Myanmar Education System & Credential Evaluation

A guide to the Myanmar education system and how your credentials compare to US standards for immigration, university admissions, and employment.

Need your Myanmar credentials evaluated? Fast, USCIS-accepted reports from $85.

Apply Now →

Overview of the Myanmar Education System

Myanmar (formerly Burma) operates a 12-year system of general education. The Ministry of Education oversees all levels of schooling. Burmese (Myanmar language) is the official medium of instruction, with English taught as a compulsory subject from the early primary level. The academic year runs from June to March. Myanmar has been implementing significant education reforms in recent years to modernize its curriculum and assessment system.

Structure of the Education System

Primary Education — 5 Years (Ages 5–10, Grades 1–5)

Covers Myanmar language, English, Mathematics, Life Skills, and Arts. Begins at age 5 with Grade KG (Kindergarten).

Middle School — 4 Years (Ages 10–14, Grades 6–9)

Students study an expanded curriculum including Myanmar, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Additional Mathematics from Grade 7.

High School — 2 Years (Ages 14–16, Grades 10–11)

Students prepare for the Basic Education High School Examination (BEHE), also known as the Matriculation Examination, administered by the Myanmar Examination Board at the end of Grade 11. Passing this examination is required for university admission.

University Education

Bachelor's degrees typically take 3–4 years (Honours degrees take 4 years). Professional degrees in medicine (MBBS) take 5–6 years. Master's degrees are 2 years. Myanmar has both general universities and specialized universities (engineering, medicine, economics).

Grade Conversion Scale for Myanmar

Grade Scale	Description	US Equivalent
Distinction (75–100)	Excellent	A
Credit (60–74)	Good	B
Pass (40–59)	Satisfactory	C
Fail (0–39)	Fail	F

Key Credentials

Basic Education High School Certificate (Matriculation) — Grade 11; equivalent to a US high school diploma
Bachelor's Degree — 3–4 years
Honours Bachelor's Degree — 4 years

US Equivalency of Myanmar Credentials

The Matriculation Certificate is equivalent to a US high school diploma
A Myanmar 4-year Honours Bachelor's degree is equivalent to a US Bachelor's degree
A Myanmar 3-year Bachelor's degree (Pass) may be evaluated as less than a full US Bachelor's — course-by-course evaluation recommended
A Myanmar Master's degree is equivalent to a US Master's degree

Why You Need a Credential Evaluation

A formal credential evaluation is required for US university admissions, employment-based immigration petitions (H-1B, EB-1A, EB2-NIW, O-1, L-1), and professional licensing.

If your documents are in Burmese (Myanmar)

All Myanmar academic documents must be accompanied by certified English translations. Evaluation World offers Burmese (Myanmar)-to-English translation services combined with your evaluation order.