Myanmar (Burma) is a large country in Southeast Asia, located to the East of India. It is home to almost 60 million people. Its largest city is Yangon, while the capital is Naypyidaw. Burmese is the official language of the country, which is distinguished by the beauty of its diverse mountain and river landscapes. The higher education system of Myanmar has several types of Universities, distinguished by their subject focus (general, medical, technical, etc.). Each division of the country has multiple Universities, ensuring easy access to higher education.
Recently, Myanmar has seen unrest and internal clashes between the military and political authorities. This has caused several years of struggle for the country’s citizens, including lower safety standards, high inflation, and a struggling economy. However, the higher education system still has many Universities affiliated with it, and the HEIs of Myanmar are slowly recovering. However, the security situation remains an ongoing concern for international students in Myanmar.
Myanmar is ranked in the bottom 25% on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
There are several types of Universities (primarily run and funded by different Government Departments) in Myanmar, categorized by the main focus area of the Higher Education Institution (HEI):
1. General Education Universities: They offer comprehensive education in several different disciplines. For example, the University of Yangon has Schools within it catering to Arts and Science education. Unlike Universities in other countries, they generally do not have a Medical Department.
2. Engineering Universities: They fall under the purview of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and offer practical and theoretical education in a wide variety of technical topics. They are almost as numerous as General Education Universities, with institutions in all the regions of Myanmar.
3. Medical Universities: Unlike all the other HEIs in Myanmar, Medical Universities are not supervised by the Ministry of Education, but by the Ministry of Health. There are five Academic Universities and one Military Medical University in the country.
There are several other categories of HEIs in Myanmar, overseen by other Ministries including Defense, Agriculture, Religious Affairs, and Transport.
Certificate courses in Myanmar can be organized by both Professional Training Institutes (e.g. IMCM) and Universities. They are targeted at several different types of students: short term Burmese and English language learners, professionals who require new business certifications to upgrade their skills, and University students who need to complete additional credits to strengthen their CV. The duration of these courses is usually short: between 3 and 12 months, and they can often be completed through part time study.
Undergraduate Bachelor's degree programs in Myanmar usually last four years (for Arts, Science, and Engineering courses) or five years (Law). All programs have a mixture of lectures, practical work, field trips, and problem solving tutorials. Students who perform very well during their first two years can extend their course of study by one year to earn an Honors degree, which entails preparation of a Bachelor's dissertation.
Master's degree programs in Myanmar form the second cycle of higher education studies. Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, from a recognized University anywhere in the world. The duration of Master's programs in Myanmar is either two or three years, depending on whether the candidate has a Bachelor's degree with Honors or not. Students must complete an advanced literature survey or research project as their Master's Thesis.
Doctoral programs in Myanmar Universities usually take three years to complete. After coursework and research technique training in the first year, students must appear for a qualifying examination in order to qualify for further progress. They then spend four semesters working on guided research work and writing their dissertation. To qualify for the award of the doctoral degree, they must defend their thesis in front of a qualified panel of examiners.
The country has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in Myanmar are-
| Oriental Studies | Philosophy | Psychology |
| Library and Information Science | Environment and Water Studies | Zoology |
| International Relations | English Language Teaching | Business Administration |
| Law | Anthropology | Information Technology |
| History of Myanmar | Computer Studies | Geology |
Here are some popular regions that have the most universities in Myanmar.
| The name of the Region | No. of Universities |
| Yangon | 35 |
| Mandalay | 34 |
| Shan | 34 |
The Myanmar Ministry of Education releases recommendations for tuition fees that can be charged by HEIs under its purview. For example, the tuition fee for undergraduates at the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT) is approximately 25,000 MMK per semester, with postgraduate programs having higher tuition fees of 500,000 MMK for the entire two year duration.
Rents for private apartments in the capital city of Yangon start at 300,000 MMK per month. Students should plan to spend a similar amount on food, transportation, recreation, health insurance, and shopping for personal items.
Applicants for a long term Student Visa must complete the steps listed below, and submit the following documents:
