ASEAN Credit Transfer and Exchange Programs Open to Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar Students
By Muntasir • Published Sep 18, 2026 • Updated Sep 18, 2026 • Study in Southeast Asia
Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar students at an ASEAN University Network (AUN) member campus can transfer credits and study a semester at another ASEAN university through AUN-ACTS and the SEAMEO RIHED AIMS Programme, both run on a reciprocal, no added tuition basis.
🎓 AUN-ACTS lets students at AUN member universities earn transferable credits at another member campus in the region.
The AIMS Programme connects around 87 universities across 10 countries for one-semester exchanges in 10 academic fields.
Cambodia's AUN core member is the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Laos's is the National University of Laos, and Myanmar's are the University of Yangon, University of Mandalay and Yangon University of Economics.
📩 Apply through your home university's international office, not directly to the host campus, since both programs run on institutional nomination.
💵 Reciprocity keeps costs low: you keep paying your home tuition and generally only cover your own travel, visa and living costs abroad.
What these programs offer CLM students
Two regional systems let students already enrolled at an eligible Cambodian, Lao or Myanmar university spend a semester at another ASEAN university and bring the credits home: the ASEAN Credit Transfer System (AUN-ACTS) and the SEAMEO RIHED AIMS Programme. Neither requires you to reapply as a new student at the host university or pay that university's full international tuition. Both work through your home university, so eligibility depends first on whether your own institution is a member.
AUN and the ASEAN Credit Transfer System
The ASEAN Credit Transfer System , known as AUN-ACTS, is a student mobility scheme among ASEAN University Network member universities. It accommodates each country's existing credit system rather than forcing a single regional standard, so credits you earn on exchange convert back into your home university's system through an agreed formula rather than a one-to-one match. Universitas Indonesia has hosted the AUN-ACTS secretariat since 2010, and that portal lists current member universities and open exchange slots.
Which CLM universities are AUN members
Membership determines whether AUN-ACTS is even an option for you, and only a small number of universities in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar hold AUN core membership:
Cambodia: Royal University of Phnom Penh.
Laos: National University of Laos.
Myanmar: University of Yangon, University of Mandalay and Yangon University of Economics.
Check the current AUN membership list before assuming your university qualifies, since associate membership status and program-level participation vary and the list is updated periodically. If your university is not a member, ask its international office whether it participates in AIMS instead, which runs a separate and larger network.
The SEAMEO RIHED AIMS Programme
The ASEAN International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Programme , run by SEAMEO RIHED, started in 2010 as a pilot between Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand and expanded regionally from 2012 as more Southeast Asian countries joined. The AIMS network now covers around 87 universities across 10 countries, offering one-semester exchanges in 10 academic disciplines, and more than 7,000 students have taken part since it began. Cambodia itself became the 10th AIMS member country in November 2024, giving Cambodian students another CLM-specific entry point into the network beyond AUN-ACTS.
AIMS runs on a reciprocity principle: a country sends out roughly the same number of students it receives from partner countries, which keeps host universities from charging exchange students the full international tuition rate. You keep paying your home university's normal tuition while studying at the host campus for the semester.
How to apply
Start with your university's international relations or exchange office, since both AUN-ACTS and AIMS nominate students institutionally rather than accepting direct applications from individuals. Ask specifically which partner universities and disciplines your school currently has active exchange agreements with, since not every member university participates in every round.
Typical steps once your university nominates you: confirm the host university accepts your intended courses for credit transfer, apply for a student visa or entry permit if the host country requires one for a semester stay, arrange your own accommodation and travel, and get your home registrar to pre-approve how the transferred credits will count toward your degree before you leave.
What to check before you apply
Confirm your home university holds active AUN or AIMS membership and has a current agreement with your target country, not just regional network membership in general.
Confirm the discipline you study is offered in the exchange round you are applying for, since AIMS runs a fixed set of academic fields rather than open enrollment across every subject.
Get written pre-approval from your home registrar on which courses transfer and how many credits count, before you commit to the exchange.
Budget for your own visa, travel, insurance and living costs abroad, since reciprocity waives added tuition but not these costs.