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Get ready to go!

Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï 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 theÌýPDF icon 2026 MBFSS Handbookto prepare yourself for the program.

Important InformationÌý

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: Sept. 7 2026Ìý

End date: Dec. 4 2026

Program Payment Instructions

You must make all payments by specific deadlines outlined below in the Mandatory TasksÌýsection. For details on how program payments are made, see theÌýProgram feesÌýpage.Ìý

To check the charges to your account and payments you have made, consult the Account Summary by Term in Minerva.

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

You will need to apply for a student visa to enter Barbados. The Field Studies and Internship Office (FSIO)Ìýwill provide you with the details you need on this.Ìý

If you are not a Canadian or US citizen, you must confirm whether Barbados requires residents of your country to apply for a specific type of visa. If so, you must inform the Field Studies and Internship Office (FSIO) at least four months in advance of the departure dateÌýand proceed with the appropriate visa applicationÌýfor your circumstances.Ìý

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.

ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Health Services

ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï 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 ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï 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.

As Proof of Insurance, you must provide a letter or other document that specifically identifies the above items as part of your 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 ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving would be covered.

Insurance provisions can vary, so you may need to call different insurers to ensure that you are covered according to your own specific needs.

ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Student Insurance - Canadian students

Canadian students are covered under their respective student society’s Health and Dental Plan: Students' Society of ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï (SSMU) or Macdonald Campus Students' Society (MCSS). These plans include travel insurance for academic study abroad programs, but you must still e 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.

ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Student Insurance - International students

International students are covered under the ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï 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) . Do NOT contact Medavie Blue Cross for this information, as the request must always go directly through ISS.

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Mandatory Tasks

Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines.

TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM

DEADLINE

DEPOSIT DUE -Ìý$1,500

Upon entry into program

VISA APPLICATION

  1. Download the Visa Info Document 2026 Instructions. This document outlines step-by-step what you must do to complete and submit your visa application.
  2. Download the Guide to Complete Form H-1. Note: this is NOT the version of the H-1 form you submit; it is only a guide.
  3. DownloadÌýForm H-1 to print and complete as instructed. Sign the document by hand (wet signature).
  4. Download Form H-2 to print and complete as instructed.ÌýSign the document by hand (wet signature).
  5. Submit your visa application as instructed.

As early as possible

Latest: Monday, 25ÌýMayÌý

MBFSS PRE-DEPARTURE SESSION 1

Information session to prepare for departureÌý

Friday, 08 May

FIELD STUDY SEMESTER (FSS) PROGRAMS STUDENT CONSENT FORM

  1. Read the Staying at Bellairs Research Institute PDF here.
    Ìý
  2. Complete theÌý
Sunday, 31ÌýMay

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: DIET, FOOD ALLERGENS, EMERGENCY CONTACT

Complete your diet, food allergens/intolerances, and emergency contact information in the Other Important InformationÌýsection here:Ìý

Sunday, 31 May

PASSPORT BIODATA PAGE

Add your passport information and upload your Passport Biodata Page here:Ìý

Sunday, 31 May

MEDICAL TASKS

  1. Complete theÌýÌýNote that you can complete one and leave the other for a later date if needed.
    Ìý
  2. Either print or email these forms to present them to your physician.
    Ìý
  3. Have the physician fill and sign the Physician Form (download here).
    Ìý
  4. Upload the completed and signedÌýPhyisician FormÌýhere:ÌýÌý
Sunday, 19 July

INSURANCE INFORMATION

  1. Read the Insurance Requirements subsection in the Important Information section above to ensure your Proof of InsuranceÌýdocument includes the information required.
  2. Provide information on your insurance and upload your Proof of InsuranceÌýhere:Ìý
Sunday, 19 July

FLIGHT BOOKING & DATES FOR BELLAIRS

  1. Book your flight as early as possible to help keep the cost lower. 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.
  2. Provide information on your flight and your dates for Bellairs (check-in and departure)Ìýand upload your Flight Itinerary here:Ìý
Sunday, 19 July

FINAL PAYMENT - AMOUNT $11,692.50

Program fees/How do I pay my fees

Wednesday, 29 July

MCGILL TRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY

  1. It is mandatory to fill the before the program starts. To access and complete the form, you must download the app on your personal or 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.
    Ìý
  2. Use the following information to complete the

    Travel start date: 07 September, 2026

    Travel end date: 04 December, 2026

    Destination: Holetown, Saint James, Barbados

    Host institution name: Bellairs Research Institute of ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï

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

    Term: Fall 2026

    ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï professor name & email address: Virginie Millien- Virginie.millien [at] mcgill.ca

    ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï application reviewer name & email address: Myriam Theriault - ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
    Ìý

  3. Upload your proof of ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Travel Registry entry here:Ìý

  4. Register your travel dates with (or with your own Consulate or Embassy).
Sunday, 09 August

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.
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  2. Download your certificate as soon as you complete the course, as it will not be available at the end of the month.
    Ìý
  3. Upload the Pre-departure Orientation Certificate of Completion here:Ìý
Sunday, 09 August

COURSE REGISTRATION

Register for Montreal-based ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï 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 ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï tuitionÌýin addition to the program payment.

Before official due date

GUARD MEÌýAPP

Download theÌý"Guard Me" app to your phone.

Before Departure

Non-ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Students

Because you do not have a ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï email address, you cannot access the forms above. You must instead useÌýÌýandÌýifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (emailÌý)all PDF items (e.g., proof of insurance, physician form, etc.) directly to the FSIO office.Ìý

All the above deadlines still apply (except for the Pre-Departure Orientation and Travel Registry).

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