it will not be available after the end of the month. Upload the certificate to the Field Study Semesters Documents Upload Form with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName - Pre-Departure Certificate. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
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Read the Medical Form information below. The Medical Form and Immunization Form should be filled, printed, and presented to your physician with a printed version of the Upload the Physician Form to the Field Study Semester Documents Upload Form with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName - Physician Form |
Nov 2, 2025 |
| Read the information on acceptable insurance below under Insurance Requirements. Complete the Insurance Form online. This information will be used by our team only in case of accident. | Nov 2, 2025 |
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Book your flight and register your travel dates in the McGill Student Travel Registry and with Global Affairs Canada (or with your own Consulate or Embassy) as soon as we have confirmed the start and end date of the program (see Flight Information below). |
Nov 2, 2025 |
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We will provide you with more information when the time comes to apply for your visas. In your bags, please remember to bring a printed copy of each visa with your passport to be stamped for your arrival in each country. The Visa websites can be glitchy, and payment can be tricky. It is important to start this process early enough to have time to react if there are any issues, but visa are only good for 3 months, and you therefore cannot apply too early. |
Around Dec 1, when you receive an email from us. |
| Important: Register for Montreal-based McGill courses in Winter 2026 in addition to the courses you register for within the field study program. This task is a precaution in case the program must be cancelled due to safety concerns (e.g., public health crises such as COVID-19). We will instruct you when to drop the Montreal courses. |
Before departure |
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Payment required |
Due dates |
|---|---|
| $1,500 deposit |
As soon as you are admitted into the program |
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October 15 |
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November 15 |
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Pay your McGill tuition |
Ideally before flying out so that it is done by the Mcgill due date |
Flight Information
We will let you know as soon as we have set specific dates for the MEAFSS. Once you have exact dates, shop around to find the best deal for your flight. The program starts in Nairobi, Kenya, and ends in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Please note that immigration officials may ask you to show a return or onward ticket upon entry in the country and you could be refused entry if you do not have it. If you are unsure of your return date, you may want to book a ticket that is changeable. Many students choose to stay in Zanzibar, or to travel a bit in East Africa, after the program.
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.
The Medical form should first be filled online and be printed and brought with you when you visit your physician, who must review the medical form and complete the Physician form.
Insurance Requirements
Ensure that your insurance is covering 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 McGill Panama Field Study Semester (MPFSS). This can be difficult to get in Europe. It might therefore be a good idea to exceptionally get the McGill 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 McGill insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving 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
McGill Student Insurance
As a McGill 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’s 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’ll 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.
McGill Travel Registry
It is very important to fill out the McGill Travel Registry before the MEAFSS. Personal information, emergency contact, travel documents, insurance information and immunizations must be provided when you complete their form.
To access and complete the form, you must download the app on your personal Android or iOS 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
Destination: Make an entry for each country. The itinerary will be provided to you during the fall.
Host Institution Name: IFSO Office, McGill University
Phone number: 514-398-1063
Email address: ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
Term: Winter 2026
McGill professor name: Jon Unruh - jon.unruh [at] mcgill.ca
McGill application reviewer: Myriam Theriault @ ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
You can complete the form in more than one sitting, saving your changes and coming 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.
McGill Health Services
Telehealth services available to McGill Students (find more information about Dialogue, Maple, GuardMe).
You may want to download GuardMe Student Support Program to your phone. This is a 24/7 mental health support and confidential counselling resource offered to McGill students. You can also save their phone number in case it is needed (001-416-380-6578 outside of CAD/USA)
McGill University 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.
