McGill.CA / McGill Barbados Field Study Semester

Get ready to go!

Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 McGill Barbados 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 PDF icon 2025 MBFSS Handbook to prepare yourself for the program.
 

Important Information 

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

Fall 2026 Program Dates

Start date: TBA

End date: TBA

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 or US citizen, confirm whether Barbados requires residents of your country to apply for a specific type of visa. If so, please let us know and proceed with the appropriate visa application after consulting with the Field Studies and Internship Office (FSIO). Otherwise, FSIO will provide you with instructions when the time comes to apply for the visa.

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.

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. 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 StudentCare Contact form.

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

Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines.

TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM

DEADLINE

DEPOSIT DUE - $1,500

Upon entry into program

MBFSS PRE-DEPARTURE SESSION 1

Information session to prepare for departure 

 TBA

MBFSS STUDENT CONSENT FORM

  1. Read the Staying at Bellairs Research Institute PDF here.
     
  2. Complete the BFSS Student Consent Form here.
 TBA

INFO AND PHOTO CONSENT FORM

TBA

PASSPORT INFO AND PHOTO UPLOAD

  1. Upload your Passport Biodata Page here. (PDF only).

     
  2. Upload your Passport-Size Photo here. (JPEG/JPG or PNG only).
 TBA

MEDICAL TASKS

  1. Complete the Medical Form here. and the Immunization Form here.
  2. Either print or email these forms to present them to your physician.
     
  3. Have the physician fill and sign the Physician Form (download here).
     
  4. Upload the completed and signed Physician Form here. (PDF only). 
 TBA

INSURANCE INFORMATION

  1. Read the Insurance Requirements subsection in the Important Information section above.
     
  2. Complete the Insurance Form here.
 TBA

FLIGHT BOOKING

  1. Book your flight as early as possible to help keep the cost lower. Immigration officials may also ask you to show a return or onward ticket upon entry in the country. If you are unsure of your return date, you may want to book a ticket that is changeable.
     
  2. Complete the Flight Itinerary Form here.
     
  3. Upload your Flight Itinerary here. (PDF only).
 TBA

MCGILL TRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY

  1. 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.
     
  2. Use the following information to complete the McGill Travel Registry:

    Travel start date: TBA

    Travel end date: TBA

    Destination: Holetown, Saint James, Barbados

    Host institution name: Bellairs Research Institute of McGill University

    Host institution phone number: +1 246-422-2087

    Term: Fall 2026

    McGill professor name & email address: Virginie Millien- Virginie.millien [at] mcgill.ca

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

  3. Upload proof of your McGill Travel Registry entries here. (JPG/JPEG or PNG only).

  4. Register your travel dates with Global Affairs Canada (or with your own Consulate or Embassy).

TBA

MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION

  1. Register here and complete the orientation via myCourses. Registration is only open at the start of each month, so register early.
     
  2. Download your certificate as soon as you complete the course, as it will not be available at the end of the month.
     
  3. Upload the Pre-Departure Orientation Certificate of Completion here. (PDF only).
 TBA

FINAL PAYMENT - AMOUNT TBA

Program fees/How do I pay my fees

TBA

COURSE REGISTRATION

Register for Montreal-based McGill courses in Fall 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 (we will let you know)

MBFSS PRE-DEPARTURE SESSION 2

The meeting will take place online. A link will be sent to you.

TBA

MCGILL TUITION

You must pay your McGill tuition in addition to the program payment.

Before official due date

GUARD ME APP

Download the "Guard Me" app to your phone.

 Before Departure

 

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