Global Degrees, Local Classrooms: Inside Nepal’s Foreign-Affiliated Colleges

Explore how foreign-affiliated colleges in Nepal work, what legal standards they must meet, and what students should watch for before enrolling in these global degree programs.

You’re sipping chiya with a friend in Kathmandu, casually chatting about career plans. Out of the blue, they say,

“You can get a British degree without even leaving Nepal.”

Sounds like a gimmick, right? Maybe just another slick ad from a college on Instagram.

But it’s real.

Colleges such as Herald, Islington, and others have turned this into a booming trend—offering foreign degrees right here at home. No visa, no airfare, no London fog—just international credentials with local access.

It feels like the best of both worlds: global recognition, local convenience.

Nepal’s Journey to Global Degrees

Long before “global degree” became a topic of casual chiya conversation, higher education in Nepal has got some cool milestones that show how far we have come.

It all started over a century ago, in 1918,  with the establishment of Tribhuvan Chandra College which was later known as Trichandra College.

Then, came a big leap: in 1959, Nepal saw the birth of Tribhuvan University (TU). It began affiliating colleges across the country. Over decades, the number grew, and by 1979 TU had already affiliated hundreds of institutions. 

Fast-forward to today, TU has handed out affiliations to over 1,050 colleges, including private institutions.

The story doesn’t stop there. The university family kept growing, opening doors to new ideas and partnerships.

Timeline Table of University Establishments in Nepal:

So yeah, before foreign degrees became trendy, Nepal was already quietly building its own higher education story, slowly and steady, yet uniquely ours.

As our national universities grew, a new trend started to take root, one that brought foreign universities directly into Nepal.

The Rise of Foreign-Affiliated Colleges

Since 1996, the private sector has been running colleges in partnership with international academic institutions, offering foreign degrees right here, at home.

What is a Foreign University Affiliation, really ?

Think of it like ordering pizza from a foreign brand delivered by a local shop. You eat it locally, but the recipe and quality control come from abroad. That’s how foreign university affiliation works.

In simple terms, foreign-affiliated colleges in Nepal are local institutions that deliver academic programs designed and accredited by universities overseas. Students attend classes in Nepal but graduate with a degree from, say, the UK or Australia.

According to a report, most partnerships are with universities from the UK (23 colleges) and Malaysia (22 colleges), followed by countries like Austria, India, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand, and the USA, bringing a global touch to Nepali classrooms. 

Some Popular Names You Might Recognize

• Herald College, offering programs from University of Wolverhampton (UK)
• Islington College, partnered with London Metropolitan City (UK)
• King’s College, an affiliate of Westcliff University (USA)
• Informatics College Pokhara – Affiliated with London Metropolitan University (UK)
• The British College – Affiliated with Leeds Beckett University & University of the West of England (UK)
• Softwarica College of IT & E-commerce – Affiliated with Coventry University (UK)

And these are just a few names, there are dozens more shaping Nepal’s academic landscape.

What the Data Says

   The Ministry reports:

• 88 educational institutions are affiliated with foreign universities.
• 32 offer A-Level programs
• 59  provide bachelor’s and master’s degrees in partnership with 36 foreign universities
• These  run a total of 212 approved academic programs, mostly in IT and management. 
• Most are located in Kathmandu, followed by Lalitpur and Pokhara. 

But there’s a flip side.

• Only 13 of these colleges are tied to universities ranked within the top 1000 globally.

Why this Appeals: The Student Viewpoint on Foreign Degrees

   Take Sita, for example, a student who always dreamed of earning a UK degree. But when her family looked at the costs of going abroad, tuition fees in pounds, visa hassles, and the thought      of being away from home , it felt overwhelming.

   Then, over a plate of momos with her cousin, she heard about colleges like Softwarica offering UK degrees right here in Nepal. 

   Suddenly, it made sense:

• International curriculum
• Lower costs
• Familiar environment

Sita's story isn’t rare. Many students across Nepal are now choosing this route: study at home, graduate with a foreign degree, and stay open to global opportunities later.

According to  a report, there are approximately 28,073 students currently enrolled in 59 foreign-affiliated colleges in Nepal. About 15, 440 (55%) are enrolled in IT subjects, while 12,424 (44%) are enrolled in management, only 209 in other disciplines.

From Student Dreams to Running a Foreign Affiliated College: How to Start One in Nepal

That’s the student’s side of the story. But what if you wanted to be on the other side of the desk, running a foreign affiliated institution?

On paper, these colleges may make it look like simple, modern campuses, slick websites, polished brochures. In reality, there’s a long checklist of legal steps, approvals, and ongoing quality checks.

Step 1: Register Your Institution

Before anything else, you need to register yourself as a private company with the Office of the Company Registrar (OCR). 

This requires you to  fill out the forms, submit your documents, pay the fees, and get a shiny certificate that says you now officially own a registered company.

This gives your institution a legal identity before you begin further process.

Step 2: Know the Law

Under the Education Act, Section 8, you can’t just set up a college tied to a foreign university overnight. 

You either need:

• An agreement with the Ministry, or
• Official recognition from a foreign consular office  

Step 3: Sign the Partnership

You will need a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the foreign university, your official handshake and submit it to the Ministry.

Step 4: File a Complete Application

Under the Directive on Institutions Conducting Higher Education in Affiliation with Foreign Universities, 2059 (“Directive”), you will need to submit:

• Certified copy of company registration documents (certificate, AoA, regulations)
• Certified PAN, tax payment records, and audit reports
• Affiliation agreement or MoU with the foreign university
• Proof of the foreign university’s legal status and authority to affiliate abroad
• Quality Assurance Accreditation (QAA) certificate or official quality confirmation letter from the relevant diplomatic mission or ministry
• Certified sample of the degree or certificate issued by the foreign institution, if recognized by a Nepali university or approved body
• Official program details: duration, subjects, education level, syllabus, curriculum, and examination system

Step 5: Meet Infrastructure and Faculty standards

To qualify, you demonstrate that you must:

• Provide adequate classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and IT facilities as per ministry guidelines.
• Recruit qualified faculty in line with the foreign university’s requirements.

The University Grant Commission (UGC) Factor

   UGC, through its Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division (QAAD), requires you to:

• Prepare and submit a Self-Study Report.
• Undergo regular monitoring.
• Comply with the Higher Education QAA Directives, 2074 BS.

In short, getting approval is just the first step. Maintaining it is a long-term commitment. 

Done right, though, you can bring international education to Nepal while staying fully compliant and trusted by students.

Keeping Quality in Check: Oversight and Accountability

Getting the green light to offer foreign degrees is just the start for colleges, whether it’s Herald, Islington, or others. But the real work? That’s making sure they keep up the quality over time.

A High-level Monitoring and Evaluation Committee constituted under Clause 6 of the directive keeps things in check. 

Their role is to: 

• Regularly inspect, review and monitor institutions.
• Frame policies on standards relating to infrastructures, teachers of such institutions. 

If a college falls short, such as running unapproved programs, failing inspections, or losing its foreign partnership, the Ministry can revoke its license. 

This system helps to keep foreign affiliated colleges honest and makes sure students actually get the global-quality education they signed up for.

Choosing wisely: What Should You Look For?

So, you’re tempted by the promise of a foreign degree in your hometown, understandable! 

But before you dive into colleges like Herald and Islington, do your homework.

Here’s your “no-regret” checklist:

• Global rankings: Look up the foreign university on trusted lists like:

• Global rankings: Look up the foreign university on trusted lists like:

  QS World University Rankings

  Times Higher Education

  Shanghai Ranking

• Accreditation status: Is the college part of the UGC’s QAA process? If not—why not?
• Verify Program recognition: Confirm if the degree qualifies for equivalency from Nepali government.
• Faculty qualifications: Ask about teacher credentials. Are they equipped to teach international curricula?
• Facilities: Visit in person. Does the lab look like it’s seen a test tube in the last decade? Is the library stocked?
• Supervision reports: Colleges should have evidence of monitoring from their foreign partner. 

No report = red flag.

• Check Reviews at BestForStudies.com : Genuine reviews from the students who are studying there or have already graduated from these institutions.

And always—always—ask questions. It’s your future.

Recognition Matters: Is Your Degree Nepal-Ready?

So you’ve done your homework, picked a solid foreign-affiliated college, and you’re ready to dive in. But here’s the million-rupee question: 

When you graduate, will your degree actually be recognized in Nepal?

That’s where equivalency comes in.

In Nepal, it is handled by Tribhuvan University’s Curriculum Development Centre (“CDC”). Think of it as the official thumbs-up from the Nepali government saying,

“Yes, your degree is legit here too.”

The Basics

• Who needs it? 

  Anyone who earns a degree from a foreign university (or even a foreign-affiliated college in Nepal) and plans to use it for jobs, licenses, or further studies in Nepal.

• Who gives it? 

  The CDC 

How to Apply?

Submit an application to the CDC for equivalency by attaching the following documents:

• Graduation Certificate – or, if a convocation hasn’t been held yet, a temporary certificate, transcript, mark sheet, or character certificate.
• TU Equivalence Letter – if your lower-level degree is also foreign.
• if any document is in a language other than English or Nepali, get it translated and certified by an authorized body.
• Certificate of study period and credit hours.
• Letter of Recognition – issued by the UGC or the relevant authority in the university’s home country (only if the university is not recognized by TU)
• Prospectus of University (if not recognized by TU)
• Course of study/Syllabus (if not recognized by TU)
• Certificate of experimental work (if applicable).
• Bank voucher or online payment proof for the CDC fees.

Without it, your shiny international diploma might look great on Instagram… but could hit a wall if you want a government job, certain professional licenses, or admission into a Nepali master’s or PhD program.

What Should the Stakeholders Do?

At the end of the day, it’s a team effort. When the Ministry, UGC, affiliated colleges, and their overseas partners all pull in the same direction, these programs can go from ‘sounds good on paper’ to genuinely life-changing for students.

Here’s what the players should be working on:

Role of  the Ministry

• Strengthen the approval process: Allow only partnerships with foreign institutions that meet international benchmarks (e.g., global top 1000 or accredited by credible QA agencies).
• Build a central data system: Collect and publish reliable data on TNE programs to inform students and guide policy.
• Hold non-compliant institutions accountable, quickly and transparently.

Role of UGC

• Mandate quality assurance: All foreign-affiliated colleges must undergo QAA or a similar credible process.
• Ensure transparency: Publicly share accreditation results so students can make informed choices.

Foreign Affiliated Colleges

• Be transparent with students and parents—don’t just sell dreams, show proof.
• Ensure regular supervision from foreign partner institutions.
• Uphold minimum infrastructure and faculty standards. 

 Foreign Partner Universities

• Vet your partners carefully: Don’t affiliate with just any college abroad. Make sure your Nepali partner meets minimum infrastructure, academic, and governance standards.
• Commit to quality: Ensure faculty qualifications, academic support, and teaching standards match the promises made.
• Stay involved, not just signed: Regularly engage in curriculum design, academic delivery, and assessment practices. Your role shouldn’t end with the MoU.

Final Thoughts

Colleges like Herald and Islington have changed the landscape of higher education in Nepal, making global degrees more accessible than ever. But with that convenience comes responsibility, both for the institutions to deliver on their promises and for students to dig a little deeper before signing up.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just a piece of paper you’re chasing, it’s your career, your family’s dream, and a big chunk of your future.

So yes, global degrees from Nepal are possible. Just make sure it’s the real deal. 

And hey, if you don’t know where to begin, platforms like  Best For Studies are here to give you the inside scoop. Best for Studies is kicking things off with honest reviews of six well-known colleges (and counting), so you can see what’s behind the glossy ads before making your move! If you have studied in one of these colleges, please help the youngsters by adding genuine reviews of these colleges in Nepal.