MBBS in Nepal 2026: NEET Route, FMGE Results, NMC Rules

MBBS in Nepal takes 5.5 years, taught in English, including a one-year internship. Indian students enter with a NEET UG qualification through the Medical Education Commission (MEC), Nepal's admissions body. After graduating, every Indian student must pass FMGE in India. In 2025, about 23% of Nepal graduates passed it.

Updated on 1 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Course length: MBBS in Nepal is 4.5 years of study plus a one-year internship, 5.5 years in total, as listed by the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University and Nepalgunj Medical College (Kathmandu University).

• Entry route: Indian students apply through the MEC portal. A NEET UG qualified student does not sit Nepal's own entrance test, called MECEE-BL, according to Nepalgunj Medical College's admission rules for foreign students.

• FMGE is required: NMC rules have no exemption for Nepal. The NBEMS FMGE October 2026 information bulletin exempts only graduates of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. They must also hold a postgraduate degree from there.

• FMGE results: 953 Nepal graduates sat FMGE in December 2025 and 228 passed, 23.92%. In June 2025, 213 of 945 passed, 22.54% (NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025).

• College matters most: in 2025, pass rates ranged from about 67% at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences to about 9% at National Medical College, Birgunj.

MBBS in Nepal at a glance

The table below sums up the rules an Indian family needs to know. For the full country overview, including colleges and cities, see our MBBS in Nepal country guide. For a quick visual summary, flip through our MBBS in Nepal web story.

Who is eligible for MBBS in Nepal as an Indian student?

An Indian student is eligible for MBBS in Nepal if they meet both Nepal's rules and India's rules. India's rules matter because they decide whether the degree can later be registered in India.

• Class 12 marks: at least 50% in each of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and 50% overall, per Nepalgunj Medical College's MBBS eligibility page. India also requires a pass in English at Class 12.

• NEET UG: Indian citizens and OCI students going abroad for MBBS must qualify NEET UG, as the NTA NEET UG 2026 information bulletin states. Our guide on whether NEET is required for MBBS abroad explains this rule in full.

• NEET validity: for starting MBBS abroad, a NEET UG result stays valid for three years from its result date. This is set out in the FMGE October 2026 bulletin.

• Age: the student must be 17 years old on or before 31 December of the year they sit NEET UG. There is no upper age limit.

• Reserved categories: SC, ST and OBC students who used relaxed NEET or Class 12 marks need a caste certificate dated from the time of admission. NBEMS checks it before FMGE registration.

Without NEET UG, a Nepal MBBS cannot lead to practice in India. This holds even if a Nepal college admits the student through MECEE-BL. NBEMS asks for the NEET UG scorecard from every candidate who started MBBS abroad on or after May 2018.

How does MBBS in Nepal admission work for Indian students?

Admission to MBBS in Nepal runs through the Medical Education Commission, not through each college. Colleges publish their own instructions only after MEC releases its admission list. The steps below follow Nepalgunj Medical College's published process for NEET qualified students.

1. Watch the MEC notices. MEC posts a separate notice for NEET qualified foreign candidates each year on its website, mec.gov.np.

2. Register on the MEC portal. Fill in the form as a NEET candidate and pay the fee by voucher, as the notice explains. Keep your email and password safe, because you need them to print the admit card and the admission confirmation page.

3. Upload documents. These usually include Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, the NEET UG scorecard, a passport copy and photographs.

4. Take part in the matching round. MEC runs a matching process. You rank the colleges you want, and seats are given on merit.

5. Complete admission at the college. Once MEC publishes the list, the allotted college issues its own notice. You then submit documents and pay fees there.

Nepalgunj Medical College states that it uses no agents for seat booking and does not issue offer letters through unofficial channels. Any seat promised before the MEC list comes out is not an MEC seat.

What is the MBBS in Nepal course structure?

The Kathmandu University MBBS programme runs over nine semesters plus a one-year internship. It is taught by body system (heart, lungs, kidneys and so on) rather than subject by subject. The plan below is from Nepalgunj Medical College's MBBS programme page.

This structure fits India's rules. NMC's Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 require at least 54 months of study, which is 4.5 years. They also require a 12-month internship at the same foreign institution, and teaching in English (NMC FMGL Regulations 2021).

Is an MBBS from Nepal valid in India?

Yes, if the student meets every NMC condition. Nepal gets no special treatment. A Nepal MBBS graduate follows the same path as a graduate from any other foreign country. NMC's FMGL Regulations 2021 say a foreign graduate gets permanent registration in India only after meeting all of these conditions:

• Course and internship: at least 54 months of study and a 12-month internship at the same institution, taught in English.

• Licence in Nepal: registration with the body that licenses doctors in Nepal, on the same terms as a Nepali graduate. That body is the Nepal Medical Council, which runs its own licensing exams.

• FMGE: a pass in FMGE, the screening exam NBEMS runs twice a year for doctors who studied abroad. NExT, the National Exit Test, will replace FMGE once NMC starts it.

• Internship in India: a further 12-month supervised internship in India after passing FMGE.

The FMGE rule comes from the Screening Test Regulations, 2002. The only exemption, per the NBEMS FMGE October 2026 bulletin, is for graduates of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK or the USA who also hold a postgraduate degree from there. Nepal is not on that list, so every Indian Nepal graduate sits FMGE. To check a college before you apply, use our guide on how to check NMC and WDOMS recognition.

FMGE is one paper in two parts on the same day, 150 questions each. A candidate passes with 150 marks out of 300. The next exam is on 31 October 2026, and our post on the FMGE October 2026 exam date covers the timetable.

What is the FMGE pass rate for MBBS in Nepal graduates?

About one in four Nepal graduates passed FMGE in 2025. That is close to the national average for all foreign graduates. The table below uses NBEMS figures for each year. For 2023 and 2024 the Nepal totals add up the college rows in the NBEMS report.

Sources: NBEMS FMGE 2023 report, NBEMS FMGE 2024 report and NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025. The appeared figure counts candidates sitting the exam, so it includes repeat attempts. For other countries, see our FMGE pass rate by country post.

FMGE pass rate by Nepal medical college

The gap between Nepal colleges is far bigger than the gap between Nepal and other countries. The table lists every Nepal college with 30 or more candidates across the June and December 2025 exams, next to its 2024 result.

Source: NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025 and NBEMS FMGE 2024 report. Two public institutions lead every year. B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences has taught MBBS since 1994. The Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University lists 100 MBBS seats at its Maharajgunj campus. Read more on our pages for B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Medical College, Manipal College of Medical Sciences and Nobel Medical College.

What are the challenges of MBBS in Nepal?

• FMGE results vary by college: in 2025 the pass rate ranged from 67.2% to 9.3%. Choosing the college is a bigger decision than choosing Nepal.

• Results can fall sharply: Lumbini Medical College dropped from 48.1% in 2024 to 19.7% in 2025, and Devdaha Medical College from 43.8% to 9.4%. Look at three years, not one.

• Admission depends on MEC timing: a seat is allotted only through MEC matching. Families cannot book a seat with a college before that.

• Two more years after graduating: after 5.5 years in Nepal, a graduate still needs to pass FMGE and then complete a 12-month internship in India before full registration.

What can you do after MBBS in Nepal?

• Practise in India: pass FMGE, finish the 12-month supervised internship in India, then register with NMC or a State Medical Council.

• Specialise in India: once registered, a graduate can sit NEET PG for MD or MS seats like any Indian graduate.

• Work in Nepal: registration with the Nepal Medical Council, after its licensing exam, is the route to practise in Nepal.

How does MBBS in Nepal compare with Europe?

Many families compare Nepal with Europe. Both routes lead to the same FMGE and the same NMC rules in India. futureMBBS works with 23 partner universities in 9 European countries, listed on our partner universities page. To compare countries side by side, see our MBBS in Europe guide.

Conclusion

MBBS in Nepal is a 5.5-year English-medium route for NEET UG qualified students. It meets the NMC rules on course length, internship and medium of teaching. The real decision is the college. In 2025, Nepal graduates passed FMGE at about the national average, but college results ranged from 67% to 9%. Check the NBEMS figures for any college over three years before you apply through MEC.

Sources

• NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021

• NMC rules and regulations page

• NMC page for the Screening Test Regulations, 2002

• NBEMS FMGE October 2026 information bulletin

• NBEMS FMGE exam page

• NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025

• NBEMS FMGE 2024 country and institute-wise report

• NBEMS FMGE 2023 country and institute-wise report

• NTA NEET UG 2026 official site

• Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University: courses and seats

• B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences: academic programmes

• Nepalgunj Medical College: MBBS programme structure

• Nepalgunj Medical College: MBBS eligibility

• Nepalgunj Medical College: admission for international students

• Nepal Medical Council