It should come as no surprise that thousands of Nepalese students apply to foreign colleges and universities for their undergraduate studies year after year. For most, the application process alone can be overwhelming and confusing. Standardized tests, personal essays, and high school documentations are just a few of the materials required in the application process.
“It is understandable for students to get nervous and flustered when they begin their applications,” says Kedar Koirala, the manager of Unicampus Global, an education consultancy. “However, if they are assisted well and calmly proceed, there aren’t that many complications.”
Students who have been part of the Advanced Level and International Baccalaureate programs are encouraged to go abroad for their degrees. It is slightly different for those enrolled in Nepal’s Higher Secondary Education Board (H.S.E.B.), as their courses and exams are set in a way assuming they are likely to continue their further studies in Nepal itself. However, this does not in any way prohibit H.S.E.B. students in applying to colleges abroad.
“Foreign colleges and universities offer a variety of courses and selections,” Koirala clarifies, “Thus, students have the liberty to pick and choose what they wish to study. Sometimes the background knowledge the students have in a particular field may not fully match with a specific catalogue offered by an institution, but, for the most part, students won’t find any prohibitions when it comes to applying for a course.”
Making the final decision to study abroad also depends on scholarships and financial aid institutions are willing to provide prospective students. While most students do try to apply to need-blind institutions (institutions that judge students on their merits and qualifications and not their ability to pay), such institutions are less in number and are extremely competitive among students all over the world. However, with proper research on foreign colleges and universities, one can find an institution that has the field along with the resources they wish to study and also find institutions providing them with generous financial aid packages.
Still, there is a need for Nepalese schools, especially those affiliated under the H.S.E.B., to have guidance counsellors. Their presence would aide students in making decisions related to their academia and future studies. Guidance counsellors also help students decide what courses, standardized tests, and even what colleges are best suited to their potential. Even if a student does not plan to study abroad, a guidance counsellor can still advise them when it comes to choosing an institution within Nepal.
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