Located between China and Russia, Mongolia has centuries of history and traditions that are known around the world. Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire, nomadic culture, and the country’s socialist period are important parts of Mongolia’s past and have helped shape the country’s identity. Education has also changed considerably, especially since Mongolia’s transition to democracy and a market economy in the 1990s. In this article, we look at affordable universities in Mongolia for international students.
Mass secular education expanded during Mongolia’s socialist period, and the National University of Mongolia opened in the early 1940s. After democratic reforms in 1990 and the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, higher education expanded and private institutions became part of the system.
Mongolia’s higher education institutions include universities, institutes, and colleges. Universities generally offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs; institutes typically offer bachelor’s and master’s programs; and colleges focus on teaching-oriented and vocational programs that may lead to a diploma or bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor’s degrees in Mongolia usually take four years and require about 120 credits. Some professional fields take longer: pharmacy and veterinary science normally take five years, while medicine and dentistry may take six years. Master’s degrees usually take 1.5 to two years and 30 to 35 credits, while doctoral programs generally involve about three years of coursework and a dissertation. The Doctor of Science is a higher research qualification beyond the PhD.
Affordable Schools in Mongolia for International Students
1. National University of Mongolia
The National University of Mongolia (NUM) is one of the country’s leading public universities. It is ranked as the top university in Mongolia by uniRank’s 2026 country ranking and appears in the QS Asian University Rankings 2026. Its academic units include schools of arts and sciences, business, law, political science and international relations, information technology and electronics, and engineering and technology, along with regional branches.
The current international tuition table lists the Mongolian language program at 10,038,000 MNT per year, undergraduate tuition at 11,460,000 MNT per year, master’s tuition at 11,312,000 MNT per year, and doctoral tuition at 12,224,000 MNT per year. Prospective students should confirm the latest application and fee details through the university’s admissions portal.
2. Mongolian University of Science and Technology
- Admissions
- Tuition Fees: around 185,600 to 190,000 MNT/credit for 2025–2026 entrants; confirm by program
The Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) is a major public university for engineering, technology, applied sciences, management, and related fields. Its admissions page lists affiliated schools in civil engineering and architecture, food, light industry and design, geology and mining, information and telecommunication technology, power engineering, mechanical engineering and transportation, applied sciences, management, foreign languages, and technology schools in Darkhan and Erdenet.
Recent 2025–2026 admissions information indicates that the one-credit fee for new entrants is around 185,600 to 190,000 MNT, so a 30-credit academic year would be roughly 5,568,000 to 5,700,000 MNT before other fees. Fees can vary by program and student status, so applicants should confirm the exact amount with MUST before applying.
3. Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences
The Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS) is Mongolia’s public healthcare university. Its main campus includes schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, bio-medicine, public health, nursing, traditional medicine, and a graduate school. It also has branch campuses in Darkhan-Uul, Dornogovi, and Gobi-Altai.
MNUMS admissions are organized separately for undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and residency applicants. Healthcare degree lengths vary by field: for example, nursing bachelor’s programs are typically four years, while medical degrees require six years of undergraduate-level study.
4. University of Finance and Economics
Established in 1924, the University of Finance and Economics (UFE) is one of Mongolia’s oldest higher education institutions. The university is located in Ulaanbaatar and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in finance, economics, business, and related fields.
Recent Mongolian reporting on 2025–2026 tuition lists UFE’s basic and joint program credit fee at 282,000 MNT, but fees can differ by study format and program. The university’s English pages did not display a complete current fee table during verification, so applicants should confirm the latest tuition directly with UFE.
FAQs: Studying in Mongolia
What is the Admission Process at Mongolian Universities?
Admission requirements vary by university and program. For Mongolian undergraduate applicants, higher education admission generally uses the University Entrance Examination. International students usually apply through each university’s international or admissions office and may need transcripts, a passport, proof of language ability, health or insurance documents, and sometimes an interview or test depending on the program.
What is the Language of Instruction at Mongolian Universities?
Mongolian is the official language and the main language of instruction in the country, so many programs are in Mongolian. Some universities offer preparatory language study or selected English-taught programs, especially at international or private institutions.
Applicants should verify the language of instruction for the specific program before applying, since English-taught availability can vary by degree, level, and intake year.
What are the Living Costs in Mongolia for an International Student?
Along with university fees, students should include accommodation, food, transportation, health insurance, books, visa or residence steps, and personal expenses in their budget. Mongolia’s currency is the Mongolian Tugrik (MNT). Using the Bank of Mongolia’s late-May 2026 official USD reference rate of about 3,576 MNT per $1, 10,000 MNT is about $2.80.
Cost of living varies widely. NUM’s international student page lists dormitory options from about 1,590,000 MNT to 4,670,000 MNT per academic year, depending on room capacity, and estimates monthly living expenses at about 452,000 MNT. Private rent in Ulaanbaatar is usually higher: recent cost-of-living sources put a one-bedroom apartment at roughly 1.8 to 2.5 million MNT in the city center and about 1.2 to 1.6 million MNT outside the center, depending on location and quality.
If you want to experience a different culture while obtaining a degree abroad, then you may want to consider enrolling at a university in Mongolia. Tuition rates can be affordable compared with many other study destinations, especially when students apply to institutions that publish clear fee schedules and scholarship options.
We hope that this article on cheap universities in Mongolia was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
