Dates:
July 11, 2026 – August 8, 2026
Location:
Fortress of Louisbourg, Louisbourg, NS, Canada
Transportation:
It is the responsibility of all students to be in Sydney, NS on Saturday July 11, 2026 for pickup (pick-up location TBD). The closest airport is in Sydney and called the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport. All students will be brought from Sydney to our field school home on the 11th. For departure, students will be transported back to Sydney on Saturday August 8, 2026. If your travel arrangements fall outside of these dates, it is your responsibility to be at the pick-up location or to arrange transportation back to the airport at your own cost.
Accommodations:
We will be staying in an AirBnB house in the heart of Sydney. Students will be sharing rooms (2-3 people per room) with everyone having their own bed. While staying at the house all students will be responsible for the general upkeep of the property with assigned weekly chores. There is also a washer and dryer on site for students to use. There is a full kitchen and kitchenette at the house and 2.5 bathrooms. Students will be responsible for making their own food and we will be doing regularly scheduled grocery runs for students to purchase what they need for the week. Students will be having breakfast and dinner at the house and lunch on site at the Fortress. Field staff will not be staying in the house with students, but will be accommodated nearby.
Fees
The program fee for Trent Bioarchaeology Field School is $2,200 CDN. This fee covers 4 weeks of accommodation, all daily transportation to and from the Fortress of Louisbourg, skeletal transport at the end of the program, weekend camping at the Fortress, pub trivia night, and program swag. Tuition fees (domestic or international) are NOT included in the program fee and are the responsibly of the student. Additionally, students are responsible for travel costs to and from Nova Scotia, food costs, spending money, and any other additional fees (e.g. travel insurance, visa requirements – see Government of Canada Entry Requirements). If accepted into the program, students are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $500 once they have confirmed their spot. This amount will be deducted from the final program fee owed. All fees are listed in Canadian (CDN) dollars.
Funding opportunities
Students interested in funding support should contact their home institution to see what funding opportunities may be available. Additionally, students who belong to the Canadian Association for Biological Anthropology can apply for the Field School & Training Course Bursary to help offset costs. Other opportunities may also be available through similar associations such as the American Association of Biological Anthropologists, the Archaeological Institute of America, the Canadian Archaeological Association, etc.. It is the responsibility of the student to apply to any funding opportunities.
Extra-Curriculars
During the four weeks of field school students will be provided opportunities to participate in a variety of activities including 18th century cannon and musket firing, overnight camping at the Fortress of Louisbourg, a beach day at Kennington Cove, and Crabfest. However, students will also have downtime on the weekends to explore Sydney and Cape Breton Island on their own.
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