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PREDEPARTURE ESSENTIALSFOR STUDENTSPROGRAMS IN MEXICOOUR SERVICESFAQsCONTACT
Summer 2016
Mexico
Predeparture Essentials #1

 

Welcome to the first of two Mexico Essentials for students who have applied to our summer study abroad programs in Mexico. All current applicants receive this information, including those who have not yet been accepted. You'll receive an email with a student acceptance agreement when you've been accepted into the program.    

You can find program updates and activities information on our Facebook page.
 
Welcome from our Mexico Staff 

M�rida, long known as "la cuidad blanca," is the capital of the state of Yucat�n. Located in southeast Mexico, M�rida is one of the safest cities in Latin America and a living laboratory of ancient cultures still present today through its architecture, language and amazing cuisine. Its combination of the great pre-Hispanic Mayan civilization with Spanish colonial traces will transport you to a time and place difficult to imagine without experiencing life here. 

 

Only in M�rida will you be surrounded by the balmy Caribbean breeze, beautiful colors of nature and the pleasures of a much simpler life. Indeed, one of the interesting attractions of the Yucat�n is its very location. This is a place where, in one day, you could visit Chich�n-Itz�, one of the wonders of the modern world, have lunch by a cenote, snorkel in the Caribbean, bring yourself back to M�rida to attend a concert in a beautiful theater in the evening ... and still go to class on Monday. �Dejate enamorar de M�rida!


Sincerely,

 

Diana Ar�zaga, Resident Director
and all the IFSA-Butler staff in Mexico

Flight Reservations
You must arrange your own flight and book a round-trip ticket to M�rida. Do not purchase a ticket until you have been accepted into the program.
 
IFSA-Butler staff will meet all students who arrive on May 29 at the Manuel Crescencio Rej�n International Airport in M�rida, provided you have submitted your Travel Plans form on the student portal.

We strongly recommend that you book a direct flight from the U.S. to M�rida to avoid potential issues with your tourist permit. Should you arrive in Mrida via Cancun or Mexico City, please indicate that clearly on your travel form. Your IFSA-Butler program advisor will send more detailed information about the immigration process in a series of predeparture emails in May. 

Your program housing ends on the program end date. Many students take time to travel before they return home, so think about your travel plans before booking your ticket home.
Passport 
If you already have a passport, make sure it's valid for at least six months past the time you plan to return from Mexico. If you don't
have a passport, apply for one now. See page 29 of Preparing to Study Abroad for information about the passport application process. You can also visit www.travel.state.gov for the latest information about obtaining and renewing a passport.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, make sure your visa and passport are current and valid. You might need to check with the local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office near your university or home. To apply for a non-U.S. passport, contact your embassy in Washington, D.C., and allow several weeks for processing.

Visa

U.S. students studying for the summer do not need to obtain a visa prior to their arrival in Mexico. Instead, you will fill out a tourist permit card during your flight to Mexico. Do not lose this card! It becomes your tourist visa once stamped by an immigration officer. For more information, please see page 29 of Preparing to Study Abroad.

 

Non-U.S. citizens should contact the nearest Mexican Consulate or Embassy for up-to-date visa requirements. If your nationality requires that you obtain a visa to enter Mexico, do mention to the Mexican Embassy or Consulate if you are a permanent resident of the United States and hold a residency card (green card) when applying for a visa.

Arriving Early? 

If you arrive in Mexico before May 29, you will need to make arrangements for hotel accommodations and luggage storage.You can go directly to your host family's house at 12 p.m. on May 29. If you are staying in M�rida prior to the start of the program on May 29, our resident director recommends you make a reservation at any of the following hotels:

 

Nomadas Hostel

Street 62 x 51, # 433
M�rida Yucat�n

Tel. 999 924 5223  


Casacadas de Mrida
Calle 57 #593-C x 74A y 76
Mrida, Yucatan
Tel. 999 923-8484
 


Hotel Medio Mundo
Calle 55 #534 por 64 y 66 Centro
Tel. 999-924-5472 

Luz En Yucatan
Calle 55 #499 x 60 y 58
M�rida, Yucat�n,
Tel. 999-924-0035
Financial Reminders
  • Your fees are due May 15 unless your home college has a direct billing agreement with IFSA-Butler. Contact your campus study abroad office if you're unsure whether your home college has a direct billing arrangement.
  • If you're planning to use financial aid to pay any portion of the IFSA-Butler bill, have your financial aid office send a letter to us detailing the amount of aid you'll be receiving and the disbursal date.
What Should I Be Doing?
  • Book your flight once you have been accepted into a program. Schedule your return date for after your last final exam.
  • Make sure you have sent all your information to IFSA-Butler, including your photos, family placement form, medical form, passport photocopy and acceptance agreement.
  • Read Preparing to Study Abroad. 
  • Complete the Travel Plans form on the student portal so that we know how you're getting to Mexico.
  • Check with your home university to make sure it has everything it needs before you leave.