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Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island located east of the Dominican Republic. It is a territory of the United States and the official languages are Spanish and English, although Spanish is the dominant language. Puerto Rico is known for its diverse tropical landscape, beautiful beaches, warm Caribbean climate, and most importantly the friendly and hospitable people.
The University of Puerto-Rico Mayagüezis a public university with approximately 13,000 students. It has divisions in Aerospace Studies, Agricultural Sciences, Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering and Military Sciences. Graduate-level study is available in civil engineering, English education, marine sciences, and statistics. The university is in the city of Mayagüez which is located in the western part of the island and has a population of about 105,000.
- Study in a Latin culture within the United States
- Year-long summer weather and beautiful beaches
- Strong academic programs in engineering, agricultural sciences, and business
- No TOEFL necessary but Spanish language proficiency required
- Official languages: English and Spanish
Spanish is the dominant language but English is used for all federal matters and is widely spoken in tourist areas. - Courses at both universities are taught in Spanish; however research materials and texts are often in English.
- Non-native Spanish speakers must have completed at least four semesters of college-level Spanish in order to be placed in Puerto Rico. No TOEFL is required!
Nationality:
Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and use U.S. currency but do not vote in presidential elections or pay federal income tax. As citizens, they do not need a visa to live or work in the United States.
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- The University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez began in 1911 as at the College of Agriculture for the University of Puerto Rico system. Ninety-five years later it has grown to include Colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, and the Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies.
- The university’s mission is to “direct its efforts towards the development of educated, cultured citizens, capable of critical thinking, and professionally qualified in the fields of agricultural, social and natural sciences, engineering, humanities and business administration. They should be able to contribute in an efficient manner to the cultural, social, and economic development of the Puerto Rican and international communities.”
- Notable Alumni of the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez:
Mr. Antonio Fas Alzamora, Former President of the Senate, Commowealth
Dr. Carlos Pesquera, Professor at our campus, Former Secretary of Transportation, candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico
Dr. Sergio Gonzalez, Former Secretary of Transportation
Mr. Silverio Perez, TV personality
Dr. Javier Cevallos, President of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Jorge Haddock, Dean of the School of Business at Richmond University in Virginia
Mr. Orlando Figueroa, Director of the Mars Exploration Program in NASA
Mr. Emilio Rivera, Engineer, Senior Director and Plant Manager for Amgen in California
Mr. Frank C. Stipes, Westernbank President
Mr. Héctor Moreno, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Blue Cross of Puerto Rico
Mr. Irving Linares, Mr. Renán Borelli and Mr. Oscar González – Recognized by NASA for the SWIFT PROYECT (launch and successful operation of this satellite in space).
Mr. Carlos Castillo, Received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers Award
Dr. Gladys González, Former Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
“...The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez offers great study facilities and access to a huge library. Puerto Ricans are characterized by their warmth and their hospitality. Here I met a lot of people and made friends from different countries like Colombia, Ecuador, United States and Spain. This cultural mix has been the key point in my experience in Puerto Rico…, the Shining Star of the Caribbean.” - Marion Longeron, academic year 2005-2006 Université Franche Comté, France
Academic Information  Casa Solar designed by students from the Engineering Faculty |
UPR- Mayagüez is the most important center in the Atlantic region for the study of tropical marine science due to its location, facilities, and first-rate researchers. The College of Engineering offers modern computerized laboratories for teaching, measuring fatigue and fractures in different materials, designing manufactured products and the processes to build them, and computer design. There is also a Center for Civil Infrastructure used to design both structures resistant to natural disasters and transportation systems. Other research areas include development of solar powered vehicles and boats, utilization of satellite photography to study earth phenomena, and study of the environmental impact of industrial toxins.
Academic Calendar:
- Semester and full-year exchanges are available.
- Semester 1: early August to mid- December
- Semester 2: Early January to mid-May
Department links:
- College of Arts & Sciences (http://www.uprm.edu/ac/)
- Agricultural Sciences (http://ciag.uprm.edu/)
- Business Administration (http://enterprise.uprm.edu/)
- Engineering (http://ing.uprm.edu/)
- Graduate School (http://grad.uprm.edu/)
Technology:
- Strong campus network backbone infrastructure interconnecting over 40 buildings fiber optics
- A campus wide wireless network available to the whole university community (over 80 access points)
- Internet 2 Institution with an OC3 access line
- Robust Videoconference facilities
- Online course development platform
- 42 academic computer labs for students (1,032 computers estimated)
- About 5,000 computers estimated including administrative, faculty and research facilities
Language Notes:
- While textbooks and research materials used at the University of Puerto Rico are often in English, the language of instruction is Spanish.
- Students must have completed the equivalent of at least four semesters of Spanish before beginning their exchange. Intensive Spanish language courses are offered during the summer only (not included in ISEP benefits).
- The TOEFL is not required.
“...this educational experience has given me the opportunity to share my life with people from different cultures. I have learned so much from the people, their culture and their way of life and at the same time, about myself. I strongly recommend this experience in Puerto Rico!” - Aldara Salgado, fall semester 2005 Universidade de Vigo, Spain
Student Life
  The University mascot, a bulldog named Tarzan |
Room & Board:
Students are assigned shared apartments upon arrival. Apartments are equipped with laundry and cooking facilities and are within a ten-minute walk from the campus. Students receive a monthly meal stipend which can be used to prepare or purchase meals.
Campus amenities:
UPR-Mayagüez has a sports complex (http://www.uprm.edu/edfi/comp.html) that includes a gym, a weight room, rooms for dance/aerobic classes, courts for basketball, tennis, and volleyball, a swimming pool, and outdoor sports fields. The campus also offers two cafeterias, a bookstore, a bank, a post office, and a pub called La Cueva de Tarzán (Tarzan’s cave).
Activities on campus:
With over 100 student organizations, there is always something to do on campus. The Cartelera Semana (http://www.uprm.edu/cartelera/) lists all these activities online. Some annual events include:
- Cinco Días con Nuestra Tierra – Every March, the agricultural students organize an event to celebrate agriculture.
- Justas Intercolegiales - Every April, there are athletic competitions between Puerto Rican universities.
- International Dinner - Every November all international students, the faculty and staff get together for a dinner.
- Encendidio de la Navidad – Each December, students, faculty, staff, and community attend the tree lighting ceremony to start the Christmas holiday season on campus.
“The island has so many beautiful beaches to relax and stroll the sandy shores that it is sometimes difficult to maintain your attention on the books." - Marion Longeron, academic year 2005-2006 Université Franche Comté, France
Student Advice“This experience started when I received a call from my Coordinator telling me that I was accepted in Puerto Rico. I didn’t even know where it was so I went to the library, stretched out a map and everybody could hear me screaming “nice”. I was certainly right because everything is nice here: the warmth, the beaches, the fiestas and the beautiful chicas, of course. However, nothing compares to the kindness of the Puerto Ricans and the way they make you feel at home. The Mayagüez Campus is huge with many diverse people. I recommend Puerto Rico to anyone that, like me, wants a good education and have fun at the same time." - Brice Bekwone Hien, academic year 2003-2004, Université Rennes 1, France |
“My experience as an international exchange student at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus has been wonderful! I am from Spain and even though Puerto Rico has a lot in common with my country, there are significant differences: culture, food, landscape, people and people’s ways. Puerto Ricans are warm and joyful people. Everything is different and I like it all!!! Besides from getting to know the island’s landscape, this educational experience has given me the opportunity to share my life with people from different cultures. I have learned so much from the people, their culture and their way of life and at the same time, about myself. I strongly recommend this experience in Puerto Rico!" - Aldara Salgado, fall semester 2005, Universidade de Vigo, Spain |
"The University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus has been an interesting and enlighting experience. I am from France and life in Puerto Rico is very different from my country. For example, regarding food I didn’t know what fried plantain tostones were and I was not used to eat so much chicken, rice and beans. The island has so many beautiful beaches to relax and stroll the sandy shores that it is sometimes difficult to maintain your attention on the books. Nevertheless, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez offers great study facilities and access to a huge library. Puerto Ricans are characterized by their warmth and their hospitality. Here I met a lot of people and made friends from different countries like Colombia, Ecuador, United States and Spain. This cultural mix has been the key point in my experience in Puerto Rico…, the Shining Star of the Caribbean.” - Marion Longeron, academic year 2005-2006, Universtié Franche Comte, France |
Gildreth González
University of Puerto Rico
Mayagüez Campus Fax
Student Exchange Programs and
International Student Service
PO Box 9035
Mayagüez, PR 00681-9035
The Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico is an active member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). Exchange is an excellent way to explore different academic, social and cultural settings. ISEP offers the opportunity to take course work at universities in thirty-five different countries around the world. ISEP encourage students to experience and learn from different cultural perspectives and to broaden their educational backgrounds. The Office is also responsible of implementing the exchange agreements between our institution and some universities.
This Office provides orientation services to exchange and international students. Students are acquainted with registration procedures, educational facilities, student services and other sources of help. Information is offered in areas of immigration, financial assistance, foreign embassies, housing and other matters of special concern. The Office works closely with the academic community, the administration and the local community to familiarize the students with life on campus and the culture of Puerto Rico. The Office sponsors special events throughout the year to promote cultural exchange.
The Student Exchange Office has vast experience sending and receiving students, our services include:
- welcome and information letters
- admission process
- housing arrangements
- registration
- orientation meetings
- campus and city tours
- arrangements for the payment of meal stipends
- social and cultural activities.
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Mayagüez is located on the west coast of Puerto Rico and is called “la sultana del oeste.” With a population of just over 100,000, it is one of the largest cities in Puerto Rico and is about a 2 ½ hour drive from the capitol San Juan.
Landmarks include the historic Yagüez Theatre and Mayagüez Post Office, the Plaza Colón, and the island’s only zoo. Mayagüez has many beautiful parks and historic buildings and is home to three major universities. The great student population makes for a vibrant nightlife in Mayagüez’s pubs and discos.
Water sports such as fishing, snorkeling, diving, surfing, sailing, and swimming are all very popular because of its location on the coast.
Mayagüez has its own baseball and basketball teams, as well as a women’s volleyball team. Every February the city of celebrates its patron saint festival with parades, religious processions, fairs, food, and dances.
- Puerto Rico tourism websites:
http://welcome.topuertorico.org/city/mayag.shtml
http://www.gotopuertorico.com/index.php - Mayagüez information
http://home.coqui.net/xano/mayague2.htm