1. Individuals of all nationalities are welcome to participate in the program.
2. ACMS Field School Fellowship eligibility - All applicants who apply by the February 20, 2026 deadline are given priority consideration for fellowship awards funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and other donors, and applicants who apply by March 20, 2026 will be considered for remaining fellowship funding or placed on the waitlist. All program participants are encouraged to apply for funding support from other sources to support their participation in the Field School. Factors to be used by the ACMS in considering applicants for fellowships include financial need, merit, participant experience and background, and the importance of participation in the program for academic studies, career interests or personal goals.
3. The priority deadline for applications is February 20, 2026, the final deadline for funding consideration is March 20, 2026, and the final program application deadline for self-funded participants is April 17, 2026. Applications received by February 20 will have priority consideration for fellowship awards and placement in the field school concentration area of first choice. Course enrollment is limited to 20 students in each specialization stream. Applicants will be informed of their application status no more than four weeks after the deadline before which they applied (i.e., apply by February 20, hear by March 20; apply by March 20, hear by April 17; apply by April 17, hear by April 24). Notification of fellowship awards will occur after the Priority Deadline and Secondary Deadlines (should funding still be available). Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure consideration for fellowship awards and placement into their Field School of Choice.
4. Applications must be submitted online through the application webpage and include all required materials to be considered for admission and fellowship awards. ACMS will review application materials submitted, and may in certain cases request additional information from applicants as part of the application process. ACMS does not discriminate against applicants based on any factor. Those with physical disabilities should note that conditions in Mongolia in both urban and rural areas do not meet the same disability-related accommodation standards as in the United States, and the ACMS cannot guarantee that accommodations can be made. ACMS reserves the right to make all final admissions decisions for the program, and program courses must meet a minimum enrollment threshold to be offered.
4. Program participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the program location in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. All participants must be available in Ulaanbaatar to begin the Field School program at 8am on the first day of their course and must stay with the group until 5pm on the last day of the course. It is recommended that you arrange your travel so that you arrive at least one day before the start of the program and you depart at least one day after the final day. Departure flights on the last day of the program are strongly discouraged. In extremely rare cases, there may be valid academic or personal reasons for a participant to arrive late or request to leave a program before it is completed. Permission for such arrangements can only be granted by the course instructor, and only upon receipt of a written request from the participant prior to the start of the program. Participants are responsible for organizing and covering the costs of any travel associated with late arrivals and/or early departures.
5. The ACMS is unable to directly offer program participants academic credit for their participation in the program. Students who wish to receive academic credit for their participation in the program can work with their home or other academic institutions to ensure that the courses taken through the program meet the academic requirements of the institution granting academic credit. The ACMS can provide course syllabi, information on assessment and other materials to assist students who are seeking academic credit.
6. Program tuition must be paid in full at least 30 days prior to the starting date of the program offered. Program participants who have paid the tuition fee but are unable to attend the program and notify the ACMS more than 30 days prior to the starting date of the program are eligible to receive a partial tuition refund, minus a nonrefundable $500 deposit per program. If the program is canceled due to travel or health restrictions prior to the start of the program, all tuition and deposits paid will be refunded in full. If the program is canceled due to health or travel restrictions after the program start date, then a prorated portion of tuition funds will be reimbursed based on program expenses incurred. Program participants who withdraw from the program within 30 days of the program start date will not be refunded for their tuition payment. Program participants who withdraw or are required to leave the program after the start date of the program are not eligible for a tuition refund.
7. Fellowship awards to participants will be applied first to tuition owed for the program. Fellowships awarded and accepted by individuals who subsequently do not participate in the program will be revoked. Students accepting fellowships but who do not participate in the program are required to personally pay any fees owing as outlined in the tuition payment terms and conditions outlined above.
8. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and are subject to the laws of Mongolia during the field school program. Drug or alcohol abuse, sexual harassment or other behaviors in violation of the law or generally accepted standards of behavior will be viewed as a serious violation of the terms of participation and can result in dismissal from the program. The course leader reserves the right to require participants to withdraw from the program if any behavior jeopardizes the welfare of individuals or the objectives and good standing of the program and related institutions. Additional travel or other costs associated with dismissal from the program are the responsibility of the participant in violation of accepted standards of behavior.
9. All participants will be responsible for ensuring proper medical and evacuation insurance coverage for the duration of their stay in Mongolia. Proof of insurance coverage will be required for all participants in the program. Program participants assume all responsibility, financially and otherwise, for costs associated with any illness or injury that may occur during the course of the field school, including the costs of medical care and evacuation. The ACMS and program personnel will ensure due diligence to recognize and avoid unnecessary risk, and will assist participants to receive prompt and appropriate medical assistance. Mongolian participants must provide proof of current medical insurance but evacuation insurance is not required.
10. Participants acknowledge that exposures to risk exist, including but not limited to illness and accidents in locations with limited access to medical facilities, forces of nature, travel by land and air, and others. In consideration of the right for the participant to engage in this project, he or she assumes all of the risks involved and agrees to indemnify and hold the ACMS and program personnel harmless for any and all liability that may arise in connection with travel and activities associated with the Field School.
11. Participants with dietary restrictions acknowledge that food options in Mongolia are limited, especially when traveling outside of Ulaanbaatar, and it may not be possible to accommodate all requests. ACMS will do everything possible to accommodate dietary requests, but participants with rigid restrictions are encouraged to be prepared by bringing their own supplemental food and snacks for emergency situations.
