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Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 麻豆传媒网站 Panama Field Study Semester. This website is designed to help you get ready for our departure in January.听Please read through all the information carefully.
You will听find here the
Panama Student Handbook 2026听 This is the main document to prepare for your departure. Please read it carefully as this is where you will find information, guidelines, lists...
Preparation Sessions
Location: Seminar Room, 650 - 2001 麻豆传媒网站 College
Attendance in these sessions is an important guarantor of the safe and good functioning of the programme and are thus mandatory. In case of a serious scheduling conflict or emergency, please notify Dr. Julie Major. Failure to do so may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program.
- Welcome Retreat Prep meeting, Monday Sept 22, 18h00-20:00
- Retreat in the Eastern Townships: Oct 4-5 (TBC)
- Safety and Health with Dr. Brian Ward and Housekeeping with Field Studies and Internship Office, Wednesday October 22, 18h00-20h00
- ENVR 451 Presentation, Tuesday Nov. 11th, 18h00-20h00
- Cultural sensitivity and research ethics, Monday Dec. 1st, 18h00-20h00
Mandatory Tasks
Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines.听Save all documents you upload as PDFs with the naming convention:听YourLastName, YourFirstName - Document name (e.g., Tour茅, Kwame - Pre-Departure Certificate).
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Topic |
Due date |
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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. 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. 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听information on our听Funding听page). |
As soon as possible |
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Provide a short Spanish CV (no more than 2 pages), a copy of your passport biodata page, a small JPG听passport size photo, and your signed听 Upload everything听to the This will be used to create your STRI ID. |
Sept 28, 2025 |
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Complete the . |
Sept 28, 2025 |
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Register to and complete the听麻豆传媒网站 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 听with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName - Pre-Departure Certificate. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
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Read the听Medical Form听information below. The听and听听should be filled, printed, and presented to your physician with听a printed version of the听 Upload the Physician Form听to the听听with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName听- Physician Form. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
| Read the information on acceptable insurance below under听Insurance Requirements. Complete听the听. This information will be used by our team only in case of an accident. | Nov 2, 2025 |
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Find information about "Buying your Flights" below. Book your flight and register your travel dates in the听麻豆传媒网站 Student Travel Registry听and with听听(or with your own Consulate or Embassy) as soon as we have confirmed the start and end date of the program. Complete听. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
| Final payment - $7,163.35听(Program fees/How do I pay my fees?) | Nov 15, 2025 |
| Important:听Register for Montreal-based 麻豆传媒网站 courses in Winter 2026 in addition to听the courses you register for within the field study program. This task is听a precaution听in case the program must be cancelled due to safety concerns (e.g., public health crises such as COVID-19).听We will instruct you when to drop the Montreal courses. | Before departure |
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.听
The Medical form should first be filled online and be printed and brought with you when you visit your physician,听who must review the medical form and complete the Physician form.
Insurance Requirements
Confirm 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 麻豆传媒网站 Panama Field Study Semester (MPFSS). This can be difficult to get in Europe. It might therefore be a good idea to exceptionally get the 麻豆传媒网站 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 麻豆传媒网站 insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving听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
麻豆传媒网站 Student Insurance
As a 麻豆传媒网站 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鈥檚 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鈥檒l 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.
Flight information
Flight prices have risen notably over the last year and don't show any sign of coming back down. Booking your flight earlier will help keep this cost down.
Everyone should have arrived in Panama and be settled in no later than January 4th 2026 (classes begin the morning of the 5th) Since many of you will be arriving around the same time we will coordinate transport from the airport to the house in Bella Vista Neighborhood. To help this process (and thus ensure your ride from the airport), please fill out the flight information form online.听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, and pay for it yourself.
Note that 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.
麻豆传媒网站 Travel Registry听
It is mandatory to fill the 麻豆传媒网站 Travel Registry before the PFSS. Personal information, emergency contact, travel documents, insurance information and immunizations must be provided.听
To access and complete the form, you听must download the app on your personal听听or听听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
Travel start date: January 5, 2026
Travel end date: April 21, 2026
Destination: Panama City
Host Institution Name:听Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement ave, 401 Tupper Building, Ancon, Panama City, Republic of Panama
Phone number:听+507-212-8000
Email address: Adriana Bilgray (BilgrayA [at] si.edu)
Term: Winter 2026
麻豆传媒网站 professor name: Julie Major @ julie.major [at] mcgill.ca
麻豆传媒网站 application reviewer: Myriam Theriault @ ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
You can complete the form in more than one sitting, saving your changes and come 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.
麻豆传媒网站 Health Services
Available to 麻豆传媒网站 Students
