Nepal is known for its incredible natural wonders and its rich culture. This country is full of mountainous regions that include many of the tallest mountains in the world, like Mt. Everest. This is why it is a popular destination for those who enjoy adventurous sports. It is also the place where Buddha was born, so the number of temples and different religions that coexist within its borders is very high. But if we set all of this aside, have ever considered studying at a university in Nepal? In this article, we will be looking at the cheapest universities in Nepal.

Although the first higher education institution in Nepal was originally opened in 1919, universities only started to appear until the decade of the 50s, after democracy was established. There currently are around 10 universities and over 60 colleges and schools.

Does Nepal Have Good Universities for International Universities?

The answer will depend on your chosen university in Nepal and you need to consider some factors. Generally speaking, Nepal’s curriculum and educational system is continuously growing. This shows that they aim to keep up with the evolving global education. They try to keep up with modernization. For the rankings, there are only 2 universities in the country that have global positions. If you’re after the medium of instruction, it might be hard to find English-taught courses because they are very limited.

Does Nepal Offer Scholarships to International Students?

Yes, but they are very limited. Some scholarships here are made for a specific nationality and if it’s academic-based, it’s very competitive. On the other side, Nepal have cheap universities for international students. If you don’t have a scholarship, you can consider entering a cheap university.

In the article below, we listed the cheapest universities you can find in Nepal. Make sure to read more!

Check Also: Available Programs for International Students

The Higher Education System in Nepal

Nepal’s higher education system started slow but after the 1950s, it rapidly grew and change.

Even if there are around 10 universities, each of them has its own institutes for the faculties. This way, faculties manage their own admission procedures, and tuition fees, and even have separate websites. There are also many colleges and schools. The majority of them specialize in one specific area. You’ll notice that most colleges concentrate on either engineering, medicine, or management.

Bachelor’s degree programs last for three years, except for certain majors like engineering or medicine, which last from 4 to 5 years. Master’s degree programs last for two years. Two more degrees are also available: the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Admission Process at Universities in Nepal

When students graduate from high school, they have to take an exam to obtain the School Leaving Certificate (SLC). It is similar to the GCSE that schools have in England.

Besides asking for this (or an equivalent in the case of international students), the admission process at many universities includes entrance exams and interviews. Interviews are usually the only extra step for international students, but for some faculties, like engineering, it is possible that you’ll have to take more than one exam to be admitted.

The admission process in every university in Nepal may differ from each other, so make sure to check the university’s admission.

Tuition fees at universities in Nepal

Some universities in Nepal can be very, very expensive. Tuition fees may go up to 40,000 USD for local students. And international students are usually charged two times that, having to pay 80,000 USD per year.

One of the reasons why this happens is that many universities have very modern facilities and are constantly incorporating new buildings and centers. Also, they usually include extra things on the costs, like giving expensive laptops to students. This is especially true for technical majors.

We know that not everybody has that much money to study abroad, so we will include much cheaper universities in Nepal on our list.

Language of Instruction at Universities in Nepal

Most degree programs at universities in Nepal are taught in Nepali, which is the official language of the country. You will be warmly welcomed at their language programs in case you want to take the challenge and learn the language before starting your major.

Fortunately, many private colleges offer programs in English and there are international campuses of foreign universities in Nepal that also give the option of studying in English. Although it may depend on your degree, and program.

Living Costs in Nepal

The Nepalese Rupee (NPR) is the country’s official currency. 10,000 NPR is around 86 USD. You may also hear the word “lakh”, which is a unit that represents one hundred thousand. It is written “1,00,000”. This means that 2 lakhs are 200,000 NPR or 2,00,000.

Renting a one-bedroom apartment can cost around 150 USD per month. This will vary depending on whether you go to the city or the mountains. However, most universities have dormitories or student hostels available.

You’ll spend around 15 USD per month on transportation if you don’t take taxis. As for food, between 100 USD and 150 USD will do the job. If you decided to go out, there are affordable and generous options that cost between 3 USD to 10 USD.

Cheap Universities in Nepal

1. Kantipur Engineering College (KEC)

Kantipur Engineering College (KEC) is a private institution that was established in 1998. It is the 17th best higher education institution in Nepal according to the Webometrics ranking. Its campus is located in the Latipur district.

KAC has three departments that offer bachelor’s degree programs. These are computers and electronic engineering, civil engineering, and sciences and humanities engineering. Each department has its own club.

This cheap university in Nepal organizes different exhibitions and conferences each year, and they are partnered with universities in Asia and Europe.

This college is affiliated with Tribhuvan University, which is the biggest and main university in Nepal. That’s why those who want to study at KEC have to take the entrance exam of the Institute of Engineering (IOE) that belongs to this university.

International students are chosen by a special committee. To learn more about admissions, click here and here. You’ll have to contact them to learn more about tuition fees, but in previous years, they have charged between 3,000 USD and 6,000 USD.

2. The British College (TBC)

Established less than 10 years ago, in 2012, The British College (TBC) is a higher institution that offers bachelor and master degrees that are accredited in both Nepal and the U.K.

Degrees offered at TBC are granted in affiliation with Leeds Beckett University and the University of West England (UWE).

Bachelor programs available are business and management, hospitality business management, and computing. Master’s degree programs are in business administration (executive and graduate modalities) and international business management.

This cheap university in Nepal also offers other short courses to prepare students for English proficiency tests like PTE or IELTS, or to obtain accounting certificates.

TBC offers accommodation for students. The monthly rent is 20,000 NPR (around 175 USD) if you choose the vegetarian meal package and 21,000 NPR (around 182 USD) if you choose the non-vegetarian package. This includes three meals a day and services.

Applications are done online by submitting a form and the required documents. Tuition fees here usually go from 7,000 USD to 13,000 USD. However, this will depend on your country of origin. If you are from a country that belongs to SAARC, you will be charged 25% more than local students. For the rest of the international students, fees increase by 50%.

3. Ace Institute of Management (ACE)

Established 20 years ago, the Ace Institute of Management (ACE) is a private institution that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs.

It offers two bachelor’s degree programs in business administration and business administration for banking and insurance. There’s a master’s in business administration and an executive master’s in business administration. There’s also an MBA for those who study and work at the same time, with schedules during the evening and a more flexible curriculum.

Some of the degree programs require doing an internship, choosing a specialization path, and/or completing a project. They are taught in English.

It has a research center that organizes and participates in conferences and regularly publishes projects they develop.

As it happens with KEC, ACE is affiliated with Pokhara University. Students that wish to study at ACE must take the Centralized Management Admission Test. After that, students that passed the test will have to go to an interview at ACE. Learn more at their admissions section.

4. Islington College

Islington College is a cheap university in Nepal that was founded in 1996 and specializes in the fields of business and technology.

In the area of technology, it offers bachelor’s degrees in computing, multimedia technologies, and computer networking & IT security, and a master’s degree in IT and applied security.

In the business area, it offers bachelor degrees in business administration (BBA) with international business. There’s also a finance BBA, a marketing BBA, and a master’s in business administration.

Admissions consist of submitting the required documents. An admissions committee will review all applications and choose accepted students. You’ll have to pay an application fee.

To get details about tuition fees, you’ll have to directly contact Islington College. In general, fees are usually 1,000,000 NPR (around 8,700 USD) approximately.

5. Khwopa Engineering College (KhEC)

Founded less than 20 years ago, in 2001, Khwopa Engineering College (KhEC) is located in the ancient area of Bhaktapur. It is the first community college in Nepal that specializes in the area of engineering.

This affordable university in Nepal has seven departments of computer engineering, electronics and communication engineering, urban design and conservation, science and humanities, computer engineering, civil engineering, earthquake engineering, and architecture.

KhEC has a research center with its own journal that develops projects in the areas of communication, computer, electronics, and civil engineering, and architecture.

An interesting aspect of KhEC is that all students must wear uniforms.

KhEC is affiliated with Purbanchal University. That’s why admissions are done through the entrance exam of that university. Students must submit the application form and then take the exam. Those who pass it and are eligible for admission will have to attend an interview.

Do not confuse KhEC with the Khwopa College of Engineering (KhCE). This is a different college that is partnered with Tribhuvan University.

Tuition fees depend on the major. They go from 275,000 NPR (around 2,380 USD) to 803,750 NPR (around 7,000 USD). Check their FAQ section and contact them to learn more.

6. Xavier International College

Established 18 years ago, Xavier International College is located in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. It is a higher institution that’s part of the Xavier International frame, which also has a school in Nepal, which provides secondary education.

This college offers bachelor’s degree programs in computer application, business management, business studies, microbiology, environmental sciences, and social work. They also offer a master’s degree in business studies.

Most of their programs at this affordable university in Nepal are offered in affiliation with Tribhuvan University. Depending on the major you choose, the duration varies between two and four years. Students here also wear uniforms.

As for admissions, applicants will have to take an entrance exam, and if eligible, they’ll have to attend an interview. To learn more about their programs, admissions, and tuition fees, download their prospectus and contact them.

7. Nepal Open University (NOU)

Nepal Open University (NOU) was opened just a few years ago, in 2016, and is the first of its kind in the country. It is located in one of the biggest cities in Nepal, Lalitpur.

It has three faculties of management and law, science health and technology, and social sciences and education. They offer both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It also has a research unit.

This university is part of Open Education Resource Universitas (OERu). This is a program made by the foundation of OER in New Zealand. Through this program, NOU students can study courses online at no cost.

Admissions depend on the program, which may only consist of submitting documents or include tests. Tuition fees also depend on the program. For example, for the master in business administration, credits cost 4,000 NPR (around 35 USD) each. Contact them to know more about admissions and fees for international students.

8. King’s College

King’s College was established 10 years ago with the objective of providing education focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical solution.

It offers bachelor’s degree programs in business administration with different specializations, like investment and economics or digital marketing. It also offers four different masters in business administration. Besides the classic MBA program, there are other three focused on entrepreneurship, agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

This cheap college in Nepal has other centers which include a social business center, an empowerment academy, a mentorship program, a research, and development unit, and a program to bring together companies and students.

In order to be admitted students have to write an essay, submit the required documents, and go to an interview. Different scholarships are given based on academic performance, economic needs, and participation in extra-curricular activities.

Get in touch with King’s College to learn more.

 

We hope that this article on cheap universities in Nepal was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

Share this article via

Leave A Comment