According to the SEAMEO Charter, SEAMEO has three categories of membership: Member Country, Associate Member, and Affiliate Member.

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) was established in November 1965 as a chartered international organization whose purpose is to promote cooperation in education, science and culture in the Southeast Asian region.  The name was chosen to reflect the need for a regional grouping, the purpose of which is to share and maximize use of resources, with collective leadership to be provided by the Ministers of Education of the Member Countries. 

At present SEAMEO consists of eleven (11) Member Countries, eight (8) Associate Members and two (2) Affiliate Members.

The original Member States whose signatures were affixed in the SEAMEO Charter are Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the Republic of Vietnam.  The then Khmer Republic (Cambodia) was accepted as Member Country during the Sixth SEAMEO Council Conference held in Saigon, 1971 with immediate effect.   

Brunei Darussalam became member in 1984. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in consequence of the termination of the existence of the Republic of Vietnam as a sovereign state, joined SEAMEO in 1992. Union of Myanmar followed in 1998. The latest member is Timor Leste, 2006.
	Brunei Darussalam		Cambodia
	Indonesia		Lao PDR
	Malaysia		Philippines
	Singapore		Thailand
	Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste		Union of Myanmar
	Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Terms and Conditions of Associate Membership was revised and adopted at the 8th SEAMEC Conference, Phnom Penh, January 1973. 

Guidelines for Approaching Non-Member to Join SEAMEO as Associate Members

1. 7 th SEAMEO Council Conference in Vientiane in January 1972, the SEAMEO Council instructed the Secretariat to make formal approaches to a number of countries. (MC-7/IC/)
2. A list of countries to be approached was approved by the 17th SEAMEC Conference, Denparsar, Bali, Indonesia, 24 February 1982.  (MC-17/IC/WP/3)

Affiliate Membership (MC-18/IC/WP/1) was established 18th SEAMEC Conference, Penang, Malaysia, 26 January 1983. 

Standard Guidelines for Processing Applications of Institutions/Agencies for SEAMEO Affiliate Membership (MC-20/IC/WP/2) was adopted 20th SEAMEC Conference, In-Camera Session, Manila, Philippines, 6 February 1985.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges was an Affiliate Member from 1984 to 1988. Mr Yves Sanssouci, President of ACCC, made his statement at the 23rd SEAMEO Council Conference, Bali, Indonesia 4-5 February 1988 as follows:

We are honoured that our nation will now join proudly with yours and it is our heartfelt conviction that this new relationship will encourage greater opportunities for our nations and our people. Therefore, we officially withdraw our Affiliate Membership status in favour of Canada's Associate Membership status.

Proclamation and Certificate of Membership

In addition to the above-mentioned original Members, the followings joined SEAMEO and  accepted the Proclamation or Certificate signed by the SEAMEO Council Presidents. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in consequence of the termination of the existence of the Republic of Vietnam as a sovereign state, joined SEAMEO in 1992.

* Director's annual report 1973, pp 4-5 .

Remarks: Announcement of change of Flag of Myanmar 22 October 2010 confirmed by SEAMEO CHAT 28 October 2010.