University of Notre Dame Pre-College Programs Study Abroad: Mexico City

You need to be a high school junior now, which makes you a rising senior by summer 2027, and at least 16 by 1 August 2027. Notre Dame says its insurance and child protection policies mean it can't make exceptions to that age rule. You'll also need a passport valid through 26 January 2028 and at least two years of high school Spanish by the start date, because classes run mainly in Spanish. If you don't attend an English-speaking high school, you'll need a TOEFL (5.5+), IELTS (7.5+), PTE (55+) or Duolingo (120+) score as well.

The program takes no more than 16 students, and Notre Dame doesn't publish an acceptance rate. It looks for strong grades, solid extracurriculars, maturity and a sincere wish to be part of the Notre Dame community. Notre Dame calls the two essays very important, and they go in alongside a transcript, a counselor report and one teacher recommendation. SAT, ACT or PSAT scores are encouraged but optional. Notre Dame finds it helpful when the recommendation comes from a teacher who can support your interest in the course, which for this program most likely means your Spanish teacher.

Tatiana Botero, who teaches intermediate Spanish at Notre Dame, leads the program. She was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Colombia, and before Notre Dame she taught every level of Spanish at Vanderbilt University for 10 years. Her academic focus is teaching language through culture and community engagement, which is exactly how this program is built. She won Notre Dame's 2020 Edmund P. Joyce Award for Excellence in Teaching and two Indiana college-level language teaching awards in 2018.

Notre Dame also hires undergraduates from its own campus, Holy Cross and Saint Mary's as Resident Counselors for its study abroad programs, Mexico City included.

If you complete all the program requirements, you may receive one transferable Notre Dame credit with a Satisfactory (S) grade, and you can order the transcript from the University Registrar. It's a Satisfactory grade, not a letter grade. Notre Dame doesn't say which colleges accept the credit, so if it matters to you, check with the colleges you're considering.

The program costs $7,750, plus a $75 application fee that's non-refundable and doesn't count toward the total. The $7,750 covers tuition and the college credit, housing, all meals, travel health insurance and every activity and excursion. That leaves your flight to Mexico City as the main extra, and Notre Dame's staff can help you book it if you ask.

You pay in two steps. Once you're admitted, a non-refundable $2,000 enrollment fee due by 3 March 2027 secures your place, and the remaining $5,750 is due by 1 April 2027. Notre Dame gives the program dates as 11 to 25 July 2027 but tells students to arrive by 12 July and leave on 25 July, so confirm the arrival day before you buy tickets.

Notre Dame currently has no funding for financial aid or scholarships for its study abroad programs, and it won't waive the application fee. If your family is facing extreme financial hardship, you can email precoll@nd.edu to explain your situation, and you'll be considered if aid funds become available.

The whole application goes through Notre Dame's enrollment portal.

1. 1

   Create an account and start the online application, which opened on 19 October 2026.

2. 2

   Ask your teacher to recommend you before you add their contact details, along with your counselor's. Notre Dame emails both automatically, so follow up to check they got the emails, and remember you can't swap recommenders once the deadline has passed.

3. 3

   Write your two essays and list your activities in the application's activities section, in a resume, or both.

4. 4

   Submit the application and pay the $75 fee by credit card or check. Everything, including your counselor's and teacher's documents, has to be in by 20 January 2027, and Notre Dame won't review an incomplete application.

5. 5

   If you're sending SAT, ACT or PSAT scores, upload them by 31 January 2027.