Mongolia has a long tradition of sending students abroad, and today Mongolian applicants spread across a wide range of destinations — the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany and the wider EU, Japan, South Korea, and China among them. Funding is what makes overseas study realistic for most families, and it comes from several overlapping sources: host-government scholarships, university awards, and external foundations. This guide walks through where Mongolian students actually find scholarships, what committees expect, and the step-by-step process that turns a scholarship shortlist into an offer. Because scholarship terms, deadlines, and funding amounts change from cycle to cycle, treat every figure here as a planning range and always confirm current details directly on the scholarship's official page.
Key Takeaways
- Host-government scholarships — the US Fulbright Foreign Student Program, EU Erasmus Mundus, Australia Awards, the UK's Chevening, Germany's DAAD, and Asian schemes from Japan, South Korea, and China — are the strongest routes to full or near-full funding, though the most competitive.
- University scholarships and tuition waivers, offered directly by admitting institutions, are often more attainable than flagship government awards and can be combined with smaller grants.
- Mongolia's status as a developing country makes it eligible for several development-focused schemes, which explicitly favour applicants whose study connects to Mongolia's development needs.
- Language requirements vary widely — English tests for most Western destinations, and in some cases the host country's own language test for Asian and European programmes — so confirm rather than assume for each award.
- Spreading applications across roughly 8–15 opportunities in government, university, and external categories reflects how most successful Mongolian applicants actually secure funding.
Where Mongolian students find scholarships
Funding for Mongolian students studying abroad generally comes from a handful of overlapping channels.
Host-government scholarships. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program funds master's and doctoral study in the United States and runs a Mongolia country programme each year through the US commission. The EU's Erasmus Mundus joint master's degrees offer fully funded study spread across several European universities, and cohorts of Mongolian students have received EU-funded Erasmus+ scholarships in recent years. Australia Awards supports postgraduate study in Australia and targets candidates whose study connects to development priorities, while the UK's Chevening Scholarship funds one-year master's study in the UK for applicants who meet its work-experience and leadership criteria. Germany's DAAD funds a wide range of programmes across degree levels, including English-taught master's courses. Given Mongolia's regional ties, Asian government schemes matter too: Japan's MEXT scholarships, South Korea's Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), and the Chinese Government Scholarship all run tracks that Mongolian students regularly use.
University-based scholarships. Many universities award merit- or need-based scholarships directly to admitted international students, frequently without a separate application beyond the standard admissions form. Because these draw from a smaller, institution-specific applicant pool, they are generally less competitive than national flagship scholarships, and they can be layered on top of partial government or external funding. Browse specific institutions in our universities catalogue and course listings in programs to see which ones publish international scholarships.
External and private foundation scholarships. A number of foundations fund international students outside any single government or university channel, often with a subject or regional focus. Real, currently listed opportunities on our platform include Australia's Australia Awards Scholarships and the ANU International Research Scholarship; Germany's DAAD Scholarships and DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS); Canada's Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and the Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship; and, for the US, Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program for mid-career professionals. Our full scholarships directory lists many more, searchable by destination and subject, and our dedicated hub of scholarships for Mongolian students tracks active, code-matched awards specifically.
Use the scholarship finder to filter opportunities by your intended country, degree level, and field rather than reading through lists one at a time.
How to win: a step-by-step approach
Step 1: Build your shortlist
Rather than concentrating solely on one flagship award like Fulbright or Chevening, list every scholarship that plausibly fits your subject, degree level, and target countries, deliberately mixing highly competitive government scholarships with more attainable university and external awards. Many Mongolian students who study abroad successfully end up combining a partial scholarship with university aid or family contribution rather than winning one award that covers everything. Because Mongolia straddles Western and Asian destinations, keep both in play — Japanese, Korean, and Chinese government schemes are as worth pursuing as US and European ones.
Step 2: Check eligibility carefully
Requirements differ significantly by programme: minimum GPA, required tests (IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught study, or the host country's own language test for some Asian and European programmes), years of work experience for programmes like Chevening and Humphrey, and sometimes a field-of-study focus tied to national development priorities. Read the fine print on each programme rather than assuming your profile automatically qualifies.
Step 3: Prepare strong documents early
Transcripts, recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, and financial documentation are standard across nearly every scholarship. Mongolian applicants should budget extra time for getting academic transcripts translated and certified, since most host countries require certified translations rather than originals in Mongolian. Approach recommenders — professors or employers — well in advance, since a rushed or generic letter is one of the most common weak points in an otherwise strong application.
Step 4: Apply early and track every deadline
Deadlines are strict and rarely extended, and time-zone differences between Mongolia and destination countries make it easy to misjudge a cutoff. Keep a running list of every scholarship's deadline and required materials, and aim to finish each application at least two to three weeks ahead of its cutoff so unexpected technical or document issues don't cost you a slot.
Step 5: Prepare for interviews and respond to offers promptly
Programmes like Fulbright, Chevening, and Australia Awards typically interview shortlisted candidates, usually asking about your motivation for the specific programme, your plans after graduating, and — for government-backed scholarships in particular — how your study connects to needs back in Mongolia. Once an offer arrives, accept and begin visa preparation quickly, since scholarship funding and visa timelines are both time-sensitive.
Eligibility realities for Mongolian students
A few patterns are worth planning around specifically.
- Development-focused scholarships reward a clear "why." Programmes tied to development priorities favour applicants whose study plans connect to concrete needs in areas such as governance, public health, education, mining and resources, or the environment — a specific, well-argued narrative outperforms a generic personal-advancement one.
- Both Western and Asian routes are open — don't ignore half of them. Mongolian students often focus only on US and European awards and overlook well-funded Japanese, Korean, and Chinese government scholarships that reflect the country's regional ties.
- Language requirements vary more than applicants expect. Some programmes require a formal English test, others the host country's own language test, and some accept a strong English-medium record — confirm rather than assume for each award.
- Certified translation of Mongolian academic documents takes longer than most applicants budget for, so start this process as soon as you settle on a shortlist.
- Financial documentation carries real weight, especially for need-based components layered onto merit scholarships — be thorough and accurate rather than vague.
A realistic application timeline
Mongolian students who win scholarships typically start planning well over a year before their intended intake. A rough working timeline: 12–18 months out, research programmes and narrow your shortlist across government, university, and external categories, keeping both Western and Asian destinations in play; 9–12 months out, sit any required language tests (or confirm in writing that you qualify for a waiver) and approach recommenders so they have real time to write something specific; 6–9 months out, draft your statement of purpose and start translating and certifying transcripts, since certified translation of Mongolian academic records is one of the slower steps in the whole process; 3–6 months out, submit applications well before each cutoff rather than at the last moment; and in the final stretch before your intake, prepare for interviews and move quickly once an offer arrives, since visa processing runs on its own timeline and typically can't begin until you have a confirmed offer in hand.
Build extra buffer into the translation and certification steps specifically — this is the stage most Mongolian applicants underestimate, and it can quietly push an otherwise on-time application past a deadline.
Financial planning alongside scholarships
Even a strong scholarship rarely covers every cost of studying abroad, so treat funding as a stack rather than a single source. A government award like Fulbright or Australia Awards might cover tuition and a living stipend, while university aid, part-time work where your visa allows it, and family contribution close any remaining gap. Living costs differ sharply between destinations — a year in Berlin or Seoul is not the same as a year in Sydney or London — so before committing to a specific country, read a cost breakdown for that destination so you know roughly how large a gap you're planning to close before the first stipend payment arrives.
When you compare offers, weigh the full package rather than the headline prestige of the country. A fully funded place at a strong university in Japan, Korea, Germany, or China can leave you materially better off than a partial award at a famous but expensive institution where you still have to cover most of your living costs. Look at exactly what each award pays for — tuition, stipend size, travel, insurance, and whether the visa allows part-time work — and be honest about how much of any remaining shortfall your family can realistically cover before you accept.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying only to Western destinations and overlooking well-funded Japanese, Korean, and Chinese government scholarships.
- Concentrating on one or two nationally famous scholarships and treating everything else as an afterthought.
- Submitting a generic statement of purpose that doesn't engage with what a specific scholarship or programme says it's looking for.
- Leaving document translation and certification until the final weeks before a deadline.
- Assuming a language-test waiver applies without confirming it directly with the programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best scholarship for Mongolian students to study abroad?
It depends on your degree level, field, and preferred country. Fulbright is a strong route into US master's and PhD programmes, Erasmus Mundus funds study across Europe, Australia Awards is well established for postgraduate study in Australia, and Asian government schemes from Japan, South Korea, and China are widely used by Mongolian students. Most successful applicants apply to several programmes across these categories rather than betting on just one.
Do Mongolian students need IELTS or TOEFL for every scholarship?
Not always, but you shouldn't assume otherwise. English-taught programmes in Western destinations usually require IELTS or TOEFL, while some Asian and European programmes require the host country's own language test instead, and a few waive the requirement for strong English-medium backgrounds. Confirm the policy directly with each programme before deciding which test to sit.
Which countries offer the most scholarship opportunities for Mongolian students?
The United States, the EU through Erasmus Mundus, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and China all have well-established scholarship routes for Mongolian students, reflecting both development partnerships and strong regional ties. That said, "most opportunities" doesn't automatically mean "easiest to win" — competition scales with popularity, so it's worth researching subject-specific and less obvious programmes as well.
Do government scholarships for Mongolian students require returning to Mongolia afterward?
Some do. Development-focused programmes like Australia Awards and certain government-sponsored scholarships are designed around applicants returning to contribute to Mongolia's development and may include a formal return condition. University and many external scholarships typically don't carry this requirement, so read each programme's terms before accepting an offer.
How many scholarships should a Mongolian student realistically apply to?
There's no fixed number, but a spread of roughly 8–15 opportunities across government, university, and external categories — and across both Western and Asian destinations — reflects how most successful Mongolian applicants actually fund their studies, since combining a partial award with other funding is common.