Graduate Student Exchange Program (Colegio de México, Mexico City)

The Institution

The Colegio de México (ColMex) is a prestigious institution of higher learning specializing in humanities and social sciences. Established in 1940, it is the successor of La Casa de España, which was established by president Lázaro Cárdenas in 1938 with the purpose of granting asylum to renowned scientists, academics and artists threatened by the Spanish Civil War and later by the Franco regime. Since then, El Colegio de Mexico has become one of the most prominent research centers in the Hispanic world. It is made up of seven disciplinary study centers: Center for Historic Studies, Center for Linguistic and Literary Studies, Center for International Studies, Center for Asian and African Studies, Center for Economic Studies, Center for Demographic, Urban and Environmental Studies, and the Center for Sociology Studies. Each center has its own specialized periodic publication. There are currently three hundred full time students, one fifth of which come from other Latin American countries. The ratio of students to professors enables them to work together closely. ColMex, as it is commonly known, has one of the biggest social sciences libraries in Latin America. It is renowned for having among its alumni distinguished politicians and diplomats, famous writers and historians, and it particularly stands out for its convenient location in Mexico City, which is the political and cultural center of the country. Loaded with a mix of tradition and modernity, the city attracts people from all over the world eager to see its museums; famous Diego Rivera and Siqueiros murals; parks like Chapultepec; delicious Mexican restaurants; archeological sites, such as the Templo Mayor; and stunning colonial buildings, which endow Mexico City with its uniqueness and beauty.

Length of the Program

The Exchange Program covers one academic year to be spent at El Colegio de México (ColMex) at the Centro de Estudios Lingüísticos y Literarios (CELL). The academic calendar consists of two semesters: Fall and Spring. The Fall semester begins on the first Monday of August and ends on the second Friday of December. The Spring semester begins on the second Monday of January and ends on the first Friday of June. 

Eligibility/Application Process

RLL students in the Spanish section have priority, but other GSAS graduate students are welcome to apply (G2 and above). Both US citizens and non-citizens are eligible. The application process entails submitting an online application form including a statement of purpose describing how spending a year at El Colegio de México fits in with your academic goals. Please also submit a letter of recommendation from your advisor if you are not a Ph.D. candidate in the Spanish section of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures to Katherine Killough (killough@fas.harvard.edu) by the application deadline (March 1 of the preceding spring).

Funding

El Colegio de México offers a monthly national graduate student stipend of approximately 5,428 pesos per month, distributed in two parts (approximately $500). The first installment of the stipend is paid in August and the final installment in July. Students are responsible for securing their own funding to supplement this stipend. Please see the GSAS website for information about fellowships.

Facilities and Activities

El Colegio de México has a dining hall that serves breakfast and lunch at subsidized student prices. ColMex offers a free transportation service with established routes and times for students and employees of the institution. Athletic activities include soccer, volleyball, basketball, zumba and yoga. Cultural activities include the choir, the student magazine (Ágora), guided visits and free language lessons (English, German, French, and Russian, among others). Students also benefit from multiple lectures, seminars, workshops, book presentations, courses, and symposiums, national and international, which are organized daily at El Colegio de México. Due to the relatively small student body (300 graduate students total across 7 disciplinary centers), the reception, welcome and integration of exchange students is immediate and happens organically. Note that the Centro de Estudios Lingüísticos y Literarios (CELL) is on a three-year admissions cycle, and courses are not offered every year. 

Academic and Administrative Contact

Karla Xiomara Luna Mariscal
kluna@colmex.mx
Coordinador Académico del Centro de Estudios Lingüísticos y Literarios
El Colegio de México
Camino al Ajusco 20
01000 México, D.F.

For more information on the Colegio de México please visit: http://www.colmex.mx/