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Cuba

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Accommodations and Accessibility

The IFSA team is ready to help you plan for various accommodations you might need abroad. We’re here to support you and help you prepare for a successful study abroad experience.   

Early planning is key. First, it’s important to know that options for accommodations vary by country, city, and university. This makes it important to share your requests for academic, mental health, diet, religious practices, housing, physical disabilities, and other accommodations early in the planning process. Connect with your IFSA Enrollment Counselor or with our Health, Safety and Wellness team at hsw@ifsa-butler.org as soon as possible.  

The information you share on your health and wellness and housing forms supports this process. After receiving these forms, our Health and Wellness team will follow up as needed to help you arrange accommodations you may need. Our goal is to plan carefully with your help, working with our Argentina team as needed.  

Academic accommodation. Keep in mind that options may be different here than in the United States. Our team can help you make arrangements.  

Mobility. Cuba’s 2019 Constitution prohibits discrimination based on disability, and states that “all have the right to enjoy the same public spaces and establishments for services.”  However, Havana’s older infrastructure can limit students with mobility needs. City sidewalks are commonly cracked and uneven. Walkways might not have curb drops. Buildings and other facilities often don’t meet U.S. standards for accessibility. All this can make it difficult for those with some physical disabilities to navigate the city alone. Taxis and private transportation are available for individuals with disabilities.  

Health insurance. As needed, IFSA will work with students and CISI insurance providers to arrange as much support as possible before departure (insurance details). Students who participate in IFSA programs in Cuba are also covered by ASISTUR, Cuban national health insurance, which covers almost all emergency health needs with no upfront costs.  

More to explore:  

Mental and Physical Health

Maintaining your mental and physical health while abroad is a priority, and we’re ready to help you plan to support both. If you need care abroad, your IFSA team will work with CISI insurance to help you find local care.  

Eating healthy. Talk to your host family, classmates, IFSA resident staff, and friends for current information on fresh food markets. Cubans enjoy rice, beans, plantains and root vegetables, chicken and pork as everyday staples. Stews and soups are common, as are processed meats like ham and sausage. Cuba can be very challenging for students that follow vegetarian or vegan diets. 

Avoid tap water. Drink only bottled or boiled and filtered water. Your host family will provide purified water. 

Sports and fitness. IFSA students in Cuba often join intramural teams to participate in basketball, soccer, baseball, badminton, water polo, chess, and more, and no previous competitive experience is needed. The Universidad de La Habana stadium and gymnasium hosts many of the intramural competitions, which culminate in the Juegos Caribe, a university-wide competition in all sports.  

Check with the IFSA team about CISI insurance coverage for injuries sustained during sports. Coverage is generally broad but there are exceptions for high-level competition. 

From fancy to simple, you’ll find private gyms found throughout Havana (check out Gimnasio Pura Vida, and more basic options on J and 21 streets in Vedado). Pickup basketball games are common in parks around the city. The Ciudad Deportiva (The Sports City) is a large sports complex near Vedado that includes fields for baseball, softball, soccer, and basketball. Boxing is one of Cuba’s biggest sports. 

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Faith Communities

Studying abroad will likely expose you to new religions and faith communities. If you plan to practice your religion abroad, consider researching the religious diversity, customs, laws and places of worship in your host country and campus. 

Around half of Cubans identify as Catholics, but religious practice and attitudes towards the church have fluctuated over time. About 70% of Cubans also observe one or more aspects of Santeria, a religious practice that blends on African traditions including Yoruba spirituality with Catholicism and other elements. The rapid growth of evangelical Christian churches in Cuba in the last few decades has made it one of the three top religious forces in the country. The country also has small Muslim and Jewish congregations, as well as many Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations, and Mormons have a growing presence. 

More to explore: 

Considerations for Women

Gender stereotyping still occurs in Cuba. Despite the significant influence of religion, people are increasingly accepting of alternatives to the traditional family, such as unmarried couples, single mothers, LBGTQ+ couples, and couples without children. In a 2022 national referendum, Cubans voted for a new family code that recognizes same-sex marriage and the right of all to adopt, and prohibits discrimination based on identity or sexual orientation.  

Machismo culture (where men believe they hold dominant roles over women) begins at a young age, but several movements, foundations, and cooperatives are working to tear down this construct. Piropos, or cat calling, is common; strangers on the street often make comments to passing women. This may happen more frequently to women who look foreign. Women are responsible for the most of child raising and household work, even though Cuban law requires men and women to share household chores equally.  

Personal safety. By world standards, Cuba is relatively safe. The most common crime is petty theft, and tourists especially can be targets. The IFSA team will share guidance and recommendations to help you maintain personal safety.  

Dress. Most college students dress casually in t-shirts, long shorts and leggings, and dress up for special occasions. Dirty, ripped, or low-cut tops and short shorts may be considered inappropriate and mark you as a foreigner. In professional spheres, it’s best to dress to impress. 

Relationships. PDA is common culturally. Many people live with their families until they get married, and family life is very important to Cubans. Meeting family members early in a relationship is not viewed as a significant event like it often in the U.S.  

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Race and Ethnicity

Race, racism, and anti-racism in Cuba are a major focus of research and activism, both inside and outside the country. Visit World Atlas to learn about the major ethnic groups in Cuba. Reading international news is another great way to learn about Cuba. 

Expect locals to be curious about your political views, speak directly about political topics, and perhaps openly criticize the U.S. government. If locals don’t perceive you as White, they might question whether you’re American. Still, most Cubans have family or friends who live in the United States, especially in Florida, and their perceptions about life in the U.S. might surprise you.  

If you’re coming to Cuba to explore your heritage and cultural identity, keep in mind that this can be a complex journey that brings unexpected experiences and emotions. Heritage Spanish-speakers who are not of Cuban ancestry may find the Cuban accent a challenging (it sounds closer to varieties Caribbean Spanish than branches of Latin American Spanish).  

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Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

In a 2022 national referendum, Cubans voted for a new family code that recognizes the rights of all Cubans, regardless of sexual orientation, to marry and adopt children. The Cuban Constitution, also passed by national referendum in 2019, prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. For the most part, Cubans are not aggressive toward people who identify as LGBTQIA+.  

Same-sex couples are more socially accepted in urban areas. During your time in Havana, you are likely to see same-sex couples display affection in public, though traditionally, it more common to see two men together than two women. LGBTQIA+ health care is available.  There are several LGBTQIA+ friendly bars and nightclubs around Havana, especially in the Vedado neighborhood. 

More to explore:  

More Support

From help managing money abroad to supporting first-generation college students, our professional advising staff and onsite teams are here for you. 

While you’re abroad, it’s helpful to keep up with friends and share your study abroad journey with them, though it’s also important to disconnect and live in the moment.  

Student Perspectives

Read about living and learning in Cuba: Student Stories.