National College, Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu, is an undergraduate institution established in 1996 by a group of academicians and affiliated with Kathmandu University (KU). The college has developed its academic identity around development and social sciences and presents its purpose through a mission of preparing professionals for social and economic transformation in diverse settings. Its stated vision is to become a centre of excellence in South Asia by combining knowledge, skills, and behaviour in support of self-reliant citizenship.
Over the years, the college has built a focused undergraduate portfolio that includes Development Studies, Development Finance, Social Sciences, and Psychology. Its academic direction combines classroom learning with field studies, internships, research, workshops, guest lectures, and project work. The overall approach places strong emphasis on social inquiry, critical engagement, and applied learning.
The institution is also associated with the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Center for Development Studies and Regional Cooperation. Alongside its academic programs, the college has developed scholarship support, research grants, student clubs, and international exposure through exchange activity and internships. This combination gives National College a distinct place among Kathmandu-based undergraduate institutions with a concentration in development-oriented and social science education.
Established: 1996
Location: Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu
Affiliation: Kathmandu University, associated since 1996
Academic Focus: Development studies, development finance, social sciences, and psychology
Programs and Seats: BDevS – 30 seats, BDFin – 30 seats, BoSS – 30 seats, BPsych – 50 seats, Bachelor in International Relations and Diplomacy (BIRD)
Centre Association: UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Center for Development Studies and Regional Cooperation
Admission Route: KUSAAT followed by interview
Minimum Eligibility: 10+2 or equivalent with 45% aggregate or 2.0 GPA and no grade below D+
Scholarship Categories: Topper, 4.0 GPA, Needy and Diligent, Merit-Based, ECA, SAF Madanjeet Singh, KAS, and research grants
Research Support: 30 research grants were recorded for 2023–2024, with an earlier record of 88 grants and financial assistance during 2019–2022
International Exposure: Exchange activity with Japan since 2006, internship opportunities in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and the Philippines, and additional exchange links with China, NIAS Bengaluru, and Palacky University in the Czech Republic
National College offers four undergraduate programs under Kathmandu University. Each program reflects the college’s broader concentration on development, society, behaviour, and applied academic inquiry.
BDevS: Bachelor in Development Studies is centred on development processes, social change, well-being, sustainable development, economics, sociology, environmental studies, development management, and research methods. The program is designed for students interested in understanding development from interdisciplinary and practical perspectives.
BDFin: Bachelor in Development Finance combines finance with economics, management, development, and research. The program connects financial knowledge with wider development questions and is intended for students seeking to work across finance-related and development-related fields.
BoSS: Bachelor of Social Sciences brings together sociology, anthropology, culture, political sciences, psychology, public policy, and research. The course places attention on both Nepalese and global societies and supports broad-based social science learning.
BPsych: Bachelor of Psychology introduces the study of human behaviour and mental processes and includes research-oriented academic work. The program adds a behavioural and psychological dimension to the college’s undergraduate offerings.
Together, these programs give the institution a clearly defined academic range. Rather than operating across unrelated disciplines, the college has built its portfolio around connected areas of study that engage with society, development, public life, behaviour, and research.
Admission to National College is tied to the Kathmandu University School of Arts’ Admission Test, commonly referred to as KUSAAT. The process includes a written examination and an interview. A recent college file gives the structure in more detail and records the test as a 90-minute written exam followed by interview. It includes General Knowledge, Math (IQ), English, Nepali, English to Nepali translation, and essay writing. Another college file also records same-day publication of results.
Applicants are expected to meet the following eligibility conditions.
10+2 or equivalent degree in any discipline
Minimum aggregate of 45% or minimum 2.0 GPA
No grade below D+
CBSE students need a minimum of 45% aggregate
A-Level students need a minimum of Grade D in three subjects
Students awaiting Class XII results may apply for provisional admission and submit proof of passing within 15 days of result publication
Candidates improving results in up to two non-graded subjects may also apply provisionally
The enrollment stage requires selected candidates to submit the following items to confirm their seat.
Admission fees
Educational certificate
Two photographs
Citizenship
The teaching environment at National College is presented as student-centred, academically serious, and closely tied to social and developmental learning. The institutional emphasis is not limited to classroom delivery alone. The academic model brings together faculty support, field engagement, project work, internships, research supervision, guest lectures, and workshops.
A key feature of the learning methodology is the place given to field studies. Research skills are introduced early, and field-based academic work is carried out every semester. This gives students repeated exposure to data collection, observation, social analysis, and research practice while they progress through their undergraduate years. The recurring use of field study also connects theory with real contexts rather than treating academic learning as only text-based or examination-based.
The final year strengthens this practical and research-oriented structure. Students complete an internship in the penultimate semester, followed by an independently completed research-based project work of six credit hours in the final stage of study. This project is supervised by an expert or professional relevant to the research theme and is reviewed during the final defense by an external examiner. The structure places importance on independent inquiry, academic discipline, and formal evaluation.
The wider teaching approach also includes guest lectures, workshops, field trips, and student initiatives. These elements give the academic environment greater variety and help extend learning beyond routine class sessions. Leadership messages connected with the college also place emphasis on confidence-building, intellectual development, self-reliance, social commitment, and the preparation of capable human resources for changing social and economic contexts.
The result is an undergraduate learning model that combines classroom instruction with applied exposure. Rather than separating academic knowledge from practice, National College connects teaching with research, field engagement, internships, supervised project work, and broader student participation across the four-year experience.
The learning environment at National College is shaped by facilities and academic supports that are directly connected to study, research, and student development. The institution presents its physical infrastructure alongside faculty support and established undergraduate programs, indicating an academic setting designed to support sustained undergraduate learning.
Key learning facilities and academic resources include:
Field study integration in every semester
Supervised final-year project work
External review and defense of research-based project work
Internship opportunities within Nepal and outside Nepal
Research grants linked to student project work and independent research
Academic support through the National College Research Committee
Publication platform through Samriddhi Journal of Development Studies
International academic exposure through exchange and partner links
Research support is a notable part of the college’s academic infrastructure. Multiple named grants are associated with student research and project activity, including the Himalaya Shamsher JB Rana Research Grant, MahendraManorama Mishra Research Grant, Kaushila Foundation Research Grant, Dr. Shyam Krishna Poudel Memorial Research Grant, Akshobhya Khushi Pandey Research Grant, National College Chairman’s Grant, and Shantabati Chalise Memorial Research Grant.
These facilities and supports show that the college’s infrastructure is closely tied to how students learn. The emphasis is on spaces and systems that support field-based study, formal supervision, research development, publication, and practical engagement rather than on isolated campus features.
Student life at National College extends beyond classroom instruction. Leadership messages and prospectus pages refer to field trips, sports activities, internships, guest lectures, workshops, and student-led initiatives as regular parts of the college experience. The presence of the National College Student Society also suggests an organized space for student participation and campus involvement.
The campus experience is also shaped by cross-cultural engagement. Prospectus material refers to international students from countries including Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Australia, alongside visiting faculty and guests from China, Canada, Bangladesh, Japan, and India. Exchange collaborations with Japanese universities, China-related cultural exchange, and newer partnerships with NIAS Bengaluru and Palacky University widen the academic exposure available to students.
Student testimonials included in the prospectus also connect the college environment with leadership development, critical thinking, time management, teamwork, social awareness, and participation in student society and college events. These testimonials are individual experiences rather than institutional guarantees, but they do show the kinds of activities and responsibilities students encounter during their undergraduate years.
National College identifies several student activity spaces and co-curricular platforms.
National College Student Society (NCCS)
Book & Media Club
Startup Club
Sports Club
Environment Club
Sports activities
Workshops and events
Field visits and field study activities
Student initiatives linked to campus participation
The college records multiple scholarship and financial support categories. Some are semester-based, some are merit-based, and some are linked to need, extracurricular activity, SAARC participation, or research work.
Topper (TP) Scholarship for the highest grades at admission and in later semesters
Scholarship for students achieving 4.0 GPA or CGPA in a semester
Needy and Diligent (ND) Scholarship
Merit-Based (MB) Scholarship
ECA Scholarship
SAF Madanjeet Singh Scholarship for SAARC students in BDevS
KAS (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung) Scholarship
Research grants for student project work and independent research
The National College also records selected recent figures: 12 students recognized under the 4.0 GPA category in 2024, 10 ND awards in 2024, 5 MB awards in 2023, 8 ECA scholarship recipients in 2024, and 3 SAF Madanjeet Singh awards in 2025. Research support was recorded at 30 grants during 2023–2024. Earlier prospectus material also records 88 research grants and financial assistance during the four academic sessions from 2019 to 2022.
National College has developed through a series of academic and institutional milestones that reflect program expansion, research support, and international engagement. These milestones outline the growth of the institution across different phases.
Established in 1996
Affiliated with Kathmandu University since 1996
BDevS introduced in 1999
BDFin introduced in 2006
BoSS introduced in 2013
Associated with the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Center for Development Studies and Regional Cooperation
Recorded 5 University Toppers
Recorded 88 research grants and financial assistance from 2019 to 2022
Recorded 30 research grants during 2023–2024
Nepal-Japan exchange activity in practice since 2006
Internship opportunities documented in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and the Philippines
Collaboration with NIAS Bengaluru from 2023
Erasmus+ semester exchange opportunity with Palacky University, Olomouc, from 2023
These milestones show a college that has expanded with a clear academic direction. The growth of programs, the continued place of research support, and the development of international links all contribute to the institution’s established profile.
National College offers a focused undergraduate environment for students interested in development, finance, society, psychology, and research-based learning. Its strengths come from a combination of academic direction, practical exposure, and student support.
Kathmandu University affiliation
Focused undergraduate programs in connected academic fields
Research-based learning from early semesters
Field studies conducted every semester
Internship opportunities inside and outside Nepal
Final-year project work with supervision and external review
Scholarship categories across merit, need, extracurricular activity, and regional support
Research grants linked to student academic work
Student clubs and organized campus participation
International exchange and academic exposure
Publication support through Samriddhi Journal of Development Studies
For students seeking an institution with a clear concentration rather than a broad and unrelated course mix, National College presents an academic setting built around development and the social sciences, supported by practical learning and sustained undergraduate engagement.
The institutional message connected with the chairman presents National College as a place where undergraduate education should contribute to intellectual competence, moral grounding, and social commitment. The four-year student experience is linked with field trips, sports, internships, guest lectures, student initiatives, and independent research. This reflects a view of higher education in which learning develops through participation, discipline, and academic engagement beyond regular class sessions.
The principal’s message places the college within Nepal’s wider social and developmental context. It emphasizes the institution’s long academic journey and highlights the development of BDevS, BDFin, and BoSS as part of its educational direction. The message also presents the college as a student-focused academic environment that supports confidence, self-reliance, and responsible learning.
Together, these messages give a consistent institutional perspective. National College is presented not only as a teaching institution but also as a place intended to prepare students for thoughtful participation in changing social and economic contexts.
National College, Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu, presents a focused undergraduate model built around Kathmandu University affiliation, development-oriented and social science education, research-based learning, and practical academic exposure. The uploaded files show a college that combines degree programs with field studies, project work, internships, scholarships, student clubs, and international exchange opportunities.
Its academic identity is closely tied to development education, research support, and student participation across classroom and out-of-class activities. For students looking for undergraduate study linked to social inquiry, development, finance, psychology, and interdisciplinary learning, National College offers a clearly defined institutional setting within Kathmandu.
National College is located in Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu.
National College is affiliated with Kathmandu University.
The college offers BDevS, BDFin, BoSS, and BPsych.
The recorded seat allocation is 30 seats each for BDevS, BDFin, and BoSS, and 50 seats for BPsych.
Applicants need 10+2 or an equivalent qualification with at least 45% aggregate or 2.0 GPA, with no grade below D+.
Admission includes KUSAAT followed by an interview. The written test runs for 90 minutes and includes General Knowledge, Math (IQ), English, Nepali, English to Nepali translation, and essay writing.
Yes. Students awaiting Class XII results may apply provisionally and submit proof of passing within 15 days of result publication.
Selected candidates must submit admission fees, an educational certificate, two photographs, and their citizenship.
Yes. Scholarship categories include Topper, 4.0 GPA, Needy and Diligent, Merit-Based, ECA, SAF Madanjeet Singh, KAS, and research grants.
Yes. The college includes internship opportunities within Nepal and outside Nepal and has exchange and academic links with partner institutions in Japan, China, India, and Europe.
Contact National College's administrative office for detailed information on the course, admissions, location, fees, scholarships, facilities, counseling, or eligibility.
