4 Recommended Foreign Scholarships for Nepalese Students

Are you a Nepalese student who’s wishing to pursue higher education in or outside Nepal but have financial problems that hold you back from achieving your dreams? Or perhaps you just want your academic achievements to be recognized and are looking forward to receive some kind of a reward for your accomplishments by getting the chance to continue your studies without having to pay all or part of the study? Either way, you have come to the right page!

Below you will see some of the most generous scholarships for Nepalese students to study in Nepal and abroad. These scholarships are based on the Nepali government’s partnership with the governments of other countries. The scholarships are offered for various levels and fields of study. Find one that suits best for your needs!

1. San Diego Indian American Society – Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship in San Diego

The founding of San Diego Indian American Society is an attempt to memorialize Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to humankind and provide opportunity for students of San Diego County to learn about Gandhian principles, particularly non-violence, as a tool to settle social, political, religious and national conflicts.

The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Trust Fund offers scholarships to outstanding high school seniors. Applicants for the scholarship should write an essay on non-violence related topic. This is supplemented by GPA, SAT score, teachers’ recommendation, extent of community activities, personal essay and relative income of the student family. Each school recommends two or three outstanding students irrespective of national origin for the award.

The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship is open to all graduating seniors of San Diego county high school. Proximately 15 to 20 scholarships will be awarded (from $1,000 and above). Each student will receive a United States Congressional Certificate of Achievement. Selection for the scholarship is based on the essay on non-violence means for conflict resolution, academic excellence, and community involvement.

2. Indian Embassy Scholarship

The Government of India through the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, offers around 3,000 scholarships to Nepali nationals for undergoing various courses at the level of PhD, Master’s and Bachelor’s for study in India, and Bachelor’s and Class-XI for study in Nepal. These scholarships are provided for a wide spectrum of studies ranging from engineering, agriculture, pharmacology, computer application, business administration, music and fine arts, etc.

Bharat-Nepal Maitri Shiksha Karyakaram is a short-term course for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Nepal. The program was launched in 2014 to provide opportunities to the young minds to better understand different facets of life in India and India-Nepal relations and progress made by the country in various fields.

Below are the scholarship schemes of the Embassy of India, Kathmandu:

• • COMPEX Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for undergraduate courses in Engineering (BE), Pharmacy (B.Pharmacy), Agriculture (BSc-Agri), Dairy Technology (BSc-DT) and BSc (Nursing) in Indian universities and institutes. This scheme is announced tentatively in April or May. Notice of COMPEX Scholarship Scheme is advertised in local newspapers and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website.
  • AYUSH Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses in Ayurveda / Unani / Homeopathy system of medicines for study in Indian institutions. The scheme is announced tentatively in May or June every year. Notice is advertised in local newspapers and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website.
  • APS Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for School level courses starting from Class VI to IX and XI (boys and girls) in Army Public Schools (APS) in APS Pithoragarth (Uttarakhand), Class VI to IX (boys only) for APS Dhaula Kuan (Delhi), and Class VI to IX (girls only) for APS Noida (UP). The scheme is announced tentatively in January or February every year. Notification of submission of forms is put up on the Indian Embassy notice board.
  • General Scholarship Scheme (GSS): Scholarships for undergraduate courses in BBA, BCA, BA, BA (Hons), B.Sc., B.Com, and BA (Music / Performing Arts) in Indian universities or institutes. The scheme is announced tentatively in December or January every year. In this regard, a notice is put up on the notice board and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website nearer the time of opening of this scheme.
  • SAARC Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for BSc (Hospitality & Hotel Management) course in Indian institutions. This scheme is announced tentatively in December or January every year. In this regard, a notice is put up on the notice board and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website.
  • Silver Jubilee Scholarship Scheme (SJSS): Scholarships for Nepalese candidates for MBA, MCA, MA, MSc and PhD in all streams except Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine and Para-medical courses in Indian universities and institutions. The scheme is announced tentatively in December or January every year. Notices will be put up on the notice board and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website.
  • Homi J. Bhabha Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for Nepalese candidates in Master of Engineering (ME) course in Indian universities and institutes. The scheme is tentatively announced in December or January every year. Notices will be put up on the notification board and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website.
  • Nepal Aid Fund Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for Nepalese candidates in MSc (Agriculture) in Indian universities and institutions. This scheme is tentatively announced in December or January every year on the notice board and on the Embassy of India’s website nearer the time of opening of this scheme.
  • Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for Nepalese students enrolled in Class-XI in recognized colleges or schools in Nepal. The scholarship recipients will receive a scholarship of NRs. 2,000 per month in the first year of their studies. This will be continued in the second year provided that the recipient gets 50% or above grades in Class-XI. The scholarship will be discontinued if the percentage of grades obtained by the recipient fails below 50% in class XI or for any other reason that the Embassy may deem necessary. This scheme is tentatively announced in November or December every year on local newspapers and on the Embassy of India’s website.
  • Golden Jubilee Scholarship Scheme: Scholarships for students enrolled in Bachelor first year or first semester of undergraduate courses in recognized educational institutions in Nepal in the fields of medicines, engineering and other disciplines. Selected students in medical and engineering disciplines will receive a scholarship of NRs. 4,000 per month. The scholarship for students in other disciplines each amounts at NRs. 3,000 per month. The scholarship will be discontinued if the percentage of grades obtained by the scholarship recipient fails below 50% in each subsequent year of for any other reason that the Embassy may deem necessary. This scheme is tentatively announced in November or December every year. Announcements are made through local newspapers and uploaded on the Embassy of India’s website nearer the time of opening of this scheme.

3. USEF Nepal – Fulbright Scholarship Nepal

• • Opportunity Funds Program: Established to make U.S. higher education more accessible to non-elite international students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This program is targeted toward students with excellent academic records and high chances of being awarded full funding from U.S. colleges and universities. Only students with demonstrated financial need – those who cannot afford to pay the up-front costs of applying to U.S. colleges – are eligible for the Opportunity Funds Program.

Students selected for the Opportunity Funds Program will be supported for the following expenses incurred while applying to U.S. colleges or universities:

• • • TOEFL and SAT/ACT registration fees
    • College and university application fees
    • Postage / courier fees for dispatching college and university applications
    • S. student visa fees and SEVIS fees
    • Travel to a testing center or U.S. Embassy (for students from outside the Kathmandu Valley).

The Opportunity Funds Program supports students applying to enroll in the undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree at an accredited U.S. college or university. The program does not support transfer students or students applying at the graduate (i.e. Master’s or PhD) level. Eligible students should be applying to enroll at a U.S. institution in the Fall 2020 semester.

• • Global Undergraduate Exchange Fellowship (UGRAD): Provides one-semester scholarships to undergraduate students from underrepresented sectors of East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, the Near East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere for non-degree, full-time study in the United States. Students will study at accredited two and four-year U.S. institutions of higher education, receive intensive English language instruction if needed, and engage in community service, professional development workshops, and cultural enrichment activities.

All academic fields of study are eligible. Per J-1 visa regulations, interested applicants in medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacology or other clinical fields of study, should be made aware that direct patient care, including animal care, is not permitted, and therefore academic coursework and/or program activities at participating U.S. institutions may be limited.

If selected, the Global UGRAD Program will cover a participant’s:

• • • J-1 visa support
    • Round-trip coach class travel from participant’s home city to host institution in the United States
    • Health benefits
    • Tuition and mandatory university fees (including required books and supplies)
    • Room and board (housing and meals)
    • Settling in allowance
    • Monthly maintenance allowance
    • Other special allowances where applicable

• • Fulbright Foreign Student Fellowship (Master’s Level Award): Grants of a maximum of two-year duration are awarded to Nepali students in any field except Medicine to pursue Master’s degrees in the United States. Each year the Nepal Fulbright Commission awards from four to six such scholarships to Nepali students through a nationwide competition.

The Fulbright master’s level grant provides all expenses (including travel) for up to two years study at selected U.S. universities. The call for applications opens in February of each year.

• • Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program for Nepali Post-Doctoral Researchers and Senior Artists: 1 to 2 grants annually offered either to Nepali academics who wish to conduct post-doctoral research at U.S. universities or to senior Nepali artists who wish to conduct art-related projects in a U.S. university or cultural institution. The grant are usually for nine months of residence in the U.S. Announcements are generally made in August.

4. MEXT Scholarship Nepal

The Government of Japan offers scholarships for postgraduate / research students, undergraduate students and specialized training college students under the Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship Program.

• • Postgraduate / Research Students: Extendable two-years scholarships for studies in the fields of:
    • Humanities and Social Sciences: Literature, History, Aesthetics, Laws, Politics, Economics, Commerce, Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology, Music, Fine Arts, etc.
    • Natural Sciences: Pure Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Fisheries, Pharmacology, Medicine, Dentistry, Home Economics, etc.
  • Undergraduate Students: Five-year scholarships (seven years for medical / veterinary including one-year preparatory education in Japanese language and other subjects) for studies in the following fields:
    • Humanities and Social Sciences: Laws, Politics, Pedagogy, Sociology, Literature, History, Japanese language, Economics and Business Administration
    • Natural Sciences: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Electric and Electronic Studies, Mechanical Studies, Architecture, Chemical Studies, Agricultural Studies, Hygienic Studies, Science, Medicine, Dentistry, etc.
  • Specialized Training college Students: Three-year scholarships including one-year preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects, for studies in the fields of Technology, Personal Care and Nutrition, Education and Welfare, Business, Fashion and Home Economics, Culture and general Education.