Medical education in Nepal is expensive at private colleges — MBBS fees at private institutions range from NPR 40 lakh to NPR 70 lakh for the full programme. But Nepal has a significant government scholarship system for medical education that most students don’t fully understand before appearing for CEE. This guide explains every scholarship pathway — domestic government seats, bilateral government scholarships, and reserved category options.
How Medical Scholarships Work in Nepal
There is no separate scholarship application for most medical scholarships in Nepal. Your CEE rank is your scholarship application. The Medical Education Commission (MEC) allocates scholarship seats across all programmes — MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, BPharm, BPH, and allied health sciences — purely based on your merit rank in the CEE. The higher you rank, the better college and programme you can access under scholarship.
MEC also manages bilateral government scholarships (from Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Russia) using the same CEE merit list — again, no separate application needed for these.
BSc Nursing Scholarships in Nepal
BSc Nursing has the largest scholarship seat allocation of any health sciences programme in Nepal.
- Total scholarship seats (2025): 711
- General category: 394 seats
- Reserved category: 317 seats
- Total BSc Nursing seats: 2,430 (scholarship seats are ~29% of total)
- Selection: Purely by CEE merit rank within each category
- Colleges offering scholarship seats: Colleges affiliated with TU, KU, Purbanchal University, and Pokhara University; and seven health science academies including PAHS, KAHS, BPKIHS, NAMS, and others
⚠️ Scholarship seats and their distribution across colleges change each year based on MEC’s seat allocation notice. Always check the official MEC seat allocation PDF published after CEE results at mec.gov.np.
Key government nursing colleges with scholarship seats
- Maharajgunj Nursing Campus (IOM, TU), Kathmandu — flagship government nursing college; majority of seats under scholarship
- Pokhara Nursing Campus (TU), Pokhara
- Biratnagar Nursing Campus (TU), Biratnagar
- NAMS (National Academy of Medical Sciences), Kathmandu
- PAHS (Patan Academy of Health Sciences), Lalitpur
- BPKIHS, Dharan
MBBS Scholarships in Nepal
- Total MBBS scholarship seats (2025): 691
- General category: 380 seats
- Reserved category: 311 seats
- Total MBBS seats: 2,635 (scholarship seats are ~26% of total)
- Colleges with scholarship seats: IOM (TU), KUSMS (KU), PAHS, KAHS, BPKIHS, MBAHS, and private colleges under government quota
IOM (Institute of Medicine), Maharajgunj — TU’s flagship
IOM has 76 total MBBS seats — 47 under scholarship and the remainder under paying and foreign categories. The most competitive MBBS scholarship seats in Nepal — top rankers in CEE nationally go here.
PAHS (Patan Academy of Health Sciences)
65 total MBBS seats: 10 full scholarship, 16 partial scholarship, 38 full paying, 1 PAHS staff child. PAHS has a strong community health focus and social mission-based selection for its full scholarship seats.
BPKIHS, Dharan
100 MBBS and 50 BDS seats under three categories: heavily subsidised, partially subsidised, and international fee scheme. Not purely merit-based — BPKIHS has its own selection criteria within the MEC framework.
BDS Scholarships in Nepal
- Selection via CEE merit rank — same process as MBBS
- Significantly fewer seats than MBBS — more competitive per seat in practice
- Check MEC seat allocation for current BDS scholarship quota
Other Allied Health Programme Scholarships (via CEE)
MEC allocates scholarship seats across all CEE programmes. Beyond MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing, scholarship seats exist for:
- BPharm (Pharmacy)
- BPH (Public Health)
- B.Sc. MLT (Medical Laboratory Technology)
- BPT (Physiotherapy)
- B.Sc. MIT (Medical Imaging Technology)
- BASLP (Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology)
The seat allocation for each programme is published by MEC after CEE results. Lower-competition programmes like BPH and B.Sc. MLT often have scholarship seats accessible at lower ranks than MBBS or BDS.
Reserved Category Scholarships — Who Qualifies
Approximately 45% of all government medical scholarship seats are reserved. If you fall into any of these categories, you compete in a separate merit pool — significantly improving your chances:
- Dalit
- Adibasi/Janajati (Indigenous groups)
- Madhesi
- Women (separate quota in some programmes)
- Persons with disabilities
- Students from government schools (Grades 6–10) — priority for government college scholarship seats
- Economically disadvantaged / remote districts
- Children of martyrs and conflict victims
⚠️ To qualify for reserved category scholarship seats at government colleges, you generally must have studied Grades 6–10 at a government school. Students from private schools can apply under the general category only at government colleges, and under any category at private colleges.
Bilateral Government Scholarships (Abroad MBBS)
Nepal receives MBBS and health sciences scholarship seats from several foreign governments each year. These are managed through MEC using the same CEE merit list — no separate entrance exam needed.
| Country | Programme | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan (PTAP) | MBBS, BDS, D. Pharmacy | Via MEC/MoEST — apply through MEC after CEE. 2024/25: 12 MBBS, 2 BDS, 6 D.Pharm seats |
| Bangladesh | MBBS | Via MEC using CEE merit list — MEC counselling process |
| China (CSC) | MBBS (in Chinese or English) | Via MEC and Chinese Embassy — large number of seats; separate Chinese Embassy application also possible |
| Egypt | MBBS | Via MEC merit list |
| Russia | MBBS | Via MEC merit list; programme taught in Russian (language training included) |
⚠️ Bilateral scholarships have important practical considerations:
- Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt: tuition-only scholarships — students pay living costs themselves
- China: varies by institution — some cover tuition only, some include stipend. Verify with the specific Chinese university before accepting
- Russia: medical degree recognition in Nepal requires passing the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) licensing exam after return — confirm current NMC recognition policy for your specific Russian university before enrolling
- PTAP (Pakistan) is covered in detail on EduNepal’s dedicated PTAP scholarship page
UGC Scholarships for Medical Students
The University Grants Commission (UGC) also provides scholarships for health sciences students from marginalised backgrounds — Dalit, disability, Mukta Kamlari, children of martyrs, and Muslim women. These are applied for through your enrolled institution after admission. Check ugcnepal.edu.np for current eligibility and application cycles.
How to Maximise Your Scholarship Chances
- Prepare seriously for CEE Biology. 90 of 200 questions are Biology — the single biggest leverage point for your rank. See the CEE guide for preparation strategy.
- Know your category before applying. If you qualify for a reserved category, register it correctly in your CEE application — you cannot change category after the exam.
- Government school alumni have an advantage. If you studied Grades 6–10 at a government school, you qualify for priority in government college scholarship seats. Ensure your government school certificate is ready before MEC counselling.
- Consider allied health programmes. A student who ranks just below the MBBS scholarship cutoff may comfortably qualify for a BPH or BSc Nursing scholarship seat — both lead to legitimate, in-demand health sector careers.
- For bilateral scholarships — verify NMC recognition. Before accepting any foreign MBBS scholarship, check whether Nepal Medical Council recognises that country’s medical degrees. An NMC-unrecognised MBBS degree cannot be used to practice medicine in Nepal.
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