In the news
The New York TimesHomegrown Help for Deserving Students in Nepal
In the tiny hamlet of Koth Gaun, two neighbours became among the first students supported by a homegrown fellowship helping talented public-school graduates reach…
Read more about Homegrown Help for Deserving Students in Nepal (opens in a new tab)
The Kathmandu PostLevelling the Playing Field for Nepal’s Students
How a Nepal-based fellowship covers the full cost of higher education for students from underserved communities.
Read more about Levelling the Playing Field for Nepal’s Students (opens in a new tab)
The RecordEducation as the Great Equaliser
A look at the comprehensive 'Education Plus' model and the fellows it has supported across the country.
Read more about Education as the Great Equaliser (opens in a new tab)
Education Plus
A scholarship pays fees. A fellowship changes a trajectory. Our fellows receive tuition and academic costs, room and board, mentorship, training, internships and a community that stays with them long after graduation.
What we do
A fellowship, not a scholarship
Fees are the smallest part of what it takes to finish. Each fellow receives the whole of it — and a community that stays with them long after graduation.
Tuition and academic costs
Fees, uniforms, materials and exam costs at institutions with a proven higher-education track record.
Room and board
Fully residential. Fellows live in hostels in Kathmandu throughout the fellowship.
Mentorship
Each fellow is paired with a mentor who stays with them through the programme and beyond.
Training and wellbeing
Workshops, internships, leadership roles and pastoral support across the whole fellowship.
Our reach
Fellows from across Nepal
Samaanta recruits from public schools in districts where higher education is rarely an option.
- 162fellows
- 27districts
- 15cohorts
Our impact
-
158
Fellows supported
As of 2026
-
15
Cohorts
As of 2026
-
32
Districts represented
As of 2026
-
74
Graduates
As of 2026
-
+120
Community projects
As of 2026
-
18000+
People reached
As of 2026
Meet our fellows
How the fellowship works
- Outreach and application
We reach students in communities where higher education is rarely an option. - Selection
Candidates are assessed on potential and need, not connections. - College placement
Fellows are matched to institutions that fit their goals. - Comprehensive support
Tuition, room and board, materials and living costs are covered. - Mentorship and leadership
Training, mentoring, internships and community projects. - Graduation and paying it forward
Alumni return to support the fellows who follow them.
Latest updates
-
Blog
Our Civic and Political Awareness Journey
At Samaanta Foundation, we believe that education is about more than earning a livelihood. It is also about understanding society, thinking critically,…
-
Blog
Going Global with Sunita
This summer took me back to my home in Nepal, and reunited me with my second family, the Samaanta Foundation. Samaanta always…
-
Blog
Larger Aircrafts, Bigger Dreams and Heavier Responsibilities: From Humla to the World
Humla is a place surrounded by beautiful mountains, serene hills, and untouched nature, but behind that beauty, there is a hard life…
Fellow story
From Humla to the world
Placeholder narrative. Replace with a real fellow story of roughly 120 words — where they started, what changed, and where they are now. This section is the one place on the homepage that breaks the grid, so it should carry the strongest story you have.
A short pull quote in the fellow’s own words belongs here.
Work with us
Join the team working to make higher education possible for talented students across Nepal.
Ten years of Samaanta
Our journey so far
Lack of opportunity, not ability, limits potential. From a handful of students in one Lalitpur school in 2012 to fellows across seventeen districts today — watch the story of Samaanta.
Holiday update
Holiday Update 2026
With gratitude and hope.
Every year we write to the people who make the fellowship possible, with what the year held and what comes next. Replace this with the opening of this year’s letter.
One more fellow
Every fellowship is funded by people who believe talent deserves a fair chance. Your support covers tuition, housing, mentorship and the years in between.