DATES:
Fall: August - December
Spring: January - May
PROGRAM FEE :
Paid to Mason:
--
$125 Application Fee
--
$350 Administrative Fee ($550 for year long)
-- George Mason Tuition
Paid to UDLAP:
-- Housing (~$1800)
Not Included:
-- International Airfare
--
Passport Fees
--
Visa Fees (~$100)
-- Personal Expenses
Financial aid should apply, but you are recommended to discuss aid with your financial aid counselor when planning your study abroad.
Note:
If a student applies and is accepted into a direct exchange program and then drops out of the program, the $350 administrative fee is non-refundable. In addition, program fees are subject to change.
ELIGIBILITY:
This program is open to Mason students ONLY with Spanish language proficiency of high intermediate to advanced. Students should have completed SPAN 309 or the equivalent level course before participation on this program. Students must have completed at least 45 credits at the time of departure and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Students should not study abroad the last semester of senior year if they plan to graduate on time.
CREDITS:
Students may enroll in a variety of courses and may transfer between 12-16 credits per semester back to Mason, provided the letter grade received is equivalent to a "C" or above. The courses are transfer credit, and therefore will not factor into the GPA of the participant.
Students may enroll in a variety of courses including:
-- Arts and Humanities
--
Business and Economics
-- Engineering
-- Science
-- Social Sciences
HOUSING:
As an exchange student at UDLAP, you have the option to choose between living on or off campus. Exchange students at UDLAP are commonly housed in a double occupancy room in the residence hall Colegios Residenciales. All halls have a secure swipe-card entry system with 24-hour security. Residences are fully furnished and equipped with laundry facilities and common areas. Wireless Internet is available.
Students who prefer to live off-campus may want to find an apartment with other students. If you wish to connect with other Abroad at UDLAP students to find off-campus housing, find their group on Facebook.
Contact
Email Daria Stepanova or call (703) 993-2154
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Now accepting online applications!
Fall Semester: March 8
Spring Semester: October 1
HOUSING INFO
-On Campus
-Off Campus
DEPARTMENTS AND COURSES
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDEBOOK
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
The Universidad de las Américas Puebla, (UDLAP) is located in Puebla, Mexico, named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. Founded in 1531, Puebla's cultural richness can be seen in its picturesque streets and colonial architecture.
Guarded by the two great volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, along with the Malinche and Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltepetl), the city of Puebla occupies a privileged place within the archeological geography of Mexico. Students on direct exchange are administered by the Study Abroad Office while at the University.

Social sciences building on UDLAP's campus
UDLAP is located just five minutes from the historic city of Cholula, located at 7,200 feet above sea level in a valley surrounded by mountains. The university is also only one hour from the site of Cacaxtla, two hours from Teotihuacan, the "City of the Gods," and 70 miles from Mexico City.

Central garden sculpture on campus
UDLAP has a tradition of more than fifty years of teaching expertise in Mexico. It was founded in 1940 in Mexico City as Mexico City College. In 1963, the College was renamed the University of the Americas. In 1970, it moved to Puebla, and in 1985, it became the Universidad de las Américas-Puebla.The University currently enrolls approximately 8,000 students with more than 270 full-time faculty members, and offers many opportunities for exchange students.

UDLAP campus
VISA INFORMATION:
Once accepted into a program, it will be your responsibility to apply for a student visa and/or residence permit (if required, based on your citizenship). You will receive details on this with your acceptance letter. Do not apply for a visa until after you have been officially accepted. Visit the Embassy of Mexico's website for further information. You can also find some information on UDLAP's Immigration page.
HELPFUL LINKS:
All About Puebla Guide
NY Times "36 Hours in Puebla" Travel Tips
U.S. State Department Travel Information
UDLAP's Main Facebook
Page
UDLAP's Study Abroad Student Page on Facebook
Follow UDLAP on twitter @UDLAP
HOW TO APPLY:
Consult the How to Apply section first and make sure you meet the eligibility requirements for a direct exchange program. Next, attend a Direct Exchange program information session. Do this prior to starting an application to ensure that you understand how to choose the right program and what is expected of you during the application process.
Check the course offerings at the school you are interested in applying to and check to ensure that they match your course requirements. See “Choosing Courses Abroad” section below.
Once you’ve selected an appropriate program that offers courses that match your major, complete the online application and pay the $125 application fee. Please note that all supplemental documents are also required by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please contact the program officer for further application forms and instructions specific to your program.
**Note:This program is open to Mason students ONLY. Students must be at least a second semester sophomore at the time of departure and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Students should not study abroad the last semester of senior year if they plan to graduate on time.
CHOOSING COURSES ABROAD:
There is no list of pre-approved classes for you to take on a direct exchange program. It is your responsibility to select courses and get them approved for transfer credit. Please refer to the “Departments and Courses” link on the left-hand side of this page for a list of course options on this program. You must then complete a Petition for Transfer of Credits Form to ensure that your courses will transfer back to Mason. Download a petition form here.
Download petition form instructions for UDLA here.
You can fill out the petition form prior to acceptance into a specific study abroad program and in fact, you should begin this process when you first consider applying. Identify courses at the host institution that are similar to those at Mason that you need to take. This will increase your chances of receiving transfer credit approval from the Departmental Advisors who must sign your petition form. Follow complete instructions from the link above and contact your program officer if you have questions.
**Note: Make sure you find plenty of primary AND alternate course options before deciding on a specific program. Schedules are subject to change and registration in your preferred classes is not guaranteed, so you should have sufficient alternate course options. Also, please keep in mind that you must enroll in the equivalency of at least 12 U.S. credits per semester.
*CGE reserves the right to make changes to a program in light of currency fluctuations, changing security and safety conditions, or any other unforeseen circumstances.

