Cambodia formally recognises OxfordAQA qualifications

May talks were followed by a recognition decision

On 8 May, Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport held talks with Oxford University Press over formal recognition of OxfordAQA international qualifications. At that stage, no decision had been made: the government news agency AKP reported that the proposal still required detailed review.

OxfordAQA announced the next step on 12 June. It said the ministry had formally recognised OxfordAQA qualifications, turning the May discussion into a defined progression route within Cambodia’s education system. OxfordAQA is a partnership between Oxford University Press and AQA and offers international qualifications including International GCSEs, AS and A-levels.

For practical context, see Cambodia market and country comparisons. This development also connects with New science library opens at Battambang’s Anlong Vil school.

The published equivalency is specific

OxfordAQA says that three AS qualifications are now considered equivalent to the Cambodian National High School Diploma. It also states that A-levels are recognised as comparable to the first year of undergraduate study. Students holding the relevant OxfordAQA qualifications can progress to Cambodian higher education institutions, subject to the normal entry requirements of those institutions.

The June announcement does not make admission automatic. It also does not set out a separate equivalency for International GCSE, even though the May talks referred more broadly to IGCSE and A-Level credentials. Families should therefore avoid assuming that every OxfordAQA qualification receives identical treatment in Cambodia.

School choice now has a clearer local progression test

For parents comparing international schools, the recognition provides a more concrete question to ask: which OxfordAQA qualifications will the student actually complete, and how do those qualifications fit the intended university route? A school may offer a British-style curriculum, but the relevant outcome is the qualification awarded at the end of secondary education.

Families planning for a Cambodian university can now factor formal OxfordAQA recognition into that decision. They still need to check the subject combination, level of qualification and admissions rules for the institution and course the student may eventually choose.