Vishal Limbu (name changed), from Pokhara, arrived in South Korea on a student visa three years ago with dreams of a bright future. He hoped to build his life through international education, but today he is living under the stress of illegal residence and underground work after losing his student visa due to consultancy fraud.
He now risks his safety to pay off the debt he incurred before leaving Nepal. “The visas of the three friends who came with me were also not extended. We are working in Korea without valid visas. Anything can happen when we work underground. Two of our friends were arrested by immigration officials while working and were deported to Nepal. So far, only two of us have managed to avoid detection,” he said.
Limbu, once a top student with ambitions of studying technical subjects, has been forced into hardship. “When I came here, the loan taken by mortgaging my house was still unpaid. How could I return home without clearing the debt? That is why I am staying here even without a visa. My family does not even know the reality of my situation,” he shared.
The consultancy had charged him Rs 1.7m, telling him it would cover one year’s tuition at a Korean college. Only after arriving did he discover that the language course lasted just six months. When he asked for the remaining money back, the consultancy claimed it had already been paid to the college.
Another student, Mohan Timalsina (name changed), says he too was deceived. “Our consultancy sent 115 of us to the same college at once. I came to study AI, but instead I was made to take taekwondo classes. I paid Rs 1.9m, but the subject I chose is not taught here. When I complained, the consultancy told me I hadn’t secured a proper visa and should just work to earn money instead,” he said.
Language barriers have made matters worse. “If a student comes without proper language preparation, getting a job is almost impossible. We didn’t prepare well in Nepal. In our college, everyone was Nepali, and even the teacher was Nepali. At first it felt comfortable, but because the classes were in Nepali, it became very difficult to actually learn Korean,” he added.
For others, even temporary jobs are hard to keep. Meena Acharya (name changed), who recently completed her language course, found a job washing dishes at a hotel two months after arriving. But after just a few days, she was dismissed because her Korean was not good enough. Now, she is stressed and seeking help from the Nepali community to find work.
The experiences of Limbu, Timalsina, and Acharya reflect the growing challenges faced by Nepali students in South Korea. What begins as a journey for quality education and better opportunities often turns into financial hardship, stress, and exploitation.
Many consultancies in Nepal lure students with false promises, charging exorbitant fees and sending them abroad without adequate preparation. Students, burdened with debt, are often placed in universities with limited study hours and an emphasis on part-time work, making academic progress difficult. Those who fail to secure jobs frequently suffer from mental health problems.
The Nepali Embassy in Korea confirms that students on both D2 and D4 visas are struggling. D2 visa holders can enroll directly in universities, while D4 visa holders must complete six months to a year of Korean language training before applying to another university. However, some of these universities are blacklisted by the Korean government, and credit hours are reduced, leaving students in limbo.
The embassy also reports that consultancies often assure students they can work illegally if necessary. In practice, many students find themselves unable to secure jobs, forcing them into precarious and stressful situations. Complaints are filed daily at the embassy about consultancies charging multiple fees, promising services they never deliver, and leaving students helpless once they arrive in Korea.
Language remains one of the biggest hurdles. Most Koreans prefer speaking Korean, and those with weak language skills face difficulties in academics, workplaces, and daily life. At the same time, students without scholarships must manage high tuition fees, rent, transport, and living expenses while also repaying heavy loans. Many, overwhelmed by pressure, drop out and live illegally while working in secret.
Most undergraduate students are very young, between 18 and 20 years old, and face huge financial responsibilities. With no family support abroad, many choose to live together with friends to share expenses and cope with cultural and emotional challenges.
Until about 15 years ago, only a handful of Nepalis studied in South Korea. Today, according to embassy records, there are more than 13,700 Nepali students in the country—a dramatic rise from just 900 in 2017 and 3,500 in 2018.
