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 
2026 MBFSS Handbookto 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: Sept. 7 2026
End date: Dec. 4 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.
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) will provide you with the details you need on this.
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 date and proceed with the appropriate visa application for your circumstances.
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.
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 McGill 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.
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 |
|---|---|
|
DEPOSIT DUE - $1,500 |
Upon entry into program |
|
VISA APPLICATION
|
As early as possible Latest: Monday, 25 May |
|
MBFSS PRE-DEPARTURE SESSION 1 Information session to prepare for departure |
Friday, 08 May |
|
FIELD STUDY SEMESTER (FSS) PROGRAMS STUDENT CONSENT FORM
|
Sunday, 31 May |
|
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: DIET, FOOD ALLERGENS, EMERGENCY CONTACT Complete your diet, food allergens/intolerances, and emergency contact information in the Other Important Information section here: BFSS File Upload Form.
|
Sunday, 31 May |
|
PASSPORT BIODATA PAGE Add your passport information and upload your Passport Biodata Page here: BFSS File Upload Form |
Sunday, 31 May |
|
MEDICAL TASKS
|
Sunday, 19 July |
|
INSURANCE INFORMATION
|
Sunday, 19 July |
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FLIGHT BOOKING & DATES FOR BELLAIRS
|
Sunday, 19 July |
|
MCGILL TRAVEL REGISTRY & GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA REGISTRY
|
Sunday, 19 July |
|
FINAL PAYMENT - AMOUNT $11,692.50 |
Wednesday, 29 July |
|
MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION
|
Sunday, 09 August |
|
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 |
Non-McGill Students
Because you do not have a McGill email address, you cannot access the forms above. You must instead use the form linked here to submit information and ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (email )all PDF items (e.g., proof of insurance, physician form, etc.) directly to the FSIO office.
All the above deadlines still apply (except for the Pre-Departure Orientation and Travel Registry).