Six undergraduates, formerly enrolled at the American University of Phnom Penh (AUPP), began classes last week at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell (UMass Lowell) as the first cohort of transfer students accepted as part of a five-year agreement signed last fall between the two institutions.

“Cambodian students study at AUPP for two years and then are able to transfer directly to the American campus where they finish their last two years of study,” the university explained in a release about the program, referred to as “2+2”.

According to the 2014 agreement, students wishing to transfer must complete an application and have “a minimum overall GPA of 2.5”.

Moreover, the deal only applies to students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Political Science or wishing to pursue the UMass Lowell “Bachelor in Liberal Arts” program.

The American public university – located in Lowell, known for its large Cambodian community – has for a number of years sent students to the Kingdom for study abroad programs in partnership with AUPP.

AUPP Interim Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs James West said that AUPP plans to have similar agreements with Texas A&M University, as well as California State University Long Beach.