The European Union (EU) has awarded full scholarships to 33 Nepali students, 17 women and 16 men, to pursue two-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degrees in Europe, beginning in the 2025/2026 academic year. With this latest cohort, over 800 Nepali students have now benefited from Erasmus+ scholarships to date.

The prestigious scholarship enables recipients to study at multiple universities across Europe, offering them the opportunity to learn in a multicultural and academically enriching environment. The fully funded award covers tuition fees, airfare, and a monthly stipend, allowing scholars to focus entirely on their academic journey without financial concerns.

Awarded by the European Union, the Erasmus Mundus scholarships reflect the EU’s ongoing commitment to promoting educational opportunity, academic excellence, and international collaboration.

On 16 July, the Delegation of the European Union to Nepal, in partnership with the Erasmus Mundus Association Nepal, hosted a pre-departure orientation for the new scholarship recipients. Welcoming the students, the EU Ambassador to Nepal, Veronique Lorenzo, said,

“Today marks the beginning of an amazing journey filled with learning, growth, and boundless opportunities; all made possible through the Erasmus scholarship.”

She added, “The Erasmus scholarship goes well beyond financial support and academic achievement. Its true value lies in creating bridges between people from different countries, sharing experiences, and forging strong ties of friendship between Europe and Nepal.”

The Ambassador encouraged the scholars to return to Nepal upon completion of their studies.

This year’s 33 Nepali recipients will pursue Master’s degrees in a wide range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, engineering, agriculture, biology, flood risk management and food technology.

At the pre-departure orientation, alumni of the Erasmus+ programme shared their personal experiences of studying in Europe. This peer-to-peer exchange aims to guide and support the new scholars as they prepare for their journey. Many Erasmus alumni have made notable contributions to Nepal’s social and economic sectors.

For example, Sumeera Shrestha, who completed her Master’s in 2012, has gone on to lead prominent organisations working in women and child rights. She currently serves as Country Director for the Childaid Network Foundation in Nepal, where she focuses on improving access to quality education for children.

Similarly, Aditya Mishra, a graduate in Agriculture and Forestry, returned to Nepal to work as a Research Assistant at Kathmandu University. Reflecting on his experience, he said, “The greatest things I gained from the Erasmus journey were skilful communication, exposure to the academic world, and a strong professional network in my field of interest.”

Representatives from the Embassies of EU Member States based in Kathmandu and New Delhi attended the orientation event, held at the EU Delegation office.

The Erasmus+ programme is the European Union’s flagship initiative supporting education, training, youth, and sport both within Europe and globally. By enabling students from diverse backgrounds to access high-quality education in international settings, the programme contributes significantly to personal development, academic growth, and the creation of lifelong professional networks.

The European Union has supported Nepal’s education sector for over two decades. Access to quality education remains a core EU priority. Through its Quality Education for All programme, the EU is supporting the Government of Nepal’s School Education Sector Plan (2022–2032) with a contribution of approximately €50 million this year.

According to a press release issued by Delegation of the European Union to Nepal, this support includes budget support and technical assistance focused on improving school-level learning, with a particular focus on girls’ education. The programme aims to develop a well-educated and skilled population capable of contributing meaningfully to the country’s socio-economic development.