Office of the University of Illinois System in Mexico

Oficina del Sistema de la Universidad de Illinois en México

Message from Dr. Elvira de Mejia, University of Illinois System I-MMÁS founder and executive director, director of Institutional Relations-Mexico:

We are excited to announce the establishment of the University of Illinois System office in Mexico. We greatly appreciate Dr. Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois System, for his leadership and efforts to expand educational opportunities for students. The mission of I-MMÁS is to enhance educational, cultural, scientific, technical, and social collaborations between the University of Illinois System and Mexican institutions by building and maintaining a large-scale presence in education and research with participating institutions.

Mensaje de la Dra. Elvira de Mejía, Fundadora y Directora Ejecutiva de I-MMÁS, del Sistema de la Universidad de Illinois, Directora de Relaciones Institucionales en México:

Nos emociona anunciar el establecimiento de la oficina del Sistema de la Universidad de Illinois en México. Agradecemos mucho al Sr. Presidente del Sistema de la Universidad de Illinois, el Dr. Tim Killeen por su liderazgo y esfuerzos para ampliar las oportunidades educativas de los estudiantes. La misión de I-MMÁS es mejorar las colaboraciones educativas, culturales, científicas, técnicas y sociales entre el Sistema de la Universidad de Illinois, y las instituciones mexicanas mediante la construcción y el mantenimiento de una presencia a gran escala en educación e investigación con las instituciones participantes.

A person sitting in a chair in an office

Dr. Elvira de Mejia in the office in Mexico City.

Director of the Mexico Office

A person standing in front of flagsDescription automatically generated Mariam Hernandez Rea
Mariam Hernández is the director of the Office of the University of Illinois System in Mexico. She works to enhance educational, scientific, and academic collaborations among the University of Illinois System and Mexican universities, academics, alumni, governmental and private institutions.

With more than five years of professional experience in the international education sector, she has developed innovative educational projects and established strong and lasting partnerships. She is passionate about providing talented students and faculty with resources and opportunities that foster their potential.

Mariam holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). She received a master’s degree in public administration with honors from the Universidad Anahuac México, with a public policy proposal to promote the internationalization of higher education in México.

Contact: mariamh@uillinois.edu

Scholarship and Fellowship Resources for Mexican Students

UNAM STUDENTS

Resources for Mexican Students UNAM’s grants for undergraduate students pursuing opportunities abroad

Scholarship	Description	Duration	Call Opens	Eligible Months for Activities	Amount of Financial Support
Research Initiation Program	Aimed at undergraduate students. Applicants must submit an invitation letter from the host university.	6 to 12 weeks	February or March	Between June and October	6 to 8.86 weeks - $4,250 USD 9 to 12 weeks - $4,750 USD
Short-term Stays	For undergraduate students. Supports participation in conferences, summer courses, etc. (excluding research). Students must have completed at least 44% of their academic credits.	Up to 8 weeks	February or August	Between April and September Between September and October	1 day to 4 weeks - $1,000 USD 4.1 to 8 weeks - $1,500 USD
Program to Promote Degree Completion through Academic Activities Abroad (PITAAE)	For former UNAM students who completed their courses no more than two years ago but have not yet earned their degree. The objective is to support research to complete their thesis.	8 to 24 weeks	April or August	Between July and February (next year) Between October and March (next year)	8 to 12 weeks - 3,500 USD 12 to 18.86 weeks - $5,000 USD 19 weeks to 24 weeks - $6,000 USD

Resources for Mexican Students UNAM’s grants for staff pursuing opportunities abroad

Scholarship	Description	Duration	Call Opens	Eligible Months for Activities	Amount of Financial Support
Program for Special Activities of Interinstitutional Cooperation (PAECI)	Aimed at academic staff, cultural groups, administrative officials, or trusted personnel from the outreach and exchange offices of UNAM and other institutions, to carry out collaborative activities.	Up to 14 calendar days	February May	Between April and December Between September and December	Up to $420 USD for airfare $75 USD per day for meals and accommodation

These scholarships are managed by the UNAM General Direction for Cooperation and Internationalization (DGECI, in Spanish).

For more information, please visit: https://www.unaminternacional.unam.mx/es/movilidad

UNAM’s grants for graduate (Master and PhD) students pursuing opportunities abroad

Scholarship	Description	Duration	Call Opens	Eligible Months for Activities	Amount of Financial Support
Graduate Studies Support Program (PAEP)	Aimed at graduate students participating in academic meetings, courses, advanced schools or workshops, research stays, or fieldwork placements	1 to 59 calendar days	February to September	Between the end of January and mid-December	Up to $900 USD per month for meals and accommodation Up to $750 USD for airfare Up to $250 USD for registration fee, if applicable
Long-Term Stays	Aimed at graduate students participating in research stays, dual-degree programs, or academic coursework abroad.	From 60 to 180 calendar days	Early March to early October	Between mid- January and the second half of November	Up to $385 USD (for Master students) and $525 USD (for PhD students) per month for meals and accommodation Up to $900 USD for airfare

These scholarships are managed by the UNAM’s Graduate College (UNAM Posgrado)

For more information, please visit: https://www.posgrado.unam.mx/#

If graduate students have a SECIHTI* scholarship, they can apply for a complementary financial support.

Scholarship	Description	Duration	Call Opens	Eligible Months for Activities	Amount of Financial Support
Supplementary Support for International Mobility, National Mobility, Mobility in Priority Sectors, and Mobility for Dual-Degree Programs	National scholarship recipients are invited to apply for supplementary mobility support for international mobility, mobility in priority sectors, and mobility for dual-degree programs to carry out an academic activity as part of their graduate studies; to complete their research project or thesis work, within and as part of the official academic program of the institution where they are enrolled; as well as to undertake the necessary academic activities required by the official curriculum in order to obtain the corresponding degree.	1-6 months for Master students / 1-12 months for PhD students	The call is published in June and students can submit their applications in October to November	Depends on the work plan of the student	Monthly supplementary financial support of $400 USD Monthly support for health insurance of $50 USD One-time transportation allowance of $500 USD

*SECIHTI is the Mexico’s Secretariat for Sciences, Humanities, Technology and Innovation

For more information, please visit: https://secihti.mx/convocatorias/convocatorias-becas-nacionales/convocatorias-abiertas-becas-nacionales/convocatoria-de-apoyos-complementarios-de-movilidad-en-el-extranjero-movilidad-nacional-movilidad-en-los-sectores-de-interes-y-movilidad-para-programas-de-doble-titulacion-2025/

Fulbright García-Robles for Graduate Studies

Mexicans who wish to study a master’s or doctoral degree in the United States
Up to USD $25,000 per academic year
No admission letter required
Open to all disciplines, except those included in clinical areas of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary studies involving patients
Advanced English

Deadline: February

https://comexus.org.mx/posgrado_eua.php

Fulbright García-Robles for Graduate Studies – STEM Regional

Mexicans who wish to study a master’s or doctoral degree in the United States
Residents of the interior of the country except for Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and their surrounding areas
Areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
Intermediate English

Deadline: February

https://comexus.org.mx/convocatoria_STEM.php

SECIHTI Fellowships

The Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI) of Mexico and the University of Illinois System have established a fellowship agreement for Mexicans to pursue graduate studies.

Fellowships for master's studies (2 years) and doctoral programs (4 years) which include a percentage of tuition coverage, a monthly stipend, and annual health insurance coverage based on the participating program's guidelines.
Access to high-quality programs at any of the three universities within the University of Illinois System: the University of Illinois Chicago, University of Illinois Springfield, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

How to apply?

Apply for admission to any of the three universities in Illinois and to the program of your interest. For personalized guidance, contact Mariam Hernández (mariamh@illinois.edu), director of the office of the University of Illinois System in Mexico.
Receive your acceptance letter.
Apply for the SECIHTI fellowship for Master’s and Doctoral Programs in Humanities, Science, and Technology Abroad with your acceptance letter.

Access the program flyer here.