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FAQ

Questions Students Actually Ask

These are the questions that come up repeatedly in scholarship forums, comment sections, and student communities — many of which the official AMEXCID website either doesn’t answer directly or answers only partially.

Language

Spanish & Language Requirements

Yes, at two different levels. First, the entire SIGCA application portal is in Spanish, so you need to be able to navigate it and fill in all fields in Spanish. Second, if your programme is taught in Spanish and Spanish is not your native language, you need to provide proof of B2-level Spanish from any recognized educational institution. DELE is one option but not the only one.

DELE is not required. Any certificate from any university or educational center certifying B2 level is acceptable. The certificate just needs to clearly state the CEFR level and be from a credible institution. Many applicants use certificates from their home universities' language centers.

If your programme is taught in a language other than Spanish, the Spanish language certificate requirement may not apply to your coursework. However, you still need to complete the SIGCA portal and all your application documents in Spanish. Additionally, your host institution must provide written confirmation that they can offer tutorial or academic support in the language of instruction. Check the specific annual call for the exact wording on this.

University & Admission

University Acceptance & Programme Selection

Yes. This is not optional. The university acceptance letter is a mandatory document for the AMEXCID application. AMEXCID does not help you find or apply to universities — that step is entirely your responsibility before you open the SIGCA portal.

No. Only acceptance letters from the 90 specific participating institutions listed in Annex 1 of the current year's call are accepted. The full list is published with each annual convocatoria. A letter from a university not on that list will result in your application being rejected.

No. The letter must be dated within 60 days of your application submission date. A letter older than 60 days is invalid and your application will be rejected on this basis. You would need to request a new acceptance letter from the university before applying.

No. Once the scholarship is awarded, the host institution, academic programme, and scholarship period are fixed. None of these can be modified. The scholarship is tied to the specific programme and institution you applied with.

Financial

Stipend, Housing & Money

This label is often used on scholarship listing websites but is misleading. The scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend, medical insurance (from Month 7), visa fees, and completion-stage airfare. There is no dedicated accommodation allowance. You pay rent and other living expenses from your monthly stipend. In Mexico City, a single room can cost MXN $5,000–10,000/month, which is a significant portion of the MXN ~$13,757/month master's stipend.

The stipend is calculated as a multiple of Mexico's UMA (Unidad de Medida y Actualización), which is updated every February. For master's programmes and mobility: 4 × monthly UMA (approximately MXN $13,757 in 2025). For doctoral and postdoctoral research stays: 5 × monthly UMA (approximately MXN $17,197 in 2025). The exact amount changes each year when the UMA is revised.

The stipend is paid monthly in arrears, meaning you receive payment for a month after that month has passed — not at the beginning. This means you will need personal funds to cover your first month in Mexico before your first stipend payment arrives. Plan to arrive with enough cash or savings to cover at least one to two months of living expenses.

No. The airfare benefit covers your return flight home at the end of the scholarship upon successful completion. Your initial travel to Mexico to begin the scholarship is not covered. You need to fund your own arrival flight.

Health

Medical Insurance

Yes, this is true. IMSS (Mexican social security) medical coverage provided by the scholarship begins from your seventh month in Mexico. For the first six months, you have no coverage through AMEXCID. This is a real gap that many scholarship listing sites don't mention. You are responsible for your own medical costs during that initial period, so consider purchasing travel or international student health insurance before you leave home.

Eligibility

Who Can & Cannot Apply

It depends on your immigration status. If you are in Mexico on a valid Temporary Resident Student card and enrolled at a participating university, you can apply, but with modified requirements (a letter of presentation from your institution instead of an acceptance letter, plus your CURP and residency card copy). If you are in Mexico without a valid Temporary Resident Student card, you cannot apply regardless of your circumstances.

No. Anyone holding Mexican nationality is explicitly excluded. This also applies to foreign nationals whose parents are Mexican citizens, as this can confer Mexican nationality rights under Mexican law. There are no exceptions to this exclusion.

If the scholarship ended in the immediately previous year, you are not eligible for the current cycle. Former AMEXCID beneficiaries must wait a period equivalent to the duration of their previous scholarship before reapplying. This applies to any Mexican federal government scholarship, not just AMEXCID.

No. Business Administration and MBA programmes are explicitly excluded from AMEXCID funding. Other excluded fields include Accounting, Marketing, Advertising, Dentistry, Plastic Surgery, and any online or distance-learning programme.

Application Process

SIGCA Portal & Submission

No. Applications are never accepted by email unless the specific call document explicitly states otherwise. All applications must be submitted through the SIGCA portal at sigca.sre.gob.mx.

No. Only one registration per person is permitted per application cycle. If you create multiple accounts or submit duplicate applications, all of them are automatically disqualified. If you make a mistake on your application, contact AMEXCID directly rather than creating a new account.

No. AMEXCID only notifies selected candidates by email. If you do not receive an email during the results announcement window (typically 3–4 weeks after the portal closes), you were not selected. There is no rejection letter, no feedback on your application, and no appeals process.

No. The scholarship is non-deferrable. It is tied to the specific academic year and programme period stated in your application. If you cannot begin the scholarship in the period for which it was granted, you forfeit the scholarship. There is no option to push it to the following year.

See the most common mistakes

Many applications fail because of avoidable errors that have nothing to do with qualifications. Read the common mistakes page before you submit.

Common Mistakes →