Kathmandu (Pahichan) November 15 – According to the 2018 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange data released by IIE and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the number of Nepali students studying in the United States has increased by 14.3 percent over the prior year. The report shows the number of Nepali students in the United States has once again posted the highest growth among the top 25 sending countries, and increased to a record level, totaling 13,270 – the third year in a row to see growth.  Nepal  now ranks 10th among the top 25 for undergraduate students in the U.S.

“International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States,” said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “We need to develop leaders in all fields who can take on our toughest challenges.  We need people who can find solutions that keep us secure and make us more prosperous. We want to send a message that international education makes us stronger as a country.”

In the 2017-2018 academic year, for the third consecutive year, U.S. colleges and universities hosted more than one million international students, reaching a record – of 1.09 million students.  This also marks the twelfth consecutive year of continued expansion. The number of Americans studying in Nepal has also significantly increased—by 57 percent—compared to the previous year. We believe, institutional collaboration and student exchange programs have played a vital role in stimulating  growth over the past two years.

The Open Doors Report also marks the celebration of International Education Week (IEW) from November 12- 16, 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 2018, the U.S. Embassy in Nepal’s partner organizations, The United States Educational Foundation Nepal (USEF), EducationUSA Reference Center Learning House, and American Center will host ‘Get Inspired’ programs featuring Nepali alumni of U.S. universities, student visa sessions by Embassy’s Consular officers, trivia, host webinars an online college fair and other activities to discuss and promote U.S. higher education and career options for Nepali students.