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Get ready to go!

Salama!

Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2027 McGill East Africa Field Study Semester (MEAFSS). The content on this page is necessary to prepare you for your departure in January, so read it carefully.

You should also review the EAFSS Student Handbook.

Course offerings for 2027

Registration to the courses offered in the EAFSS will open in late December. The courses will be decided in the Fall 2026 term. You will receive an email informing you when the course offerings have been updated.

Mandatory Pre-departure Sessions

Attendance is mandatory for all pre-departure sessions. Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will take place in Room 650 - 2001 McGill College Ave. In case of a serious scheduling conflict or emergency, notify jon.unruh [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Jon Unruh) and the ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (FSIO office). Failure to do so may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program.

PRE-DEPARTURE SESSION	DATE & TIME
General information Session	TBA
Group Dynamics and Wellbeing Session	TBA
Health Session	TBA
Positionality Training	TBA
Wrap-up Session	TBA

Important Information

Read the information below carefully to prepare you for the mandatory tasks that you must complete to participate in the program.

The exact dates of the program will be decided during the Fall 2026 term. For reference, the Winter 2026 term's dates were as follows: 24 January 2026 through 12 April 2026.

However, the Winter 2027 term may start earlier than this.

Program Payment Instructions

You must make all payments by the specific deadlines outlined below. For details on how program payments are made, see the Program fees page. To check the charges to your account and payments you have made, consult the Account Summary by Term in Minerva.

PAYMENT REQUIRED	DEADLINE
$1,500 deposit	Once accepted into the program.
First installment ($10,000)	30 September 2026
Last installment (remaining balance: $5,624.04 )	29 October 2026
McGill tuition	By McGill's established due date

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, US, or EU citizen, confirm whether Kenya, Tanzania, or Uganda requires residents of your country to apply for a specific type of visa. If so, let the FSIO office know ASAP (ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca).

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.

McGill Health Services

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. 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 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.

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, so you may need to call different insurers to ensure that you are covered according to your own specific needs. Your insurance information will be used by our team only in case of an accident.

McGill Student Insurance - Canadian students

Canadian students are covered under their respective student society’s Health and Dental Plan: Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) or Macdonald Campus Students' Society (MCSS). These plans include travel insurance for academic study abroad programs, but you must still contact StudentCare 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.

McGill Student Insurance - International students

International students are covered under the McGill 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) International Health Insurance Portal. Do NOT contact Medavie Blue Cross for this information, as the request must always go directly through ISS.

Mandatory Tasks

You must complete all tasks by their assigned deadline. Note that there is hyperlinked text within the table to connect you to online forms and webpages.

TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM	DEADLINE
FIELD STUDY SEMESTER (FSS) PROGRAMS STUDENT CONSENT FORM Complete the FSS Programs Student Consent form here.	15 September
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: DIET, FOOD ALLERGENS, EMERGENCY CONTACT Add information on your diet, food allergens/intolerances, and emergency contact in the Other Important Information section here: EAFSS File Upload Form.	15 September
PASSPORT BIODATA PAGE UPLOAD Add your passport information and upload your Passport Biodata Page here: EAFSS File Upload Form	13 October
MEDICAL TASKS Complete the Medical Form and Immunization Form here. Note that you can complete one and leave the other for a later date if needed. Either print or email these forms to present them to your physician. Have the physician fill and sign the Physician Form (download here). Upload the completed and signed Physician Form here: EAFSS File Upload Form	20 October
INSURANCE INFORMATION Read the Insurance Requirements subsection in the Important Information section above. Provide information on your insurance and upload your Proof of Insurance here: EAFSS File Upload Form	20 October
FLIGHT BOOKING Book your flight. You may want to consider booking a flight that is changeable in the event of itinerary changes or if you are unsure of your return date. Booking your flight early will help keep the cost lower. Note that the program starts in Nairobi, Kenya and ends in Zanzibar, Tanzania. 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. Because of potential changes to the program itinerary, or 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's end. Provide information on your flight and upload your Flight Itinerary here: EAFSS File Upload Form	03 November
MCGILL TRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY It is mandatory to fill the McGill Travel Registry before the program starts. To access and complete the form, you must download the app on your personal Android or iOS 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. Use the following information to complete one entry per country in the McGill Travel Registry (i.e., 3 entries total): Travel Start Date: Use the itinerary provided to write the travel start date in each country. Travel End Date: Use the itinerary provided to write the travel end date in each country. Destination: Make a separate travel registry entry for each country based on the itinerary provided to you by the program director and the Field Studies and Internship Office. Host Institution Name: FSIO Office, McGill University Host Phone number: 514-398-1063 Host email address: ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca Term: Winter 2026 McGill professor name & email address: Jon Unruh - jon.unruh [at] mcgill.ca McGill application reviewer name & email address: Myriam Theriault - ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca Upload your proof of McGill Travel Registry Entry here: EAFSS File Upload Form Register your travel dates with Global Affairs Canada (or with your own Consulate or Embassy).	03 November
MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION Register here and complete the 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 at the end of the month. Upload the Pre-departure Orientation Certificate of Completion here: EAFSS File Upload Form	10 November
VISAS 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.	~01 December FSIO will send you an email confirming the exact date.
COURSE REGISTRATION Register for 15 credits of Downtown/Mac-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 FSIO will send you an email confirming when you should register.

TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM

DEADLINE

FIELD STUDY SEMESTER (FSS) PROGRAMS STUDENT CONSENT FORM

Complete the FSS Programs Student Consent form here.

15 September

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: DIET, FOOD ALLERGENS, EMERGENCY CONTACT

Add information on your diet, food allergens/intolerances, and emergency contact in the Other Important Information section here: EAFSS File Upload Form.

15 September

PASSPORT BIODATA PAGE UPLOAD

Add your passport information and upload your Passport Biodata Page here: EAFSS File Upload Form

13 October

MEDICAL TASKS

Complete the Medical Form and Immunization Form here. Note that you can complete one and leave the other for a later date if needed.
Either print or email these forms to present them to your physician.
Have the physician fill and sign the Physician Form (download here).
Upload the completed and signed Physician Form here: EAFSS File Upload Form

20 October

INSURANCE INFORMATION

Read the Insurance Requirements subsection in the Important Information section above.
Provide information on your insurance and upload your Proof of Insurance here: EAFSS File Upload Form

20 October

FLIGHT BOOKING

Book your flight. You may want to consider booking a flight that is changeable in the event of itinerary changes or if you are unsure of your return date. Booking your flight early will help keep the cost lower. Note that the program starts in Nairobi, Kenya and ends in Zanzibar, Tanzania. 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. Because of potential changes to the program itinerary, or 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's end.
Provide information on your flight and upload your Flight Itinerary here: EAFSS File Upload Form

03 November

MCGILL TRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY

It is mandatory to fill the McGill Travel Registry before the program starts. To access and complete the form, you must download the app on your personal Android or iOS 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.
Use the following information to complete one entry per country in the McGill Travel Registry (i.e., 3 entries total):
Travel Start Date: Use the itinerary provided to write the travel start date in each country.
Travel End Date: Use the itinerary provided to write the travel end date in each country.
Destination: Make a separate travel registry entry for each country based on the itinerary provided to you by the program director and the Field Studies and Internship Office.
Host Institution Name: FSIO Office, McGill University
Host Phone number: 514-398-1063
Host email address: ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
Term: Winter 2026
McGill professor name & email address: Jon Unruh - jon.unruh [at] mcgill.ca
McGill application reviewer name & email address: Myriam Theriault - ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
Upload your proof of McGill Travel Registry Entry here: EAFSS File Upload Form
Register your travel dates with Global Affairs Canada (or with your own Consulate or Embassy).

03 November

MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION

Register here and complete the 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 at the end of the month.
Upload the Pre-departure Orientation Certificate of Completion here: EAFSS File Upload Form

10 November

VISAS

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.

~01 December

FSIO will send you an email confirming the exact date.

COURSE REGISTRATION

Register for 15 credits of Downtown/Mac-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.