The Prime Minister of Nepal (Chancellor)
BPKIHS is an autonomous university whose ceremonial Chancellor is the Prime Minister of Nepal, reflecting its status as a national institution of health-sciences education.
B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
An autonomous health-sciences university in Dharan, eastern Nepal, established as a symbol of India–Nepal cooperation, offering an English-medium MBBS with its own tertiary teaching hospital.
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Nepal
Country
Dharan
City (eastern Nepal)
Est. 1993 · India–Nepal partnership
Heritage & Standing
English
Medium of instruction
Introduction
B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
- Study program:MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)
- Language:English
- Duration:5.5 Years (4.5 years academic + 1-year internship)
- University type:Autonomous health-sciences university (awards its own degrees)
- Fees:Per BPKIHS’s official international fee structure (contact the institute)
- Entrance examination:MECEE-BL common entrance exam; NEET also required for Indian students
- Application deadline:Annual intake through the MECEE-BL cycle
- Teaching hospital:Own tertiary Central Teaching Hospital (~700+ beds), eastern Nepal’s major referral hospital
The green campus grounds of the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan
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Recognition & Prestige
Rankings & Recognition
B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences is an autonomous, degree-awarding health-sciences university, recognised by the Nepal Medical Council and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with ECFMG eligibility. As a specialist institute it is not ranked in the QS or THE world tables; its standing rests on its recognition, its India–Nepal heritage and its role as eastern Nepal’s premier medical institution.
WDOMS
Listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (ID F0000419)
ECFMG
graduates eligible for ECFMG certification (graduation years 1993–current)
The medical degree is recognised internationally. BPKIHS is an autonomous health-sciences university that awards its own MBBS, recognised by the Nepal Medical Council (and, per the institute, historically by the medical councils of India and Sri Lanka), operating within Nepal’s Medical Education Commission framework, and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS). Graduates are eligible to apply for ECFMG certification for the USMLE, and Indian graduates can qualify for practice in India through the NMC screening/exit examination (FMGE, transitioning to NExT), having qualified NEET.
Accreditations and Recognition
NMC/MCI (India)
Eligible for Indian licensing via the NMC screening examination (FMGE/NExT) for graduates who qualify NEET and meet the FMG Licentiate Regulations 2021
WDOMS / ECFMG
Listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (ID F0000419); graduates eligible to apply for ECFMG certification (1993–current)
NMC Nepal / Autonomous
Autonomous degree-awarding health-sciences university, recognised by the Nepal Medical Council; operates under the Medical Education Commission
Complete Information About B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
Get complete information about BPKIHS, including tuition, living costs, MECEE-BL admission, recognition and the FMGE route for Indian students.
Success stories
Student Success Stories
Hear directly from students who are studying medicine in Europe with futureMBBS.
Academic Excellence
Why Study MBBS at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
BPKIHS offers a genuine, English-medium MBBS at an autonomous Indian-partnered health-sciences university, with its own large teaching hospital, a pioneering community-based curriculum, and easy access from eastern India.
An India–Nepal Partnership Institute
A Genuine, Direct-Entry MBBS
An Autonomous, Degree-Awarding University
Meets India’s NMC Rules on Its Face
Its Own Large Teaching Hospital
A Pioneer of Community-Based Learning
Close to Home, No Language Barrier
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How to Apply
Admission Process for MBBS
Admission to the MBBS is through Nepal’s common entrance examination, the MECEE-BL, run by the Medical Education Commission, followed by centralised seat matching, with SAARC/foreign-quota seats open to Indian students. Indian students should hold a valid NEET qualification for future licensing in India.
Admission Timeline
- 1After Class 12Meet Eligibility
Applicants must have completed Class 12 (10+2 Science) with Physics, Chemistry and Biology and at least a 50% aggregate in PCB, and be at least 17 years old, in line with Nepal and NMC rules.
- 2Before applyingQualify NEET (Indian students)
Indian applicants should hold a valid NEET-UG qualification, required by India’s NMC for licensing after a foreign medical degree, and useful for the MECEE-BL foreign-candidate route.
- 3EntranceSit the MECEE-BL
Applicants register with the Medical Education Commission and sit the MECEE-BL common entrance exam; Indian students may sit it in Nepal, or qualify on a 50th-percentile NEET result under the foreign-candidate category.
- 4After resultsSeat Matching (Counselling)
Qualified candidates take part in the Medical Education Commission’s counselling / matching to choose a college and seat, including the SAARC/foreign-quota seats at BPKIHS.
- 5On selectionAdmission & Documents
Selected students confirm their seat at BPKIHS, pay the fees per its international fee structure, and submit their documents (Class 12 records, passport, NEET scorecard) for enrolment.
- 6IntakeClasses Begin
Students begin the MBBS at the Dharan campus.
Eligibility Criteria
Academic Qualification
Applicants must have completed Class 12 (10+2 Science, or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry and Biology and at least a 50% aggregate in PCB. For Indian students, the NMC requires a minimum aggregate of 50% in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (40% for reserved categories) plus English, and a valid NEET qualification, for licensing in India.
Subjects:
PhysicsChemistryBiologyEnglish
Age Requirement
Candidates should be at least 17 years old by 31 December of the admission year, in line with NMC rules for studying medicine abroad.
- Minimum 17 yearsRequired age at the time of admission (NMC rule)
Requirements
Selection is through the MECEE-BL common entrance exam and centralised matching, with SAARC/foreign-quota seats for Indian students. Indian students also need a valid NEET result for future Indian licensing.
MECEE-BL Entrance Exam
The Medical Education Common Entrance Examination (Bachelor Level) is Nepal’s national MBBS entrance exam, followed by open counselling to match a college and seat, including BPKIHS foreign-quota seats.
NEET (Indian Students)
Indian students need a valid NEET qualification for future Indian licensing, and a 50th-percentile NEET result can qualify them for the MECEE-BL foreign-candidate category; the programme is taught in English.
Entrance Examination (MECEE-BL)
Admission to the MBBS requires the MECEE-BL common entrance exam run by Nepal’s Medical Education Commission, followed by centralised seat matching.
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Class 12 | 10+2 Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) with at least 50% aggregate in PCB |
| MECEE-BL | Common entrance exam run by the Medical Education Commission; merit ranking |
| Seat matching | Counselling to choose college and seat, including BPKIHS SAARC/foreign-quota seats |
| NEET (Indian students) | Valid NEET-UG qualification for future licensing in India |
Required Documents
To apply, students need to submit essential academic and identification documents:
- MECEE-BL registration with the Medical Education Commission (exam fee payable)
- Class 12 mark sheets and certificates (with Physics, Chemistry and Biology)
- NEET scorecard (Indian students) and a valid passport
- Migration/transfer and character certificates, and medical fitness documents
- + More
Admission Guidance & Document Checklist
Get the complete document checklist or admission guidance from our experts.
Program Structure
MBBS Curriculum & Internship Structure
BPKIHS teaches an integrated, community-based MBBS over 4.5 years plus a 1-year community-oriented rotating internship, moving from the basic sciences to clinical training in its Central Teaching Hospital and a network of teaching-district health facilities, taught in English and awarded by BPKIHS itself.
MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)
Total Duration:
5.5 Years (4.5 years academic + 1-year community-oriented rotating internship)
Degree:
MBBS, awarded by B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
Curriculum Phases at BPKIHS
Years 1–2
Basic & Para-Clinical Sciences
The first years cover the basic and para-clinical sciences through an integrated, community-based approach, with early exposure to community health in the teaching-district facilities:
AnatomyPhysiologyBiochemistryMicrobiologyPathologyPharmacologyCommunity Health SciencesCommunicationClinical SkillsYears 3–4
Clinical Sciences
The clinical years move into the disciplines with hospital-based and community-based teaching across the specialties:
Internal MedicineSurgeryPaediatricsObstetrics & GynaecologyForensic MedicinePsychiatryDermatologyOphthalmologyENTOrthopaedicsYear 5 (to 4.5 yrs)
Advanced Clinical & Final Exams
The senior clinical period completes the specialties with community postings across the teaching districts, ending in the BPKIHS final professional examinations:
Advanced Internal MedicineAdvanced SurgeryAnaesthesiologyRadiologyEmergency & Family MedicineCommunity Health postingsInternship (1 year)
Community-Oriented Rotating Internship
After the academic course, graduates complete a compulsory 1-year community-oriented rotating internship in Nepal, through the Central Teaching Hospital and teaching-district hospitals, before registration:
Internal MedicineSurgeryOrthopaedicsObstetrics & GynaecologyPaediatricsEmergencyCommunity/district health postings
Clinical Rotations
Clinical training is based at BPKIHS’s own Central Teaching Hospital in Dharan (around 700 or more beds), supplemented by teaching-district health facilities across eastern Nepal. An indicative pattern:
| Phase | Focus |
|---|---|
| Years 1–2 | Basic and para-clinical sciences with early community-health exposure |
| Years 3–4.5 | Clinical rotations in the Central Teaching Hospital across the specialties, plus community postings |
| Internship (1 year) | Community-oriented rotating internship in Nepal before registration |
Get the full curriculum
Download a free brochure to see detailed subjects, the course structure and everything you need to plan your studies.
Global Exchange
India–Nepal Ties, International Links & USMLE Pathway
BPKIHS was built on India–Nepal cooperation, with ongoing Government of India assistance, and admits Indian and other international students. As a WDOMS-listed institute whose graduates are ECFMG-eligible, it also supports the ECFMG/USMLE pathway to the United States.
| Dimension | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founding partnership | Built on India–Nepal cooperation (bilateral agreement 1994), with ongoing Government of India assistance |
| Indian & SAARC students | Admits Indian and other international students on SAARC/foreign-quota seats |
| WDOMS listing | Listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (ID F0000419) |
| ECFMG / USMLE pathway | Graduates ECFMG-eligible (1993–current), supporting the USMLE route to the United States |
Explore Your Options
Ask our team about the India–Nepal ties, the USMLE pathway and international options for BPKIHS students.
Legacy
Leadership and People of BPKIHS
The B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences is an autonomous university led by senior clinicians, with the Prime Minister of Nepal as its ceremonial Chancellor, and a large faculty delivering its community-based programmes.
Prof. Dr. Smriti Karki (Vice-Chancellor)
Professor Dr. Smriti Karki is listed as the Vice-Chancellor of BPKIHS on the institute’s official site (confirm the current appointment before publishing), leading the university’s academic and clinical mission.
Faculty
BPKIHS is an autonomous health-sciences university with around 375 academic staff, led by its Vice-Chancellor. Teaching is delivered by experienced physicians, surgeons and scientists across the Central Teaching Hospital and a network of teaching-district health facilities, with a strong community-medicine ethos, preparing students for the FMGE, NExT, USMLE and practice.
Academic Expertise
Established 1993 (India–Nepal partnership)
Autonomous degree-awarding university
Own ~700+ bed teaching hospital
Community-based ‘teaching district’ model
Student Support & Mentorship
English-taught MBBS
Community-oriented, integrated curriculum
Clinical supervision at the teaching hospital
Long-standing Indian/SAARC student community
About University
History Information
Founded in 1993
Built on India–Nepal Cooperation
An Autonomous University from 1998
Eastern Nepal’s Premier Institute Today
Get all information about BPKIHS in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can study MBBS at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.
Role in medicine
Role in medical education
Eastern Nepal’s Premier Medical Institute
A Community-Based Model
An India–Nepal Institution
Get all information about BPKIHS in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can study MBBS at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.
Cost of living
MBBS Living Cost in Dharan
Dharan is a small, affordable town in eastern Nepal, with living costs close to Indian levels (the Nepali rupee is roughly 1.6 to the Indian rupee) and lower than Kathmandu. Here is the approximate monthly breakdown for an Indian student.
Monthly Living Cost
| Cost Component | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (hostel / shared flat) | ₹8,000 – ₹18,000 |
| Food | ₹8,000 – ₹14,000 |
| Transportation | ₹1,000 – ₹2,500 |
| Other Expenses (Utilities, Internet, Leisure) | ₹3,500 – ₹7,000 |
Get Free MBBS Guide
Average monthly living cost
₹22,000 – ₹40,000
Housing
Accommodation
BPKIHS provides hostel accommodation on its Dharan campus, and students also rent private rooms in the town.
Campus Hostels
BPKIHS provides student hostels on its Dharan campus, giving students secure, affordable housing close to the lecture halls and the Central Teaching Hospital.
Furnished Rooms & Mess
Hostel rooms are furnished, usually shared, with a mess providing vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals and common facilities, among the most economical student housing of any MBBS-abroad destination.
Low Cost
Living costs in Dharan are very low; hostel and mess charges are modest, and one source cites campus hostel around US$280 per year (confirm with the institute), making BPKIHS one of the most affordable options for living costs.
A Supported First Year
First-year international students are encouraged to take a hostel place on arrival, which keeps them close to classmates and the teaching hospital and eases settling into a new town.
How to Apply
Hostel places are requested through BPKIHS after admission; because demand is high, students should apply for a room as soon as they confirm their seat.
Private Rooms
Some students rent private rooms or share flats in Dharan, a compact town where accommodation is inexpensive; budget for a deposit and monthly utilities on top of rent.
A Compact Town
Dharan is a small, walkable town in the eastern hills, so students can live near the campus and get around easily on foot, by local transport or by ride-hailing.
A Warm Climate
Dharan sits in the Terai foothills with a warm, humid subtropical climate and a summer monsoon — comfortable and familiar for students from northern and eastern India.
Need accommodation details?
Get a full overview of housing options with our university guide, or reach out to an expert.
Food & Dining
100% Veg Options and Indian Food, Always Available
As a Hindu-majority region with deep ties to India, eastern Nepal makes vegetarian and Indian food genuinely easy to find in Dharan, in the hostel mess, local eateries and grocery stores.
Dharan has affordable local eateries, and Nepali cuisine (dal bhat, momos, roti-sabzi) is close to Indian food, with vegetarian options everywhere, so Indian students eat familiar meals from day one.
Location
How to Reach the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
Address
B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan-18, Sunsari District, Koshi Province, Nepal
Nearest Airport
Biratnagar Airport (BIR), about 40 km (roughly 45–60 minutes) from Dharan, with domestic flights to Kathmandu; Bhadrapur and Bagdogra (India) are also within reach
Local Transport
Dharan is a compact town served by local buses, taxis and ride-hailing; the campus is within the town, and eastern India is reachable by road via the nearby border
Your Roadmap to Success
Career Pathways After MBBS at BPKIHS
Graduates who wish to return home appear for the Indian screening examination, currently the FMGE and transitioning to the NExT, complete the required internship and register with the NMC or a State Medical Council. A valid NEET qualification at admission is required under the NMC’s 2021 FMG regulations, and Nepal’s 5.5-year MBBS meets the structural rules.
Understand the Medical Licensing Pathway
A clear overview of the exams and requirements after graduation.
Practising in India
FMGE & NExT Details
To practise medicine in India after graduating from BPKIHS, Indian students follow the licensing pathway set by the National Medical Commission (NMC). BPKIHS teaches an English-medium MBBS with the internship completed in Nepal, meeting the NMC’s structural rules, and students should qualify NEET-UG before joining.
Step 1
National Exit Test (NExT)
Graduates must clear the qualifying examination that licenses foreign medical graduates to practise in India. At present this is the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), which the NMC plans to replace with the National Exit Test (NExT).
Step 2
Clinical Internship (CRRI)
After qualifying, students complete the required one-year Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) in India, which builds hands-on experience in Indian clinical settings under the NMC’s framework.
Step 3
Medical Registration
The final step is registration with the National Medical Commission (NMC) or the relevant State Medical Council. Once registered, the graduate holds a full licence to practise medicine in India.
Student Life Style
Student life at BPKIHS
Life at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences combines a demanding, English-taught, community-based MBBS with life in Dharan, a friendly, affordable town in the eastern hills of Nepal, close to the Indian border and to home.
Prayer flags and the Everest region of the Nepal Himalaya
Academics
The peak of Mount Everest in the Nepal Himalaya
Campus and Town
Challenges and Growth
A Nepali town in the hills
Social Life
Overall Experience
Scholarship & Financial
Scholarship & Financial Aid
Honest note first: BPKIHS’s free/scholarship MBBS seats are highly competitive and largely for Nepali students, so most Indian students should plan as fully self-funded on a foreign-quota seat, though BPKIHS is among the more affordable options for living costs.
A share of BPKIHS’s MBBS seats are government scholarship (free) seats allocated on merit through the MECEE-BL, but these are highly competitive and mainly for Nepali students, including students from underserved regions.
- Government (free) MBBS seats
- Allocated on MECEE-BL merit
- Mainly for Nepali students; very competitive
Ratings
Reviews & Ratings
Hear from students and alumni about their experience at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.
4.5
121 reviews
Academics4.6
Infrastructure4.3
Hostel4.3
Campus Life4.4
Value for Money4.6
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Compare Colleges
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Quick Comparison:
BPKIHS (Nepal) vs CMC Vellore
| University | BPKIHSDharan, Nepal | CMC VelloreTamil Nadu, India |
|---|---|---|
| University Type | Autonomous health-sciences university | Private (minority) |
| Medium | English | English |
| Course Duration | 5.5 years (4.5 + 1-year internship) | 5.5 years (MBBS) |
| Tuition (total) | Per BPKIHS official international fee structure | ~₹17–22 lakh (5.5 years) |
| Admission | MECEE-BL entrance exam (+ NEET for Indians) | NEET-UG |
| Recognition | Nepal Medical Council; WDOMS; ECFMG; NMC-eligible via FMGE/NExT | NMC-recognised |
| Standing | Eastern Nepal’s premier institute (no QS/THE rank) | Top Indian medical college |
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Our blog
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Articles that turn complex MBBS-abroad rules into simple, practical steps for students and parents.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions students and parents ask most often about MBBS at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.