The Education USA Fair, administered by Education USA Advising Center with support from the US Department of State, will be in Kathmandu on Saturday.

With 78 US universities and colleges in attendance, it is the largest education fair targeted at catering to Nepali students willing to pursue higher studies in the American academic institutions.

Amid the significant rise in the number of Nepali students seeking admissions in the American academic institutions, the US government has decided to focus on reaching out ‘directly’ to the prospective students.

The fair is a platform which brings the Nepali students face to face with the representatives who come directly from the respective universities and colleges. The students who visit the fair can get first-hand information, ranging from eligibility, scholarship prospects and scope of courses they want to pursue.

“Undoubtedly, Nepal is an important market for the US academic sector,” David Plack, senior policy advisor, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, told a press meet in the Capital on Thursday.

“The significant increase in the number of enrolments is its testament.” Nepalis, who formed the 16th largest group of foreign students in the US in 2015, has since climbed up three places to occupy the 13th place among the top 25 countries for both undergraduate and graduate studies.

An Open Door report released by the Institute of International Education and the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affair in November 2017 showed Nepali students are the fastest growing international student population at colleges and universities in the United States.

The United States is one of the most sought after academic destinations for the students worldwide. It currently hosts a record high number of 1.08 million international students.

Some $369 million was spent by 11,607 international students on their studies in the US last year.

“The growth of Nepali students suggests that more and more students from here are getting approved for the US universities and colleges,” said Andie De Arment, spokesperson for the US Embassy in Nepal.

“The number of quality applicants is increasing every year.”

Program Officer at the US Department of State Elizabeth Dennis told the media that the US wants more and more Nepalis to apply for US education and the fair is a good medium to reach out to prospective students.