Foreign medical students come to Nepal but twice as many Nepalis pursue medicine abroad
Summary
Nepal’s medical colleges are drawing more foreign students, but far more Nepali students are still going abroad to study medicine. The Medical Education Commission says 1,859 foreign students enrolled in Nepal between 2024 and 2026, while 4,741 Nepali students received approval to pursue medical education overseas.
Key Points
- 1,859 foreign students enrolled in medical education programmes in Nepal between 2024 and 2026, while 4,741 Nepali students got approval to study medicine abroad.
- India remained the top destination for Nepali medical students and the largest source of foreign students coming to Nepal.
- Only 26.59 percent of the seats reserved for foreign students were filled, leaving many medical college seats vacant.
- Stakeholders say Nepal must improve quality, infrastructure and international recognition before expanding seats further.
