On 5 October 2025, students selected for the 2025–2026 academic year of the Gobi Oyu – Student Scholarship programme, funded by Oyu Tolgoi, received their scholarship certificates. With this, Oyu Tolgoi has now provided scholarships to a total of 1,263 students pursuing higher education both domestically and internationally.
This academic year, 133 students are receiving the Gobi Oyu – Student Scholarship. Of these, 66 are newly selected recipients, while 67 students have renewed their contracts by maintaining strong academic performance.
Launched in 2016, the scholarship programme has provided over MNT2 billion in full tuition support to students from Umnugovi province studying in Ulaanbaatar in fields critical to local development, including health, education, arts and culture, information technology, construction, mining engineering, agriculture, and social sciences. This support has significantly contributed to students’ academic success and provided vital financial relief to their families.
Moreover, 85% of graduates who received the scholarship are now working in their local communities in their respective fields, strengthening Umnugovi’s human resource capacity and making a tangible contribution to regional development.
Other Educational Programmes Implemented by Oyu Tolgoi
Oyu Tolgoi is committed to supporting youth and preparing skilled professionals for the future through the following education programmes:
Domestic Scholarship Programme: Provides financial support to students successfully studying mining and other disciplines at Mongolian universities, helping them pursue academic and personal development.
International Scholarship Programme: Offers financial assistance to students pursuing mining-related studies at top universities worldwide.
Graduate Development Programme: Helps recent university graduates gain work experience in their field and begin their careers with guidance and support.
Internship Programme: Offers students paid internships at Oyu Tolgoi in their area of study, allowing them to gain practical experience.
Youth Development Programme: Supports highschool students in developing skills and engaging in extracurricular learning.
These programmes are part of Oyu Tolgoi’s long-term strategy to support youth through education and contribute to sustainable development.
Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund
On 22 April 2015, Oyu Tolgoi signed a Cooperation Agreement with Umnugovi province and Khanbogd soum. To implement the agreement, the Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund (DSF), a non-governmental organisation, was established in September 2015. The DSF finances and manages projects and programmes aimed at supporting the sustainable development of Umnugovi province and its partner soums: Khanbogd, Bayan-Ovoo, Manlai, Tsogt-Ovoo, and Dalanzadgad.
Since its establishment in 2015, Oyu Tolgoi has contributed USD 5 million annually to the DSF. To date, the fund has invested over MNT 160 billion in Umnugovi’s socio-economic development based on local communities’ needs and suggestions. It includes MNT 46.3 billion directed toward 169 education-related projects, including school construction, equipment provision, and teacher training. Notable DSF-supported initiatives include:
- The new 1,200-student school and 200-child kindergarten in Dalanzadgad soum
- A 640-student school and 200-child kindergarten in Khanbogd soum
- Kindergartens No. 25 and No. 26 (174-child capacity each) in Dalanzadgad
- The “Gobi Oyu – Student Scholarship” programme, which has supported 630 students with MNT 1.5 billion
- Full funding of the Umnugovi Natural History Museum, opened in May 2022
To further strengthen education in the region, the DSF is launching a 2024–2028 programme focused on improving leadership and educational quality across Umnugovi’s schools.
For more information about the Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund, please visit www.goviinoyu.mn or follow www.facebook.com/GobiOyuDSF.