Nepal Education System & Credential Evaluation

A guide to the Nepal education system and how your credentials compare to US standards for immigration, university admissions, and employment.

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Overview of the Nepal Education System

Nepal follows a 12-year system of general education regulated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Nepali is the official language of instruction, with English used in many private schools. The academic year runs from April to March (Baisakh to Chaitra in the Nepali calendar). Nepal has been reforming its education system significantly since 2017, restructuring the SEE (Secondary Education Examination) and higher secondary curriculum.

Structure of the Education System

Basic Education — 8 Years (Ages 5–13, Grades 1–8)

Compulsory. Covers Nepali, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Health and Physical Education, and Arts. No national public examination at this stage.

Secondary Education — 4 Years (Ages 13–17, Grades 9–12)

Grades 9–10 culminate in the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), administered by the National Examinations Board (NEB) — formerly called the School Leaving Certificate (SLC). Grades 11–12 lead to the National Examination Board Grade 12 examination (formerly the Higher Secondary Education Board — HSEB examination). Passing Grade 12 is required for university admission. Students choose Science, Management, Humanities, or Education streams.

University Education

Tribhuvan University is the main public university and one of the largest in the world by enrollment. Bachelor's degrees take 3–4 years. Master's degrees are 2 years. Nepal also has Pokhara University, Kathmandu University, and several private institutions.

Grade Conversion Scale for Nepal

Grade Scale	Description	US Equivalent
GPA 4.0 / A+	Outstanding	A
GPA 3.6 / A	Excellent	A
GPA 3.2 / B+	Very Good	B+
GPA 2.8 / B	Good	B
GPA 2.4 / C+	Satisfactory	C+
GPA 2.0 / C	Acceptable	C
GPA 1.6 / D+	Partially Acceptable	D
GPA 0 / NG	Not Graded/Fail	F

Key Credentials

Secondary Education Examination (SEE) Certificate — Grade 10 completion (formerly SLC)
Grade 12 Certificate (NEB) — equivalent to a US high school diploma
Bachelor's Degree (B.A./B.Sc./B.Com.) — 3–4 years
Master's Degree — 2 years

US Equivalency of Nepal Credentials

The Grade 12 NEB Certificate is equivalent to a US high school diploma
The SEE Certificate (Grade 10) alone is not a full high school diploma equivalent
A Nepali 4-year Bachelor's degree is equivalent to a US Bachelor's degree
A Nepali 3-year Bachelor's degree may be evaluated as less than a full US Bachelor's — course-by-course evaluation recommended
A Nepali Master's degree is equivalent to a US Master's degree

Why You Need a Credential Evaluation

A formal credential evaluation is required for US university admissions, employment-based immigration petitions (H-1B, EB-1A, EB2-NIW, O-1, L-1), and professional licensing.

If your documents are in Nepali

All Nepal academic documents must be accompanied by certified English translations. Evaluation World offers Nepali-to-English translation services combined with your evaluation order.