AMEXCID Benefits & Stipend 2027
The scholarship is often described as “fully funded.” That framing is misleading. This page explains exactly what AMEXCID covers, the real amounts, and the parts of your expenses that will come out of your own pocket.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
What the Scholarship Provides
These are the benefits listed in the 2026 call. The 2027 call has not been published yet, so amounts and details may change.
Paid every month throughout the scholarship period, at the end of each month. The amount is indexed to Mexico's UMA (Unit of Measurement and Update) rate, which changes in February each year. For master's programmes and mobility: 4 × monthly UMA. For doctoral and postdoctoral research stays: 5 × monthly UMA.
Registration and tuition fees at the host Mexican institution are covered, in line with each institution's programme and as stated in your acceptance letter. The host university handles this as part of the scholarship arrangement with AMEXCID.
Coverage through IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute) is included, but it does not start immediately. It begins from your seventh month and lasts for a period similar to the scholarship. The first six months are your responsibility. Plan for private health cover during that gap.
An economy-class international flight is provided for nationals of the countries listed in Annex 3, but only upon successful completion of the scholarship. AMEXCID buys the ticket and determines the route. Your initial trip to Mexico is not covered by the scholarship.
You are exempt from Mexican visa issuance fees. Anyone staying 180 days or longer needs the student visa specified by AMEXCID's academic exchange office.
If your host institution is outside Mexico City, AMEXCID covers one domestic trip (plane or bus) from Mexico City to your host city at the start, and back to Mexico City once you complete the scholarship. Bus tickets are paid by you and reimbursed.
Stipend Amounts: The UMA System Explained
Mexico uses a unit called the UMA (Unidad de Medida y Actualización) as the basis for indexing various government payments including the AMEXCID scholarship. Mexico's national statistics agency (INEGI) updates the UMA once a year, and the new value applies from February. This means the exact peso amount of the scholarship changes every year.
The scholarship does not list a fixed peso amount — it specifies a multiple of the monthly UMA. For master's level scholarships and undergraduate or master's mobility, the stipend is 4 × monthly UMA. For doctoral and postdoctoral research stays, it is 5 × monthly UMA.
Stipend amounts by year
Based on UMA values updated each February. Check the official call for the current year's exact amount.
| Year | Master's / Mobility (4× UMA) | Doctoral / Postdoc (5× UMA) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | MXN 12,614.80 | MXN 15,768.50 |
| 2024 | MXN 13,202.12 | MXN 16,502.65 |
| 2025 | MXN 13,757.84 | MXN 17,197.30 |
| 2026 | MXN 14,264.88 | MXN 17,831.10 |
2026 figures are quoted in the official 2026 call. The 2027 amounts will follow the UMA update in February 2027.
The stipend is paid monthly in arrears. This means you receive payment for a given month after that month has passed, not at the beginning. AMEXCID recommends arriving with enough personal funds to cover your expenses for at least the first 60 days of the scholarship.
The Medical Insurance Gap
Month 1–6: no AMEXCID medical coverage
AMEXCID provides health coverage through IMSS (the Mexican Social Security Institute), but this coverage only activates from your seventh month in Mexico. For your first six months, you are responsible for your own medical expenses, and AMEXCID itself recommends buying international health insurance for that period.
This is a real and significant gap. Mexico has both public and private healthcare options, but emergency care at a private hospital can be expensive, and the public system requires affiliation documentation that you won't have in the first months. Many scholars choose to purchase travel or international health insurance before departing their home country to cover this period.
What to do about the first six months:
- Check whether your home country's national insurance offers any overseas coverage
- Consider purchasing an international student health insurance policy before you travel
- Ask your host Mexican institution whether they offer any student health coverage to new international students
What IMSS covers from month 7
Under Annex 2 of the 2026 call, the IMSS family health insurance covers medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, hospital and maternity care. It does not cover cosmetic surgery, glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids, sight-correction surgery, preventive check-ups, most dental treatment (extractions, fillings and cleaning are covered) or fertility treatment, among other exclusions. Pre-existing conditions and waiting periods are listed on the IMSS website.
What Is Not Covered
This is where most “fully funded” descriptions fall short. The following are expenses that fall entirely on the scholarship recipient — and the call states that any expense it does not list is not covered or reimbursed.
- Accommodation / Housing. There is no dedicated housing allowance. You pay rent from your monthly stipend. In cities like Mexico City, a single room costs roughly MXN 5,000–10,000/month (our estimate, not an official figure), which can consume more than half your stipend. Smaller university cities (Querétaro, Guanajuato, Morelia, Puebla) are considerably more affordable.
- Your arrival flight to Mexico. The international airfare AMEXCID provides is for your return journey at the end of the scholarship. It is not provided upfront. You fund your own travel to Mexico to begin the scholarship.
- Medical insurance for your first 6 months. As described above, IMSS coverage starts in Month 7. Any health expenses in the first six months come out of your own pocket unless you have separate coverage.
- Books, materials, and academic supplies. Tuition and registration are covered, but textbooks, printing costs, laboratory supplies, and any other course materials are the student's expense. Budget these from your monthly stipend.
- Food, personal expenses, and daily living. Your monthly stipend must cover everything not listed above: groceries, transportation, phone, internet, and personal spending. Mexico can be affordable for daily living, but this varies significantly by city.
Scholarship Duration
The scholarship duration is tied to the modality you apply for. The full term is awarded upfront — there is no annual renewal. What you receive is a fixed-term scholarship from start to finish, and under the 2026 call it had to last at least 6 months.
Ready to See How to Apply?
How to apply →The application process is more involved than it first looks. Start with the step-by-step guide to avoid the most common problems. Stipend amounts change each year, so check the official call for the current UMA-based amounts.