Education

Yangon has several international schools offering American, British, and IB curricula. The International School Yangon (ISY) and Myanmar International School Yangon (MISY) are the most established, with CIS and WASC accreditation respectively. In Mandalay, Ayeyarwaddy International School (AIS) is the only K–12 option. School fees are lower than equivalent schools in Bangkok or Singapore but still represent a significant expense.

Myanmar's public education system has been severely disrupted since 2021, with extended closures, teacher participation in the civil disobedience movement, and a military-controlled curriculum. Most expat families avoid the public system entirely. Private Myanmar schools (monastery schools and private academies) offer an alternative but instruction is in Burmese and standards vary widely.

Learning Burmese (Myanmar language) is rewarding but challenging. The Burmese script is unique, tones are important, and resources are more limited than for Thai or Vietnamese. Even basic Burmese — greetings, market transactions, directions — earns significant goodwill from locals and enriches your daily experience enormously.

Myanmar's university system has been heavily impacted by the political crisis, with many universities closed or operating at reduced capacity. International students and researchers typically engage through exchange programs or remote partnerships. Yangon University and the University of Mandalay are the most prestigious institutions, but academic freedom is severely curtailed under military rule.