St. Maarten is an island in the Caribbean encompassing 37 square miles and located approximately 150 miles from Puerto Rico. The island is shared by the governments of France and the Netherlands Antilles, with the AUC medical school campus located on the Dutch side.

The island of Saint Martin (or Sint Maarten) is the only landmass in the world shared between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2026, the northern 56% of the island is the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, while the southern 44% is the Dutch constituent country of Sint Maarten. There is no "hard border" between the two sides, meaning travelers can drive freely between the French capital, Marigot, and the Dutch capital, Philipsburg. Historically, the island was divided by the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, and in 2026, it remains a unique cultural melting pot where you can experience French fine dining and Dutch colonial charm on a single afternoon stroll. Note that while there is no border check, the two sides use different currencies (Euro on the French side, Antillean Guilder/USD on the Dutch side) and different electrical standards.