Mexico

Placement Information

• Partner Organization: U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (COMEXUS)
• Eligible Program Dates: 3 ‐ 6 months from January – June 2026 or September – December 2026
• Host Institution Expectations: Participants will be placed with a host institution upon acceptance into the program. Host institutions are typically public universities with a teacher education department.
• Language Requirement: Proficiency in Spanish is preferred.
• Monthly Allowance: Between $2,500 ‐ $2,800 (exact amount to be confirmed at a later date)
• Dependent Information: An allowance of $2,000 per eligible dependent will be provided as part of the Fulbright grant. Enrolling a dependent in a Mexican public school can be complicated as it demands a lot of paperwork and permissions and can take a considerable amount of time. Non‐residents often enroll their dependents in private institutions where registration can be more easily facilitated. Private schools are approximately between $300 and $500 per month. The American School Foundation is approximately $1,900 per month plus other fees. For more information, please visit their website. Please note that tuition support for dependents is subject to availability and requests for funding are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to research schooling options for their dependents during the application phase.

Country Overview

Mexico, located in North America, shares borders to the north with the United States; to the south and west with the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast with Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east with the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometers (770,000 sq mi), the nation is the 5th largest country in the Americas and the 13th largest state in the world. With an estimated population of close to 130 million people, Mexico is the 10th most populous country and the most populous Spanish‐speaking country in the world, while being the 2nd largest nation in Latin America after Brazil.

Mexico is a federal, representative, democratic republic comprising 32 free and sovereign states, with Mexico City being the capital and its most populous city (9.21 million inhabitants according to the 2020 census). The country’s government is divided into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The elections held in 2000 marked an important milestone in the country's ongoing democratic transition as it was the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Since then, two different parties, the right National Action Party (PAN) and left National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), have been in office. In 2024, left‐wing Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (from MORENA) won the presidential election for a six-year term, becoming the country’s first female president.

Some articles covering the Mexican context in social, cultural, political, economic, and artistic fields include: “Inside Mexico City’s Meteoric Rise to Art World Capital” and “¿Cómo celebra México el Día de Muertos?” 

Educational System Overview

The Mexican educational system can be characterized by a high degree of centralization. Since 1921, the Ministry of Public Education (Secretaría de Educación Pública - SEP) has overseen the country's public education system which now includes nearly 35 million students. Through 32 state departments of education, SEP provides educational services including the setting of national standards and curriculum as well as textbook selection and distribution to the majority of the 260,262 schools in the country.

Although the figures differ by state, the percentage of young adults (ages 25–34) who have completed tertiary education has risen from 23% in 2017 to 27% in 2022, while the proportion of young adults (ages 25-34) with upper secondary education has increased from 47% in 2016 to 58% in 2023, according to the OECD. This trend is expected to continue. In 2002 an educational reform made pre-primary enrollment compulsory beginning in 2009. Since then, enrollment rates among 3–5-year-olds increased from 64% in 2005 to 74% in 2021, close to the OECD average of 86%. Increasing enrollment also extends to the lower secondary level.

Despite progress in the Mexican education system, many challenges persist that hinder the delivery of equitable and effective learning opportunities. Key issues include low graduation rates which often result from systemic barriers such as poverty and inadequate access to educational resources. Students from low-income backgrounds may struggle with basic needs (i.e. a good diet), lack essential learning materials, and face overcrowded or underfunded schools. These challenges make it harder for students to succeed academically, leading to higher dropout rates. Quality assurance remains a pressing concern as disparities in school infrastructure, curricula, and teacher preparation lead to inconsistent educational outcomes. Additionally, many teachers face significant hurdles, including insufficient training and a lack of resources to meet the diverse needs of their students.

Mexico is taking measures to address these and other issues. For example, a national program to introduce and strengthen English language instruction throughout primary education, called “Programa Nacional de Inglés” (PRONI), was launched in 2009. Other programs include the “Programa Expansión de la Educación Inicial” (PEEI, 2018) to increase access in early childhood and “​​Programa Fortalecimiento de los Servicios de Educación Especiales” (PFSEE, 2020) for special needs education.

Some articles about the Mexican Education System are: “Panorama of the Mexican education system from the perspective of public policy” and “Higher education and development: Mexico Challenges”.  

Possible Topics of Interest for U.S. Educators

• Use of technology in under-resourced areas (Mexico’s Telesecundaria program has a long history of using technology to reach students in rural areas).
• Inclusive education for students with diverse learning needs as well as linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Teaching English (for young learners in public schools and for specific purposes).
• Content and Language Integrated Learning, especially in science education.
• Spanish as a second language.
• Post-secondary educational and career counseling.
• Understanding of Mexican culture in order to increase community involvement in student education.
• Improving school completion rates.
• Integrating instructional technology into classrooms and increasing technological literacy.
• Foreign language teacher training paths.
• How to develop L1 and L2 in a non-bilingual context.
• How to develop listening format YL.
• Speaking, reading and writing separately.
• How children can learn additional languages.
• Returning children from the U.S. into Mexican communities.