Myanmar has a growing reputation in the education system. They have been trying their best to cope up to the global educational standards even with a lack of resources. The educational system in Myanmar is in a state of underdevelopment. Despite the scarcity, everyone recognizes the importance of learning. Several universities are still being established in the country.
Myanmar has a long history of welcoming international students. They are open to support them and give assistance by providing the best study environment possible. Because Myanmar is still growing its educational system, it can’t give financial aid to several international students. However, with ongoing international collaborations, most scholarship grants in Myanmar for international students, are being funded by the country’s partnered organizations and universities.
Related Scholarships
- Hong Kong Scholarships
- Malaysian Government Scholarships
- National University of Singapore Scholarships
What is the Cost of Living for International Students in Myanmar?
The cost of living in Myanmar is about 40% lower than in the United States. International students who want to pursue their careers in Myanmar must have sufficient funds to sustain their living. On average, students must have at least $486 per month without rent. If total expenses are included, the student shall have at least $700-$800.
Are International Students allowed to work in Myanmar?
Yes, international students are permitted to work in Myanmar while pursuing their degrees. However, a number of work hours and other restrictions must be negotiated by the university that the student is currently enrolled in.
Leading Universities in Myanmar
Although Myanmar’s education system is underdeveloped, they are progressively ranking its university to prepare to compete to a more global scale of the network. To be eligible, universities in Myanmar must first get acknowledged by the Burmese higher education-related organization. Despite the challenges, there are still many universities that provide the best education to their students. According to the 2021 Burmese University Rankings, the three leading universities are Yangon University, Hinthada University, and Mandalay University.
Best Scholarships in Myanmar
1. University of Yangon International Collaboration
The University of Yangon is the earliest and best-known university in Myanmar. To explore the global world, the university extends its hands by offering international collaboration to specific countries. Partnerships from other countries were mostly to study the Myanmar language.
However, there are existing projects that include exchange programs for Masters and Doctoral international students. One of these projects is the Asia Research Center (ARC), founded by KFAS in 2002. The goal of ARC is to promote research projects, academic conferences, and research publications to foreign nationals.
To achieve that, ARC annually gives Myan scholarships for international students who want to take up research activities in their selected partner country such as Myanmar. Usually, ARC scholars are required to enroll in the host country. However, they have also permitted students to choose their partner country under specific regulations.
Interested applicants for this international collaboration must first meet all of the required documents that the program needs on the selection process. It will be then collected and reviewed by the KFAS for further examination before announcing the eligible applicants. Grantees from this program will receive financial support throughout their research activities at Yangon University. To maintain the financial assistance, grantees from the program shall produce outstanding proposals and researches because this will be the basis of ARC’s appropriate funding to their scholars.
2. SEARCA Joint Graduate Research Scholarship
SEARCA aims to expand the research capabilities of foreign nationals located in Southeast Asia through the provision of the Joint Graduate Research Scholarship. This scholarship in Myanmar will enable students to acquire a Master’s and Doctoral degree by research in Aquaculture, Food Science, Agricultural Biotechnology, and International Development. Interested applicants must first meet the program’s eligibility criteria:
- National of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).
- Must not be more than 35 years old for the Master’s degree and 40 years for the Doctoral degree.
- Areas of specialization should be in Agricultural Biotechnology, Aquaculture, Food Science, and International Development.
- Planned research must be under the SEARCA’s 11th Five Year Plan on Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation (ATTAIN).
Aside from the eligibility requirements, applicants must also need to submit their applications. They must prove their excellent academic track record, completed degree, curriculum vitae (CV), and a brief description of proposed research that will be conducted in Myanmar. Grantees for the SEARCA Scholarship will receive full coverage on tuition expenses, travel allowance to Myanmar, research budget, health insurance, stipend for food, lodging, incidental, and other school-related expenses.
3. WMS Scholarship Program
The Wells Mountain Initiative (WMI) annually funds skilled international students who want to pursue their first Bachelor’s degree in Myanmar. The program is a competitive-based scholarship, so the students must provide an outstanding academic track record and performance. To become a WMI scholar, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Successfully acquired a secondary education with excellent grades.
- Must not exceed the age of 35.
- Intend to study in the least developed or developing world.
- Must be pursuing their first Bachelor’s degree.
- Field of study must be able to contribute and benefit the advancement of their home country.
- Demonstrated willingness to give back and has volunteered before applying for the scholarship program.
- Have available funds but are not enough to pursue a tertiary degree without financial assistance from the program.
Selected WMI scholars will receive scholarship coverage ranging from USD 300 to USD 3000 a year. If the tuition and other living expense exceed USD 3000, WMI will not make up for the difference. Therefore, the applicants must have available funds if they are planning to apply for this Myanmar scholarship grant. To maintain the scholarship, selected WMI scholars must need to have good grades. The student must also volunteer within the community for a total of 100 hours per year.
4. Education for Sustainable Energy Development (ESED) Scholarship Program
The Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership (GSEP) annually awards scholarship programs for future innovators and thinkers of creating a sustainable life. The grant is open to international students who want to pursue a Master’s degree in Myanmar. It is a competitive-based scholarship as GSEP only accepts excellent and skilled international students. Interested applicants must also need to comply with the program’s conditions:
- Have an excellent academic track record of top 20% of their class.
- Intend to study their Master’s degree in electric transportation, political science, and other relevant programs.
- Have community involvement.
- Demonstrated willingness to advance their knowledge and understanding.
- Committed to sustainable energy development.
- Other supporting documents
Grantees from the ESED Scholarship program will receive a total of $10,000 US per year (max. two years). The grant will be enough to cover all the tuition, travel, and living expenses on their selected university to study in Myanmar.
5. YUE: Yangon University of Economics Scholarship Program
The Yangon University of Economics (YUE) is considered one of the finest universities of Economics and Business in Myanmar. To achieve international networks, YUE annually offers international collaboration and scholarship grants to foreign nationals. The university wants to engage excellent international students to study in Myanmar. With that, YUE offers several options of financial assistance to its students. However, the financial program will not be funded by the university and will depend on YUE’s international and local organizations. Unlike any other country, scholarship offers in Myanmar are funded by organizations and partnered companies of the university.
Interested applicants for this Myanmar scholarship must meet all the specified criteria on their selected organizations. There are about nine (9) international organizations and six (6) local organizations that they must choose. Applicants are free to choose an organization that they think is the best fit for them. The coverage of the scholarship is to be negotiated by both the awarded candidate and the organization. The scholarship program is only open to YUE international students. Therefore, applicants must first be enrolled in the university to apply for the financial assistance program.
