McGill.CA / McGill Panama Field Study Semester

Get ready to go!

¡Hola, qué gusto verte!

Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 McGill 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 Panama 2026 Student Handbook here to prepare yourself for the program.

 

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 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

Retreat in the Eastern Townships

NOTE: This session takes place off of McGill grounds in the Eastern Townships. Transportation will be planned accordingly

 October 4-5 (TBC)

Safety and Health

NOTE: 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 22

18h00 - 20h00
ENVR 451 Presentation

Tuesday, November 11

18h00 - 20h00
Cultural sensitivity and research ethics

Monday, December 01

18h00-20h00

 

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.

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, 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

Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines. 

TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM

DEADLINE

MPFSS STRI APPLICATION FORM

Upload all of the documents listed below using the links. These documents will be used to create your STRI ID. If you receive a sorry you don't have access error, simply right-click on the link and open it in an incognito/private browsing window.

 Sept 28, 2025

INFO AND PHOTO CONSENT FORM

Complete the Info & Photo Consent Form here.
 Sept 28, 2025

STRI VISITOR REGISTRATION 

Follow the instructions linked here to register your visit to STRI.

 Oct 31, 2025

MEDICAL TASKS

  1. Complete the Medical Form here and Immunization Form here.
     
  2. Either print or email these forms to present them to your physician.
     
  3. Have the physician fill and sign the PDF icon Physician Form 2026
     
  4. Upload the completed and signed Physician Form here. (PDF only). If you receive a sorry you don't have access error, simply right-click on the link and open it in an incognito/private browsing window.

Nov 2, 2025

INSURANCE INFORMATION 

  1. Read the Insurance Requirements subsection in the Important Information section above.
     
  2. Complete the Insurance Form here.
 Nov 2, 2025

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. Everyone should arrive in Panama and be settled in no later than January 4, 2026 (classes begin the morning of the 5th). 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 Form below. 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. Complete the Flight Information Form here.
     
  3. Upload your Flight Itinerary here. (PDF only). If you receive a sorry you don't have access error, simply right-click on the link and open it in an incognito/private browsing window.

Nov 2, 2025

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: January 5, 2026

    Travel end date: April 21, 2026

    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

    McGill professor name & email address: Julie Major - julie.major [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). If you receive a sorry you don't have access error, simply right-click on the link and open it in an incognito/private browsing window.
  4. Register your travel dates with Global Affairs Canada (or with your own Consulate or Embassy).
  

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). If you receive a sorry you don't have access error, simply right-click on the link and open it in an incognito/private browsing window.
 Nov 15, 2025

FINAL PAYMENT - $7,163.35 

Program fees/How do I pay my fees?

 Nov 15, 2025

COURSE REGISTRATION

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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