Nepal reserves a third of medical seats for foreign students, but few enrol
Summary
Nepal’s medical colleges have reserved 33 percent of seats for foreign students, but enrolment remains far below capacity, with only 746 foreign students filling 2,428 reserved seats in 2026. Most foreign applicants come from India and prefer MBBS, while many Nepali students continue to seek medical education abroad.
Key Points
- 176 foreign students will sit Nepal’s integrated medical entrance examination this year, with applicants from India, Bangladesh, the Maldives and other countries.
- The Medical Education Act reserves 33 percent of medical seats for foreign students, but many of those seats remain vacant each year.
- In 2026, only 746 foreign students enrolled against 2,428 reserved seats, and vacant seats were shifted to paying Nepali applicants.
- The Medical Education Commission has increased government medical college seats by 418 for the 2027 academic session.
