Friends of Mongolia Scholarships

The Friends of Mongolia Scholarship Program was established in the spring of 2006 and has since grown to better serve the community. Our program targets applicants from rural areas with high academic potential and financial need who want to attend university in Mongolia. In the 2013-2014 school year, Friends of Mongolia helped 19 students attend university.

For rural families struggling to make ends meet, the prospect of sending a child to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar to attend university can be out of reach. Friends of Mongolia scholarships are provided on an annual basis, and students may apply to have their scholarships renewed if they have kept up with the academic requirements. We underwrite all or nearly all of each student’s tuition, depending on the tuition rates of the student’s university. Throughout the academic year, we provide extra activities to help with our students’ development. Past activities include career development lectures and English language lessons for students.

Matthew Girvin Scholarship Fund

Many of our scholarships are given under the Matthew Girvin Scholarship Fund. This fund was created in memory of Matthew Girvin, a UNICEF program officer who worked for the development of Mongolia’s children, health, and future. Matthew was killed in a tragic helicopter crash in Mongolia in January of 2001. UNICEF established a scholarship in Matthew’s honor in 2003, and in 2006 Friends of Mongolia began administering the scholarship. Our organization is honored to be able to have the chance to assist Girvin family with this important scholarship, and we look forward to working with them to honor Matthew’s legacy for years to come. You can find out more about Matthew Girvin and the fund at the Matthew Girvin Scholarship website.

Other Scholarship Funds

Friends of Mongolia also administers scholarships sponsored by our members and donors. For the 2013-2014 academic year, the Croft Family Scholarships enabled students from the Gobi desert to attend university in the capital. In the past, groups have also joined together to underwrite one or more scholarships. If you are interested in funding a scholarship, you can do so on our Donation Webpage, or you can email Lauren Javins, the Co-Director, USA, at [email protected]

Scholarship History

When our scholarship program was first formed, it was open to young male students. The reason for this unique requirement was what is referred to as “Mongolia’s reverse gender gap” in education. Often, rural males are left behind in education because of social and economic demands in the countryside. As the scholarship has grown significantly it is now open to both genders, and we continue to recruit qualified males for the scholarships.

To Apply

The 2019-2020 scholarship application period is now open! Please visit our Mongolian language scholarship page to learn more about how to apply. Applications are due August 26th.

2019-2020 оны хичээлийн жилийн оюутны сургалтын тэтгэлэгт хөтөлбөр зарлагдлаа! Манай цахим хуудас дахь Монгол хэл дээрх хэсгээс илүү дэлгэрэнгүй үзнэ үү. Цахим өргөдлийг 2019 оны 8 сарын 26 хүртэл хүлээн авна.