Mérida México

Mérida is one of Mexico’s most beautiful and charming destinations. It is a city large enough to offer all the amenities of a large urban center but small enough to be friendly and welcoming to visitors. It is known for its excellent universities and hospitals, proximity to beaches and impressive ruins, extraordinary cuisine, and splendid fusion of colonial Hispanic and Mayan cultures. The people of the Yucatán Peninsula pride themselves on maintaining a unique identity, distinct from any other in Mexico or Latin America. Mérida is widely acknowledged to be one of the safest cities in the country and is home not only to a mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but to a beautiful temple, conveniently located downtown. Join us for what promises to be an unforgettable study abroad experience.

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Courses

All intermediate students will enroll in 6 credit hours from the following courses:

SPAN 205—University Spanish 3 (4 credit hours)
SPAN 211R—Spanish Conversation 3 (2 credit hours)
SPAN 212R—Spanish Conversation 4 (2 credit hours)

All advanced students will enroll in 6 credit hours from the following courses:

SPAN 395R—Cultura Maya y Yucateca (3 credit hours)
SPAN 459R—Literatura Yucateca, Siglo XX (3 credit hours)

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.

Cost

$6,900–7,400

Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduates and non–Latter-day Saint students), room and board, transportation on program excursions, laundry, some textbook expenses, and international health insurance coverage.

Does not include airfare, local transportation in Mérida (about $150), meals on excursions, some textbooks, or personal expenses.

Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

The College of Humanities will offer program funding of up to $3,500 to majors in the college and up to $1,750 to minors in the college.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).

Preparation

All intermediate students must have completed SPAN 106 or demonstrate equivalent proficiency prior to the program.

All advanced students must have completed SPAN 206 or demonstrate equivalent proficiency prior to the program.

Accepted students are required to participate in an international cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201R, 1 credit hour). This course will be held during the second block of winter semester 2026.

Part-time and non-BYU students will need to pay an additional tuition fee for enrolling in the prep class.

Students should plan to be in Mérida from 22 June to 10 August and refrain from scheduling late arrivals or early departures.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.

International study programs are physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing and you must be in good health to participate. These programs often take place in international locations that do not have the same level of safety and services in terms of transportation, living conditions, residential accommodations, food, public behavior, and policing that you may be used to on campus. If you have further questions or concerns on this, please see our travel policy.

Housing

Students will be housed in pairs with local host families who have been handpicked and carefully screened by BYU’s partner. Many former students report that their experience with their host family was the highlight of the program.

Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu

Application Process

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information page.

Application Deadline: 8 November 2025

Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.

Faculty

Tomás Hidalgo Nava is the faculty director for the program. He is an associate teaching professor of Hispanic literature and culture in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Professor Hidalgo Nava was born and raised in Mexico, and he is an expert in Mexican culture. He will be accompanied by his wife Gina and two of his four children. The Hidalgo family loves doing outdoor activities, traveling, hiking, and exploring new places. All of them speak both Spanish and English.

3168 JFSB
(801) 422-7221
tomas_hidalgo@byu.edu

Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu

ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.

Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.

Mérida México

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FAQ

More Information

Courses

Cost

Funding Sources

Preparation

Housing

Travel

Application Process

Program Adjustments

Faculty

Contact Us

ISP Student Handbook

Payment Schedule