Field School Application

Apply to the Mongolia Field School

Thank you for your interest in the Mongolia Field School! The application for 2026 MFS courses will adhere to the following deadline and notification schedule:

Priority Fellowship Consideration: February 20, 2026 (know by March 20, 2026)
Fellowship Waitlist: March 20, 2026 (know by April 17, 2026)
Final Deadline (Self-Funded): April 17, 2026 (know by April 24, 2026)

Please note that all tuition payments are due in full by May 1, 2026. For more information about payment and refunds, please see our Participant-Initiated Cancellation and Refund Policy, available here.

2026 Field School Application Form

"*" indicates required fields

Participant Terms and Conditions*

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 by May 1. Program participants who have paid the tuition fee prior to May 1 but are unable to attend the program will receive a tuition refund of 70% of the program cost (minus a non-refundable $500 deposit). Participants who must cancel or withdraw within 24 hours of paying the tuition fees are eligible for a full refunds (minus the non-refundable deposit). Participants who cancel or withdraw on or after May 1 are not eligible to receive a tuition refund, and will forfeit 100% of their tuition costs including the non-refundable deposit. All withdrawals and cancellations must be submitted in writing to mfs@mongoliacenter.org, baigalmaa@mongoliacenter.org, and mlindrooth@mongoliacenter.org. 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 or are asked 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.

I Agree

Introduction

***Form Instructions*** Your application is not saved until you click the "submit" button at the bottom of page, so you may initially work through the application without submitting the form to see all required data. It is advisable to prepare your data for the application in advance before submitting your complete application.

General Information

Which Field School 2026 Course(s) are you applying for? You may choose multiple courses as long as their dates do not overlap.*

Modern Nomads: Social and Environmental Change in Mongolia (June 29-July 9, 2026)

Lens on Mongolia: Photography, Culture, and Language (July 19-25, 2026)

Change and Continuity: Managing Biodiversity in Hustai National Park (July 27-August 9, 2026)

Name*

First Last

Email*

Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Country of Citizenship(s):*

USA

Canada

Mongolia

Other

Are you currently a (choose one):*

Student

Teacher

Other

Institution (if applicable)*

Major/Field of Study or Research*

What is your level of study?*

Title*

Department*

Please state your occupation and/or area of expertise*

Statement of Interest

Statement of Interest (approximately 500 words). If you are applying for multiple courses, only one statement of interest is required. Please address the following two questions in your statement:*

Max. file size: 100 MB.

1. How have your background studies and interests helped prepare you to participate in this program?
2. How will participation in this program help prepare you for future studies, work, or to meet other personal goals?

Statement of experience working and travelling in remote areas (up to 300 words)*

Max. file size: 100 MB.

The Field School program involves significant time travelling and living in rural areas of Mongolia. Much of the travel will be off paved roads, and some locations that we visit or stay at may not have electricity, hot water or other conveniences. Can you please explain your past experience and comfort level with travel in rural or remote areas?

Curriculum Vitae

Please attach your most updated Resume or CV*

Max. file size: 100 MB.

Referral

How did you hear about the ACMS Field School?*

ACMS website

Social media

Internet search

Listserv or online forum

Recommended by a friend, colleague or teacher

Other

If a person recommended the Field School to you, please include their name here to make them eligible for a free ACMS membership

Fellowship

Fellowship funds are available for all program applicants. Are you interested in applying for a program fellowship of up to $2,500?*

Yes

Please attach a statement of approximately 500 words that outlines factors the committee might consider when awarding fellowships to eligible program participants. Factors for consideration include financial need, diversity among participants, barriers to participation, and importance of participation in the program for your studies, career or personal interests.*

Max. file size: 100 MB.

You may upload your Letter of Reference here*

Max. file size: 100 MB.

Information for Referees on the Letter of Reference is available here.
All student applicants should complete the information on their institution and program, and are required to submit one Letter of Reference from an academic referee, such as a faculty member. It is preferred that Letter of Reference is provided to the applicant as a document on institutional letterhead for submission with other application materials. If desired, the referee may email the Letter of Reference as an attachment to: tuvshinzaya@mongoliacenter.org.

I hereby declare that the information provided in this online application form and all supplementary documents is accurate and truthful to the best of my knowledge.**

I affirm the above declaration

Confirm Application Data

***Final Step of Application*** Note: Your data will not be saved until you click the "submit" button below. Before submitting your application, be sure to verify that this application is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge. Applicants who knowingly submit false or inaccurate applications are automatically disqualified from Mongolia Field School 2026.