Nepal has a rich educational history, with the formal establishment of universities beginning with Tribhuvan University in 1959 (2016 BS). The roots of modern education in Nepal trace back to the founding of Darbar High School in 1854 AD. Although various traditional schools existed before this, education was primarily reserved for the elite and those in power. The push for modern education gained momentum when Jung Bahadur Rana, inspired by his visit to Europe, recognized the need for English schools in Nepal and established Darbar High School. However, due to the autocratic government and the concentration of power, education remained inaccessible to the general population for a long time.
List of Universities in Nepal
Nepal has 17 universities, split between national and provincial levels, with 11 national universities and 6 provincial ones. Tribhuvan University was the first university in Nepal. As the country’s regions changed, universities were set up to match these changes. Since adopting federalism, new provincial universities have been established, providing more opportunities for higher education. Recently, many new universities with different areas of focus have opened in Nepal.
Universities in Nepal have made a great contribution to higher education. Universities of various faculties are operating in Nepal from east to west. Especially in Nepal, studies are conducted in the faculties of management, humanities, agriculture, forestry, technical subjects, engineering, medicine etc. Various universities have run their own campuses. Similarly, universities have also given affiliation to various private campuses. This has helped to make university education accessible to everyone.
List of National Universities in Nepal
| S.N. | University Name | Address | Establish (AD) | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tribhuvan University | Kritipur, Kathmandu | 1959 | info@tu.edu.np | https://tu.edu.np/ |
| 2 | Kathmandu University | Dhulikhel, Kavre | 1991 | info@ku.edu.np | https://ku.edu.np/ |
| 3 | Nepal Sanskrit University | Beljhundi, Dang | 1986 | info@nsu.edu.np | http://nsu.edu.np/ |
| 4 | Purbanchal University | Biratnagar, Morang | 1993 | https://puexam.edu.np/ | |
| 5 | Pokhara University | Pokhara, Kaski | 1997 | info@pu.edu.np | https://pu.edu.np/ |
| 6 | Lumbini Bouddha University | Lumbini, Rupandehi | 2004 | info@lbu.edu.np | https://lbu.edu.np/ |
| 7 | Sudurpaschim University | Bhimdatta, Kanchanpur | 2010 | info@fwu.edu.np | https://www.fwu.edu.np/ |
| 8 | Madhyapaschim University | Birendranagar, Surkhet | 2010 | INFO@MU.EDU.NP | http://www.mwu.edu.np/ |
| 9 | Agriculture and Forestry University | Rampur, Chitwan | 2010 | info@afu.edu.np | https://afu.edu.np/ |
| 10 | Nepal Open University | Man Bhawan | 2016 | info@nou.edu.np | https://nou.edu.np/ |
| 11 | Rajarshi Janak University | Janakpur, Dhanusha | 2017 | https://www.rju.edu.np/ |
List of Provincial Universities in Nepal
| S.N. | University Name | Address / Province | Establish (AD) | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manmohan Technical University | Budiganga, Morang / Koshi | 2019 | https://www.mtu.edu.np/ | info@mtu.edu.np |
| 2 | Gandaki University | Pokhara, Kaski / Gandaki | 2019 | https://www.gandakiuniversity.edu.np/ | info@gandakiuniversity.edu.np |
| 3 | Madhesh Agriculture University | Rajbiraj, Saptari / Madesh | 2021 | https://mau.edu.np/ | mau@mau.edu.np |
| 4 | Madhesh University | Birgunj, Parsa / Madesh | 2022 | http://madeshuniversity.edu.np/ | hello@mu.edu.np |
| 5 | Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology | Chitlang, Makawanpur / Bagmati | 2022 | https://www.mbust.edu.np/ | info@mbust.edu.np |
| 6 | Lumbini Technological University | Raniyapur, Banke / Limbini | 2022 | https://ltu.edu.np/ | info@ltu.edu.np |
There are currently 17 universities in Nepal, both nationally and regionally. Where there is education from the simple to the technical side. These universities have been contributing to Nepal's higher education.
Nepalese Universities Ranking in 2023
According to the report published by The World University Ranking on 27 September 2023, the No. 1 university in Nepal is Tribhuvan University. TU is ranked 1201 in the world.
Similarly, According to the report published by Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities on 31 July 2023, Kathmandu University is the No. 1 university in Nepal. KU is ranked 2833 position in the world. According to the same report, Tribhuwan University is in No. 2 in a row. TU is ranked 9078 position in the world.
According to the report published by THE Asia University Ranking on 22 June 2023, Tribhuvan University is the No. 1 Univeristy in Nepal. and, TU is in 251 position in Asia.
Reports published by various organizations like Scimago Institutions Rankings, US News: Best Global Universities, URAP World Ranking - University Ranking by Academic Performance, and THE China Subject Ratings Overall, Tribhuvan University is the number one University in Nepal.
Top Five Universities of Nepal in 2023/24
There are many organizations that check university rankings around the world. Those institutions determine their own boundaries and rank the universities around the world. Since ranking is done using different criteria, even the same university is ranked differently. We have taken the report of EduRank organization here.
According to the EduRank Organization, the ranking of top 5 universities of Nepal are given below:
| University Name | National Rank | Asia Rank | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tribhuvan University | 1 | 560 | 1921 |
| Kathmandu University | 2 | 1403 | 4113 |
| Pokhara University | 3 | 1966 | 5407 |
| Agriculture and Forestry University | 4 | 2375 | 6340 |
| Purbanchal University | 5 | 2627 | 6871 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people ask the question regarding University in Nepal, which presents as a FAQs.
How many universities are there in Nepal?
There are currently 17 universities operating in Nepal, including 11 national and 6 provincial universities.
Which is the number one university in Nepal?
Tribhuvan University is the number one university in Nepal. It is established in 2016 BS.
