Mexican university system for International Students
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The Mexican university system is unique and is very different from the university system of international students. It is similar to the American one with some special features that will make you want to make an exchange semester in Mexico!
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The Mexican classes
In Mexico, students have in general fewer hours of classes. However, there is more homework and more personal work to do at home. Students study before coming to class and exchange on what they have studied during the class.
Most of the classes are conducted in a different way. These are lessons in the form of discussions and debates, each student gives his opinion and there are many oral presentations to make. Even if there are also lectures.
The number of students in the classes is generally smaller, and you will not always find the same people in each course. In fact, you can choose all your courses from a very wide range of options.
So the Mexican university system offers a different way of learning than the European one.
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Student-teacher relationship
Mexican teachers are closer to their students. For example, teachers are called by their first names.
They often chat with their students on WhatsApp. But we will develop this point in the next part !
They are also much more understandable and flexible. For example, if a student does not turn in his or her work on time for one reason or another, generally it can be returned the next day.
Also, most of them accept delays in class, and student exits before the end of the course but it’s not the same for all the universities.
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A different mode of communication
All of the students who have done their semester in Mexico share the same opinion: Mexican professors are much more communicative!
Getting in touch with a Mexican teacher is easier. They will always be willing to answer to your questions and help you. Also, they are very patient with international students !
It’s very common in the Mexican university system to create WhatsApp groups with the teachers to keep each other up to date on homework assignments and other stuffs.
It simplifies a lot the communication!
To resume, there is a lot more human relations.
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The campus
Mexican campuses are very similar to American campuses. They are very large and have many amenities and green spaces. We can even sometimes compare them to small towns.
For example, the TEC (Tecnológico de Monterrey) has a swimming pool, basketball courts, a TEC shop, numerous restaurants, etc.
The school provides dance lessons, drama lessons, singing lessons. But also offers soccer, rugby, swimming, and many other activities.
And to conclude with another example that illustrates it, to enter to the TEC you need a badge !
There are a lot of foreign students in Europe who dream of joining this kind of school!
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The Mexican school calendar
Finally, the Mexican school calendar is also different !
In Mexico, the summer holidays end in July. So the lessons generally start in early August and end in May.
The Mexican education system offers to its students two weeks of vacation for Christmas and two weeks of vacation for the Holy Week in April. The international students can take the opportunity to travel during this period!
But that information also depends a lot on universities.
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To conclude, the Mexican university system is very different from the European one. Many exchange students in Mexico prefer this system because they make them feel more integrated into their university!
We advise you to read the article about doing your exchange in Guadalajara and the one about studying in Mexico City!
