Although the number of students from Nepal’s two neighbors India and China is decreasing in American universities, Nepali students are one of the fastest growing international student population studying at colleges and universities in the United States.

The report is released annually by the Institute of International Education and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and examines trends related to international students studying in the United States.

The 2017 Open Doors Report showed a 20% increase of Nepali students enrolled in the U.S. higher education institutions, totaling 11,607 students. Nepal is now 12th among the top 25 countries for both undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S. and posted the highest growth among the top 25 for undergraduate students at 42.4%.  The United States currently hosts a record high number of 1.08 million international students.

“Every year, Nepali students travel to the United States to take advantage of outstanding opportunities for educational and professional development through hard work, thoughtful consideration about what course of study to pursue, careful financial planning, and an academic record that reflects good grades and test scores,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Michael Gonzales.

The release of the new Open Doors data marks the success of academically qualified Nepali students, who pursued U.S. higher education through qualified advising centers like the Education USA office at the United States Education Foundation.

The report also marks the celebration of International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, designed to attract future leaders from other countries to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States.  In support of IEW 2017, this week the U.S. Embassy’s partner organizations and American Spaces will host ‘Get Inspired’ programs featuring Nepali alumni of U.S. universities.  The Embassy will also host webinars, Facebook live sessions and an online college fair for students from underserved regions, who do not have direct access to our educational services in Kathmandu.