Nepal sees foreign medical students arrive as thousands of its own study abroad

Nepal is experiencing a dual trend in medical education: an increasing number of foreign students are enrolling in its medical colleges, while a larger contingent of Nepali students seek opportunities abroad. Data from the Medical Education Commission reveals that 1,859 foreign students registered for medical programs in Nepal between 2024 and 2026. Concurrently, 4,741 Nepali students received approval to study medicine internationally during the same period.

MBBS programs, both for bachelor's and postgraduate degrees, dominate this cross-border movement. In the three years, 1,766 foreign students joined MBBS courses in Nepal. However, despite the growing interest, these seats are not fully occupied. This is particularly evident in other health disciplines like dental surgery, nursing, Ayurvedic medicine, public health, and pharmacy, where not a single foreign student enrolled in 2026, and even Nepali students did not fill all available spots.

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the figure of students approved to go abroad should not be read as the actual number who left Nepal, because not everyone who receives approval necessarily travels abroad for study.

India stands out as both the largest source of international medical students in Nepal and the top destination for Nepalis studying abroad. Nearly half of the Nepali students approved for overseas medical education, from undergraduate to doctoral levels, chose India. Factors like Nepal's recognition of India's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the open border facilitate this flow. Bangladesh is the second most popular destination, followed by Australia, China, the Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

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India is more accessible because of the open border and the ease of travel between the two countries.