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.
Types of University Federal University 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. There are altogether sixteen federal universities operating in Nepal.
Provincial University 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.
List of Universities The following table lists the sixteen Federal universities and six Provincial universities as of 2026, including key details verified from official sources:
No.University NepaliAcronymEstablishedLocationProvinceConstituent CampusStudent EnrollmentPh.D. grantingWebsite FEDERAL UNIVERSITIESGeneral1.Tribhuvan Universityत्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयTU1959Kathmandu (Kirtipur)Bagmati64322,540 Yeslink2.Kathmandu Universityकाठमाडौँ विश्वविद्यालयKU1991DhulikhelBagmati921000Yeslink3.Purbanchal Universityपूर्वाञ्चल विश्वविद्यालयPU1993Sundar Haraicha(Gothgaun)Koshi730,128Yeslink4.Pokhara Universityपोखरा विश्वविद्यालयPoU1997PokharaGandaki435240 Yeslink5.Sudurpaschim Universityसुदूरपश्चिम विश्वविद्यालयSPU or FWU2010Bhimdatta (Mahendranagar)Sudurpashchim1517268Nolink6.Madhyapaschim Universityमध्यपश्चिम विश्वविद्यालयMU2010BirendranagarKarnali1513000Yeslink7.Rajarshi Janak Universityराजर्षि जनक विश्वविद्यालयRJU2017JanakpurMadhesh4750Nolink8.University of Nepalनेपाल विश्वविद्यालयUoN2024GaindakotGandaki00linkOff-campus9.Nepal Open Universityनेपाल खुला विश्वविद्यालयNOU2016LalitpurBagmati1593YeslinkAgricultural and Foresty10.Agriculture and Forestry Universityकृषि तथा वन विश्वविद्यालयAFU2010Bharatpur (Rampur)Bagmati81,978YeslinkScience and Technology11.Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technologyमदन भण्डारी विज्ञान तथा प्रविधि विश्वविद्यालयMBUST2022Makwanpur (Chitlang)Bagmati00YeslinkSanskrit12.Nepal Sanskrit Universityनेपाल संस्कृत विश्वविद्यालयNSU1986 Dang (Beljhundi) Lumbini143,742Yeslink Buddhist13.Lumbini Buddhist Universityलुम्बिनी बौद्ध विश्वविद्यालयLBU2004RupandehiLumbini32050YeslinkMedical14.Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Scienceशहीद दशरथ चन्द स्वास्थ्य विज्ञान विश्वविद्यालयMDCUSH 2026 A.D. (2082 B.S.) Godawari-05, Geta, Kailali Sudurpashchim 1 0link15.Yogamaya Ayurveda Universityयोगमाया आयुर्वेद विश्वविद्यालयYAU2025Arun Valley, SankhuwasabhaKoshi Province00linkDefence/Military16.National Defense Universityराष्ट्रिय रक्षा विश्वविद्यालयNDUProposedBanepa (Sanga)Bagmatilink PROVINCIAL UNIVERSITIES17.Manmohan Technical Universityमनमोहन प्राविधिक विश्वविद्यालयMTU2019 Morang (Budiganga)Koshi 0 576 No link18.Gandaki Universityगण्डकी विश्वविद्यालयGU2019PokharaGandaki Nolink19.Madhesh Agricultural Universityमधेश कृषि विश्वविद्यालयMAU2021Saptari (Rajbiraj)Madhesh Nolink20.Madhesh Universityमधेश विश्वविद्यालयMU 2022 Birgunj Madhesh No link21.Lumbini Technological Universityलुम्बिनी प्राविधिक विश्वविद्यालयLTU2022 Banke (Khajura) Lumbini Nolink22. Bagmati Universityबागमती विश्वविद्यालयBU 2024 Hetauda Bagmati Nolink
Autonomous Medical Institutes
The following table lists the autonomous medical institutes in Nepal as of 2025, including key details verified from official sources:
No.InstituteAcronymEstablishedLocationProvinceConstituent CampusStudent EnrollmentPh.D. grantingWebsite FEDERAL AUTONOMOUS MEDICAL INSTITUTES1.National Academy of Medical Sciences()NAMS1993Kathmandu (Mahaboudha)BagmatiNolink2.B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences()BPKIHS1998DharanKoshiYeslink3.Patan Academy of Health Sciences()PAHS2008PatanBagmatiNolink4.Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences()NAIHS2010KathmanduBagmatiNolink5.Karnali Academy of Health Sciences()KAHS2011JumlaKarnaliNolink6.Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences()PoAHS2016PokharaGandakiNolink7.Rapti Academy of Health Sciences()RAHS2017GhorahiLumbiniNolink PROVINCIAL AUTONOMOUS MEDICAL INSTITUTES8.Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences()MBAHS2018HetaudaBagmatiNolink9.Madhesh Institute of Health Sciences()MIHS2021JanakpurMadheshNolink
Universities by province and type The table below is correct . State Centraluniversities Provinceuniversities Deemeduniversities Privateuniversities Total Koshi Province (list) 2 1 1 4 Madhesh Province (list) 1 2 1 4 Bagmati Province (list) 6 1 4 11 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 16 6 9 31
Proposed University Mountain University of Science and Technology in Jumla District. Tilganga Eye University (or simply Eye University) in Tilganga, Kathmandu. Pashupati Hindu University in Kathmandu District. Karnali Technical University in Surkhet District. Khwopa University in Bhaktapur District.
Rankings of universities
Webometrics rankings 2023 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities for Nepalese universities are listed below. University2023 (January edition) 2018 (July edition) 2016 (July edition) 2015 (July edition)CountryuniversityrankChange in rank from previous yearWorldrankChange from previous year Countryuniversityrank Change in rank from previous year Worldrank Change from previous year Countryuniversityrank Change in rank from previous year Worldrank Change from previous year Countryuniversityrank Change in rank from previous year Worldrank Change from previous year Last Updated according to Webometrics Ranking of World Universities
Colleges
This section is for higher education colleges offering degree courses but which are not universities in their own right. Bagiswori College, Bhaktapur
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