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Application

How to Apply for AMEXCID

The application process has eight distinct stages, and the order matters. Skip ahead or get the sequence wrong and your application either fails on technical grounds or gets stuck waiting on a prerequisite you haven't met.

The Process

The Complete Application Process

Before reading the steps, commit this to memory: the AMEXCID application requires a university acceptance letter that is less than 60 days old. That means you need to obtain university admission weeks or months before the AMEXCID deadline. If you have not done that first, you cannot submit a valid application. Start there.

1
Find a participating university and eligible program

Download the list of 90 participating institutions (Annex 1) from the official AMEXCID scholarship page. Browse their postgraduate program offerings. Cross-reference with Annex 6 (Academic Offerings) to confirm the specific program you want is included in the current year's call.

At this stage, also confirm your chosen field is not on the excluded list (no MBA, accounting, marketing, advertising, dentistry, plastic surgery, or online programmes).

Practical tip: AMEXCID does not help you contact universities or navigate their individual admissions processes. Each of the 90 universities runs its own admissions independently. Check each institution's website directly for their admission procedures, required documents, and internal timelines.
2
Apply to the university and get your acceptance letter

Apply to your chosen Mexican university through their standard admissions process. Once accepted, request a formal acceptance letter on official institutional letterhead. This letter must be signed by an authorised university representative and must specify:

  • ●The name of the programme and academic level
  • ●The proposed start and end dates of the scholarship period
  • ●Confirmation that it is an in-person (not online) programme
60-day rule: The acceptance letter must be dated within 60 days of your AMEXCID application submission date. A letter issued more than two months before you submit will be rejected. Time the admission process accordingly.
3
Prepare all required documents

While waiting for your acceptance letter, gather everything else on the document list. Every document must be saved as a PDF file, and each individual file cannot exceed 1.8 MB. All documents must be in Spanish or accompanied by a plain (non-certified) Spanish translation.

See the Required Documents page for the full checklist and details on what each document needs to include.

4
Create an account on the SIGCA portal

The SIGCA system (Sistema Integral de Gestión Consular y de Atención) at sigca.sre.gob.mx is where applications are submitted. Create your account well before the deadline. The portal is entirely in Spanish and must be completed in Spanish. There is no English interface.

One registration per person: AMEXCID only allows one active registration per applicant per cycle. If you create multiple accounts or submit duplicate applications, all of them are automatically disqualified. Do not create a second account if you make a mistake on the first — contact AMEXCID directly.
5
Complete and submit the application

Fill in all required fields in the SIGCA portal. Upload all your documents (PDF format, max 1.8 MB each). Double-check that your acceptance letter is dated within the 60-day window before submitting.

Note the deadline timezone: the SIGCA portal closes at 3:00 PM Mexico City time on the deadline date. Mexico City follows Central Time (UTC-6 in winter, UTC-5 in summer). Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

6
Wait for results

After the portal closes, AMEXCID reviews all applications. Results are typically announced three to four weeks after the deadline. AMEXCID only notifies selected candidates by email. If you do not receive a notification during the results window, you were not selected. There is no separate rejection letter.

2026 cycle timeline for reference:
Call published: May 2026
Portal closed: June 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM Mexico City time
Results announced: July 6–10, 2026
Awards disbursed: August–September 2026
7
Formally accept the scholarship

If selected, you will receive an email asking you to formally accept the scholarship within a specified deadline. If you do not respond in time, AMEXCID reallocates the funding. The scholarship is non-deferrable — you cannot accept and then ask to start next year.

As part of acceptance, you will be required to sign a Carta de Compromiso de Retorno al País de Origen (Letter of Commitment to Return to Your Home Country). This commits you to returning home for a period equivalent to the duration of the scholarship after it ends.

8
Register in person at AMEXCID within your first 10 days

After arriving in Mexico, you must register in person at AMEXCID's offices within the first 10 calendar days of your scholarship's first month. Office hours for registration are 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM, business days only. Missing this window can jeopardize your scholarship status.

AMEXCID's offices are in Mexico City. If your host university is in another city, factor in travel to Mexico City for this registration. Plan your arrival date to allow time for the trip before the 10-day window closes.

Realistic Timeline to Plan Around

How long does the full process take?

4–6 months before deadline
Research participating universities and programs. Contact admissions offices and understand their requirements and timelines.
2–3 months before deadline
Apply to your chosen Mexican university. Allow time for their review process. Request and receive your acceptance letter.
6–8 weeks before deadline
Begin preparing all AMEXCID documents. Get medical certificate, translations, Spanish language certificate if needed. Create SIGCA account.
Before deadline
Submit via SIGCA portal before 3:00 PM Mexico City time on the closing date. Confirm your acceptance letter is still within the 60-day window.
3–4 weeks after deadline
Results announced. Only selected candidates are notified. If you receive an offer, respond promptly to formally accept.
Month 1 in Mexico
Register in person at AMEXCID in Mexico City within the first 10 calendar days of your scholarship period starting.

Important Conditions Once You Win

Several conditions apply from the moment AMEXCID awards you the scholarship. These are not flexible.

Non-transferable

The scholarship cannot be given to another person under any circumstances.

Non-deferrable

You cannot postpone the start date to the following academic year. If you cannot start, the scholarship is lost.

No changes to institution or programme

Once awarded, the host university, academic programme, and scholarship period are fixed. None of these can be changed.

Return obligation

You must return to your home country after the scholarship ends, for a period equal in duration to the scholarship received.

Get the document checklist

Every document needed for the AMEXCID application, with details on format requirements, file sizes, and translation rules.

Required Documents →