List of universities in Nepal
Formal higher learning in Nepal began with the establishment of Tri-Chandra College in 1918, Nepal's first college. Until 1985,Tribhuvan University was its first and only university. The second university to be founded was Nepal Sanskrit University, which was soon followed by Kathmandu University in 1990, and Purbanchal and Pokhara Universities in 1995 and 1996, respectively.
Federal Universities
Federal universities in Nepal are public institutions established and funded by the central government, operating with a national mandate to provide higher education across various disciplines.
The following table lists the sixteenth Federal universities as of 2025, including key details verified from official sources:
| No. | University[1] | Acronym | Established | Location | Province | Constituent Campus | Student Enrollment | Ph.D. granting | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | ||||||||||
| 1. | Tribhuvan University | TU | 1959 | Kathmandu (Kirtipur) | Bagmati | 62 | 322,540 | Yes | link | |
| 2. | Kathmandu University | KU | 1991 | Dhulikhel | Bagmati | 9 | 21000 | Yes | link | |
| 3. | Purbanchal University | PU | 1993 | Sundar Haraicha(Gothgaun) | Koshi | 7 | 30,128 | Yes | link | |
| 4. | Pokhara University | PoU | 1997 | Pokhara | Gandaki | 4 | 35240 | Yes | link | |
| 5. | Sudurpaschim University | SPU or FWU | 2010 | Bhimdatta (Mahendranagar) | Sudurpashchim | 15[2] | 17268 | No | link | |
| 6. | Madhyapaschim University | MU | 2010 | Birendranagar | Karnali | 15[3] | 13000 | Yes | link | |
| 7. | Rajarshi Janak University | RJU | 2017 | Janakpur | Madhesh | 4 | 750 | No | link | |
| 8. | University of Nepal[4][5][6][7][8] | UoN | 2024 | Gaindakot | Gandaki | 0 | 0 | link | ||
| Off-campus | ||||||||||
| 9. | Nepal Open University | NOU | 2016 | Lalitpur | Bagmati | 1 | 593 | Yes | link | |
| Agricultural and Foresty | ||||||||||
| 10. | Agriculture and Forestry University | AFU | 2010 | Bharatpur (Rampur) | Bagmati | 8 | 1,978 | Yes | link | |
| Science and technology | ||||||||||
| 11. | Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology[9] | MBUST | 2022 | Makwanpur (Chitlang) | Bagmati | 0 | 0 | Yes | link | |
| Sanskrit | ||||||||||
| 12. | Nepal Sanskrit University | NSU | 1986 | Dang (Beljhundi) | Lumbini | 14 | 3,742 | Yes | link | |
| Buddhist | ||||||||||
| 13. | Lumbini Bouddha University | LBU | 2004 | Rupandehi | Lumbini | 3 | 2050 | Yes | link | |
| Medical | ||||||||||
| 14. | Martyr Dashrath Chand Health Science University[10] | MDCHSU | 2026 A.D. (2082 B.S.) | Godawari-05, Geta, Kailali | Sudurpashchim | 1 | 0 | link | ||
| 15. | Yogamaya Ayurveda University | YAU | 2025 | Arun Valley, Sankhuwasabha | Koshi Province | 0 | 0 | link | ||
| Defence/Military | ||||||||||
| 16. | National Defense University (Nepali: राष्ट्रिय रक्षा विश्वविद्यालय) | NDU | Purposed | Banepa (Samga) | Bagmati | |||||
Provincial universities
Provincial universities in Nepal emerged following the promulgation of the 2015 Constitution, which empowered provincial governments to establish higher education institutions tailored to regional development needs, such as technical skills, agriculture, and local governance. These universities receive primary funding from provincial budgets, supplemented by minimal national allocations, enabling them to focus on addressing localized educational gaps amid Nepal's federal restructuring. As of 2025, six provincial universities operate, all founded since 2019, marking a rapid expansion in decentralized higher education; however, operational challenges persist for recently established ones, including limited infrastructure and enrollment. None of these institutions currently hold PhD-granting authority, prioritizing undergraduate and emerging graduate programs instead.
The following table lists the six Provincial universities as of 2025, including key details verified from official sources:
| No. | University[1] | Acronym | Established | Location | Province | Constituent Campus | Student Enrollment | Ph.D. granting | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Manmohan Technical University | MTU | 2019 | Morang (Budiganga) | Koshi | 0 | 576 | No | link |
| 2. | Gandaki University | GU | 2019 | Pokhara | Gandaki | No | link | ||
| 3. | Madhesh Agriculture University | MAU | 2021 | Saptari (Rajbiraj) | Madhesh | No | link | ||
| 4. | Madhesh University[11][12] | MU | 2022 | Birgunj | Madhesh | No | link | ||
| 5. | Lumbini Technological University[13] | LTU | 2022 | Banke (Khajura) | Lumbini | No | link | ||
| 6. | Bagmati University | BU | 2024 | Hetauda | Bagmati | No | link |
Autonomous Medical Institute
The following table lists the nine autonomous medical institutes as of 2025, including key details verified from official sources:
Universities by state and type
The table below is correct as of 20 February 2025.
| State | Central universities |
Province universities |
Deemed universities |
Private universities |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koshi Province (list) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Madhesh Province (list) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
| Bagmati Province (list) | 5 | 1 | 3 | 9 | |
| Gandaki Province (list) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Lumbini Province (list) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Karnali Province (list) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sudurpashchim Province (list) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Total | 14 | 6 | 8 | 28 |
Proposed University
- Mountain University of Science and Technology[14] in Jumla District[15].
- Tilganga Eye University (or simply Eye University)[16][17] in Tilganga, Kathmandu.
- Pashupati Hindu University[18] in Kathmandu District.
- Karnali Technical University[19] in Surkhet District.
- Khwopa University[20] in Bhaktapur District.
See also
- Education in Nepal
- List of schools in Nepal
- List of colleges in Nepal
- List of forestry colleges in Nepal
- List of engineering colleges in Nepal
- List of medical colleges in Nepal
- University Grants Commission
References
- ^ a b c "University Grants Commission Nepal". www.ugcnepal.edu.np.
- ^ "Page | FWU - Multi Campus Management Information System". www.fwu.edu.np. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Campuses – MID-WEST UNIVERSITY". Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "University of Nepal Development Board". 20 December 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Deck cleared to set up University of Nepal". 11 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 December 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Dr Arjun Karki appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Nepal University". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "नेपाल विश्वविद्यालयको उपकुलपतिमा कार्की र रजिस्ट्रारमा आचार्य". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "नेपाल विश्वविद्यालयको औपचारिक घोषणा". www.ratopati.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "MBUST -Madan Bhandari University". 20 December 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Geta Medical College Conversion into University Secured Through New Bill Passage". 15 October 2023. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Madhesh University". 20 December 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Madhesh University Act, 2079". mowcys.p2.gov.np.
- ^ "Lumbini Technological University". 20 December 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Mountain University Planned In Karnali".
- ^ https://tilapress.com/?p=3866
- ^ "Bill to make Tilganga Eye Hospital a University". ekantipur.com.
- ^ https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/66639#:~:text=Tilganga%20Eye%20University%20Bill%20sent%20to%20concerned%20committee%20for%20clause%2Dwise%20discussion,-TRN%20Online&text=Kathmandu%2C%20Aug%2012:%20The%20House,at%20the%20age%20of%2074.&text=How%20did%20you%20feel%20after%20reading%20this%20news?
- ^ "Shri Pashupati Hindu University will be established in Kathmandu". April 17, 2023.
- ^ https://www.undp.org/nepal/news/state-art-technical-university-planned-surkhet#:~:text=Technical%2Dvocational%20education%20and%20training,three%20areas%2C%22%20he%20said.
- ^ https://www.collegenp.com/news/education-minister-rai-prioritizes-khwopa-university-bill