The Fulbright Foreign Student Program supports master’s study at selected universities in the United States. The Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States and Nepal administers the Nepal competition.
Funding covers up to two years of graduate study, and the 2027–28 cohort is scheduled to begin in Fall 2027. The latest application cycle is closed.
Benefits & funding
- Tuition, a living stipend and academic allowances
- Round-trip travel and health insurance
- J-1 visa sponsorship, with J-2 sponsorship available for a spouse or unmarried children under 21
- Pre-academic training, enrichment seminars and access to the Nepal and global Fulbright alumni networks
- Up to two years of graduate study at a selected U.S. university
Eligibility
- Applicants must be Nepali citizens currently residing in Nepal.
- Applicants need at least three years of post-bachelor’s, full-time professional work in Nepal that is relevant to the proposed study; professional recommenders must verify employment.
- Applicants must have at least 16 years of education, met through a four-year bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree plus a completed master’s degree.
- The academic threshold is a 60% aggregate or 3.0 GPA.
- Applicants must qualify for a non-immigrant J-1 visa and must not hold or be pursuing U.S. citizenship, permanent residence or an immigrant visa.
- People living, studying or working outside Nepal, holders of U.S. degrees, and people who spent six months or more in the United States during the five years before the deadline are ineligible. Certain USEF-Nepal and U.S. Mission employees and their immediate family members are also ineligible during employment and for one year afterward.
- Medicine and Nursing degree programs are excluded. Other fields are broadly eligible, with STEM and Business Management candidates especially encouraged.
- English proficiency is assessed only after shortlisting; the official requirements page lists TOEFL 100+ and GRE scores according to the subject or major. Test scores were not mandatory at the initial application stage.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Nepal
Residence required
Nepal
Education required
Bachelor · Master
Experience required
≥ 3 yrs
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Application process
- 1Wait for USEF Nepal to announce the next cycle and reopen the official online application route; hard-copy applications are not accepted.
- 2Complete the online form and upload a CV of no more than two pages, attested academic certificates and transcripts, identification, a study or research objective, a personal statement, any field-specific sample, and three academic or professional recommendations.
- 3If shortlisted, attend the interview and complete the required TOEFL and GRE testing.
- 4Selected candidates proceed through placement and visa preparation before starting study in the United States.
Program timeline
Application opened
February 1, 2026
Application deadline
May 31, 2026 at 23:59 Eastern Time
Interviews
August 2026
Selected candidates take TOEFL and GRE tests
August–September 2026
Selected candidates begin study in the United States
Fall 2027