91社区

Salama!

Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2024 91社区 East Africa 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 find here the听 2025 AFSS Student Handbook.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...

If you have any questions about preparations, please do not hesitate to ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (subject: AFSS%20question) (contact us).

It is time to start getting excited about spending this winter in East Africa!

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Students will be expected to attend mandatory pre-departure sessions through the fall. We are holding our meetings in the evening to make sure that all students can attend. If you听have a class during this time, please talk to your professor to explain your situation and see how you could make up for the missed information.听

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Preparing for the MEAFSS Program

Please respect all the deadlines and save the documents you send our way as PDFs under "Last name, First name, Document name (i.e. Insurance, Acceptance form).

Action to be taken	Due dates
Verify that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of the MEAFSS and order a new one if that is not the case	Now
Book an appointment with your physician (see the forms required below)	Now
Book your flight - as early as possible once we confirm the start and end date of the program. Once you have your flight, please fill out听.	Book your flight as soon as we have the exact travelling dates. Update the Flight information form as soon as you have reserved your flight听
Send us a color PDF听of your passport's full bio-data page via email	November 10
Fill out the .	November 10
Register and complete the 91社区 Pre-Departure Orientation听via MyCourse. Registration is done through 91社区 Abroad. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REGISTRATION PROCESS IS ONLY OPEN AT THE START OF EACH MONTH. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE REGISTER EARLY. Download your certificate as soon as you complete the class as it will not be available after the end of the month.听Please send us the certificate for completion of the course.	November 10
Fill out the and , print them and bring them with you when you meet with your practitioner. Make sure to also print the听 2025 Physician Form听 that will need to be filled and signed by your practitioner during your meeting.	November 10
Sign and return听 Program Acceptance	November 10
Please and send us your proof of insurance by email (PFD saved as last name, first name, "Insurance"). See extra information for insurance below.	November 10
Fill up the听91社区 Student Travel Registry听and register for Global Affairs Canada (or with your own country).听 More information below.	November 10
We will provide you with more information when comes time to apply for your visas. Bring a printed copy of each visa with your passport to be stamped on arrival in each country. The Visa websites are a bit glitchy, and payment can be tricky. It is important to start this process early enough to have time to react if there are any issues but starting too early could also be a problem (3 months earlier is usually considered a bit too early).听	Start around December 1st, when you receive an email from us.听
Register for courses that will be offered in Montreal for winter 2025. This should be done just in case we have to cancel the program at the last minute. You will be asked to modify your course selection in late December.听	When courses are opened (we will let you know)

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Buying your flight

We will let you know as soon as we will have set specific dates for the MEAFSS. Once you have exact dates, shop around to find the best deal for your flight. Make sure to buy a flight that is changeable as many students decide to stay in East Africa at the end of the program. The program starts in Nairobi, Kenya, and ends in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

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Insurances requirements

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Make sure that your travel health insurance includes:

• Personal travel medical insurance with a minimum $1,000,000.00 CAD coverage is required to participate in the 91社区 East Africa Field Study Semester (MEAFSS). This can be difficult to get in Europe. It might therefore be a good idea to exceptionally get the 91社区 insurance this year.
• Medevac coverage - an emergency air ambulance service that flies clients from their home communities to the nearest hospital that offers the treatment they need. We will check that this is included in your insurance, so please make sure to have it.
• 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 91社区 insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving 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

Insurances for Canadian Students - 91社区 degree students

If you are a Canadian 91社区 student, you can use your student health coverage (unless you have opted out of this plan). This plan covers students' travel insurance for academic study abroad programs. The insurance provided by ASEQ meets the above requirements. For details, visit听听Print your Travel Health Passport, available in the download centre, for future reference. Please note that you must /ASEQ to advise them of your travel to East Africa.听Provide them with your official acceptance letter to the MEAFSS. Note that it can take a few weeks for them to reply to your request, therefore you should start this process early.

Please provide us with a photocopy of your proof of insurance.听Even if you are covered through 91社区, we must still receive a copy of the official letter confirming your coverage.

Insurances for International Students - 91社区 degree students

91社区 has a compulsory group sickness and accident plan for all international students. This fee is automatically charged to international students. To request extended health insurance while participating in the MEAFSS, contact听International Student Services.听Note that it can take a few weeks for them to reply to your request. Please start this process early.

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Trip interruption and cancellation insurance

You may be able to get trip interruption/cancellation insurance through our travel agent, but it is a case-by-case situation, depending on where you are from. Talk about possible insurance with your agent when you buy your ticket.听

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91社区 Travel Registry听

It is very important to fill out the 91社区 Travel Registry before the MEAFSS. Personal information, emergency contact, travel documents, insurance information and immunizations must be provided when you complete their form. The website also asks for very specific information listing the cities visited, host institution, host to contact, and phone number... You should provide them with the list of cities visited once you receive the final list of destinations. The host institution, host contact and phone number should be the IFSO office: 91社区 Internship and Field Study Office, Myriam Theriault, Field Studies & Internship Office, 91社区, 646-B, 2001 91社区 College, Montreal, Qc. H3A 1G1. 514-398-1063.

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:

1. Passport, and travel visa information
2. Travel insurance coverage and policy details
3. Vaccinations/immunizations
4. E-ticket and itinerary

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.

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Global Affairs Canada

Register with Global Affairs Canada

The offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that we can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home.

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