This article examined the perceptions of Nepali students vis-à-vis the push and pull factors that shape their decisions to pursue higher education abroad. Drawing on Everett Lee’s push–pull theory of migration and situated within a positivist paradigm, this article focused on the relative influence of educational quality, employability, and sociopolitical conditions on students’ choices. By using a mono-method quantitative approach with a cross-sectional survey design, it utilized structured questionnaires consisting of thirty-three indicators. The survey was conducted among 391 students who had obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Statistical analyses, including correlation tests and multiple linear regression using SPSS, were applied to interpret the data. The findings indicated that sociopolitical instability in Nepal emerged as the most significant push factor while enhanced employment prospects abroad served as the strongest pull factor. By contrast, the quality of education, whether in Nepal or internationally, appeared to exert minimal influence on students’ migration decisions. These results showed the importance of addressing structural issues within Nepal to mitigate the outflow of students and reverse the persistent trend of student outmigration.
Bhattarai et al. (Fri,) studied this question.