Quick answer: Texas has by far the most Nepali students in the USA: about 5,340 in 2024/25, roughly one in five of the 24,890 Nepali students in the country. Ohio, New York, Missouri and Minnesota follow in Open Doors’ ranking of states for Nepali students. Nepal is the No. 1 country of origin among international students in Louisiana, Idaho and South Dakota. The largest Nepali group we could verify at a single university is at the University of Texas at Arlington (about 700, Fall 2025). A big Nepali community shows where students went, not where a visa is easier: the U.S. publishes no visa approval or refusal data by state or university.
By Intandem Scholars Pvt. Ltd., a registered education consultancy in Kathmandu (Licence No. 213/082/083). Figures come from Open Doors 2025 (2024/25 data), universities’ own published data, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Updated 15 October 2026.
Which U.S. states have the most Nepali students?
Texas leads by a wide margin, with more Nepali students than the next two states combined. The estimates below multiply each state’s total international students by Nepal’s published share in that state (Open Doors 2025 state fact sheets).
| State | Estimated Nepali students (2024/25) | Nepali share of the state’s international students | Nepal’s rank among origin countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | ~5,340 | 5.5% | 3rd |
| Ohio | ~2,310 | 5.9% | 3rd |
| Missouri | ~1,490 | 4.1% | 3rd |
| Louisiana | ~1,010 | 13.4% | 1st |
| Minnesota | ~930 | 6.0% | 3rd |
| Utah | ~780 | 7.5% | 3rd |
| Kentucky | ~720 | 7.3% | 3rd |
| South Dakota | ~650 | 22.4% | 1st |
| Kansas | ~500 | 5.3% | 3rd |
| Mississippi | ~490 | 14.3% | 2nd |
| Idaho | ~440 | 12.1% | 1st |
| Wyoming | ~70 | 7.1% | 2nd |
New York is third for Nepali students in the Open Doors Nepal fact sheet, but its state fact sheet does not list Nepal among its top five origins, so it can’t be estimated this way (it would be under 2,500). The Nepal fact sheet also ranks Minnesota fifth, while this arithmetic puts Louisiana slightly ahead, so treat all state figures as approximate. Open Doors counts students on OPT too (about 15% of Nepali students).
Which U.S. universities have the most Nepali students?
No official source ranks all U.S. universities by Nepali enrollment. These are the universities whose Nepali counts are published, largest first:
| University | State | Nepali students | Term | Share of its international students | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at Arlington | Texas | About 700 (about 1 in 5 of 3,600+) | Fall 2025 | About 20% | The Shorthorn, from open-records data |
| University of North Texas | Texas | 283 | Fall 2024 | 3.8%, 2nd after India | UNT annual report 2024-25 |
| Minnesota State University, Mankato | Minnesota | 245 | Fall 2024 | 13.3%, 2nd after Ethiopia | Mankato Free Press |
| University of Toledo | Ohio | 238 | Spring 2025 | 17.8%, 2nd | UToledo fact sheet |
| McNeese State University | Louisiana | 197 | Fall 2025 | 38.9%, largest group | McNeese enrollment report |
| University of New Mexico | New Mexico | 103 | Fall 2025 | 9.5%, largest group | UNM international statistics |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | Louisiana | 76 | Fall 2024 | 25.7%, 2nd after Nigeria | SELU profile |
Older data points to other hubs: St. Cloud State University had 387 Nepali students in Fall 2017, its largest group, and Youngstown State University reported Nepal as its second-largest group in 2023. Ask any university’s international office for its current count before you decide.
Does a large Nepali community mean an easier F-1 visa?
No. Almost every Nepali student counted above came on a student visa, but that shows where students went, not where visas are easier. The U.S. Department of State publishes refusals only by nationality, and consular officers decide each case on the applicant, not on the state.
- No “visa-friendly” state shows up in official data. Nobody publishes how many students applied to the same university and were refused.
- Hubs form for other reasons: typically lower tuition, scholarships, friends and family already there, and recruitment. These help with housing, jobs and support.
- The bar for Nepali applicants is high. The State Department’s own adjusted F-1 refusal rate for Nepal, released under the Freedom of Information Act, was 79% in FY2018, 34% in FY2021 and 63% in FY2022 (FOIA data).
- A lesser-known university is not a reason for refusal. The State Department’s manual says “attendance at a lesser-known college or university is not a ground of ineligibility” (9 FAM 402.5).
How many F-1 visas do Nepali students get now?
Far fewer than in 2024. F visas issued to Nepali applicants more than doubled from 6,203 in FY2023 to 13,728 in FY2024, which is when much of today’s community arrived (FY2024 Table XVI). Then issuance fell sharply.
The July 2025 figure came after student visa appointments were paused in mid-2025 and resumed with extra screening (State Department, July 2024, July 2025, November 2024, November 2025). We could not find official monthly figures for summer 2026 at the time of writing.
What changed for F-1 students in 2025 and 2026?
- Social-media screening: since 18 June 2025, all F, M and J visa applicants are told to set their social-media profiles to public (State Department).
- The “fixed stay” rule is on hold: a DHS rule to replace “duration of status” with a fixed stay of up to four years, and to cut the post-study grace period from 60 to 30 days, was due on 15 September 2026 (Federal Register). A federal court blocked it nationwide on 14 September 2026 and the government has appealed (ICEF Monitor).
- Travel ban: Nepal was not on the U.S. travel-restriction list that took effect on 1 January 2026 (Harvard International Office); check for later changes.
- Compliance is watched: in FY2023, 10.2% of Nepali students and exchange visitors due to leave the U.S. overstayed, against 3.7% for all countries (DHS overstay report).
What should Nepali students check before applying to the USA?
- Choose the program for fit and total cost, not for a “visa-friendly state” claim.
- Show the first year’s costs as money already available. The State Department asks for “readily available funds” for the first year; an existing loan can count, but “the mere intention to obtain a loan would be insufficient”, and expected CPT or OPT earnings do not count for year one (9 FAM 402.5).
- Explain your study plan in your own words: why this program and university, how it follows your previous studies, and what you plan to do after.
- Set your social media to public before the interview and list your accounts accurately on the DS-160.
- Keep every document consistent: DS-160, I-20, financial papers, statement of purpose and interview answers.
- Check the school is SEVP-certified on Study in the States.
- Don’t trust visa guarantees. Only the consular officer decides.
If the USA does not fit your budget or timeline, compare it honestly with Europe: see where to study abroad from Nepal in 2026 and Malta vs UK for Nepali students.
Frequently asked questions
Which U.S. state has the most Nepali students?
Texas, with about 5,340 Nepali students in 2024/25 according to Open Doors 2025 data, roughly one in five of the 24,890 Nepali students in the USA. Ohio is second with about 2,310.
Which U.S. university has the most Nepali students?
No official list ranks all universities by Nepali students. Among universities with published counts, the University of Texas at Arlington has the largest group, about 700 in Fall 2025, followed by the University of North Texas (283, Fall 2024).
Is it easier to get an F-1 visa for a university with many Nepali students?
No evidence says so. The U.S. Department of State does not publish visa approvals or refusals by state or university, and officers judge each applicant’s funds, study plan and intent, not the university’s location.
In which states are Nepali students the largest international group?
Nepal is the No. 1 country of origin for international students in Louisiana (13.4%), Idaho (12.1%) and South Dakota (22.4%), and No. 2 in Mississippi and Wyoming, according to Open Doors 2025 state fact sheets.
How many Nepali students are in the USA?
24,890 in the 2024/25 academic year, including students on OPT, according to Open Doors 2025. Nepal was the 6th-largest country of origin for international students in the USA.
Did F-1 visas for Nepali students drop in 2025?
Yes. The U.S. Department of State issued 383 F-1 visas to Nepali applicants in July 2025, against 1,785 in July 2024, a fall of 79%. November issuance fell from 167 to 124.
Sources
This guide summarizes public data for general information. It is not legal or immigration advice and cannot predict any visa decision.
- Open Doors 2025: state fact sheets and Nepal fact sheet
- University sources are linked in the table above
- U.S. Department of State visa statistics and 9 FAM 402.5
- SEVIS Data Mapping Tool (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, updated monthly)
