Study in Malaysia: Find Universities, Costs, Courses, Visa, Requirements, Scholarships

Quickly rising the charts of best-destinations to study abroad, Malaysia has recently made its entry in the top 10 most-favored countries for international students. It had an international student population of nearly 130,110 at the end of 2022 which is expected to rise to 250,000 by 2025. With an unparalleled education system governed by the Malaysian Ministry of Education, the country offers hundreds of diverse programs across its 150+ top universities renowned in the list of 200 regarded institutes across the globe.

Standing proudly as a strong competitor to USA, Germany and UK, Malaysia is currently home to students from over 135 countries primarily from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Other than its official languages, English is also considered as an official language that adds credit to the nation’s favor. It is one of the most affordable destinations in terms of tuition and living expenses when compared to other prestigious countries which is reflected in the graph below.

Employment sector in Malaysia has seen tremendous growth over the past few years with a constant unemployment rate of merely 3 to 4%. Unemployment Rate in Malaysia decreased to 3.30 percent in November from 3.40 percent in October of 2023. With an acceptance rate of 90% for most of its institutes and a flexible immigration process, the country is quickly gaining fascination among international aspirants seeking to study in Malaysia. To gather a further clear picture of the market trends in the country, the unemployment trends in Malaysia over the years are as pictured below.

Study in Malaysia: Top universities for international students

Malaysia as a country is home to several prestigious private and public institutes that are reputed for their exceptional and remarkable education system. If you have decided to choose a Malaysian organization for studying abroad, a list of top universities in Malaysia are compiled in the table below.

Why Study in Malaysia?

Malaysia is among the top 10 most preferred global countries for studying overseas with an international population of some 150 countries. With a simple immigration process, a lower cost of living, diverse cultures and ethnicities and a globally renowned education system, some other reasons to study in Malaysia are as compiled below.

1. Higher Quality of Education: As per the QS World Universities Ranking, several Malaysian universities and courses rank in the top 500, as they provide world-class education to the students.
2. Presence of Foreign Universities: Students can now get a UK, US or an Australian degree in Malaysia since many foreign universities have their branch campuses in the country.
3. Education is Affordable: The cost of studying in Malaysia is comparatively lower than studying in any other country abroad along with a range of scholarships to study in the country. An average undergraduate degree from the country will cost the students around 39,990 MYR.
4. Safe Country for International Students: According to the recent data provided by the Global Peace Index, Malaysia ranks 29th on the list of most peaceful countries in the world.
5. Employment Opportunities: The country provides lots of post-study work opportunities for students and is expected to create thousands of new jobs in the upcoming years. With a high rate of employment and a constant unemployment rate of 3 to 4% with slight changes over the years, the nation stands as a promising land for all the aspirants
6. Multicultural Environment: Malaysia’s global community allows cultural, religious and social acceptance for all ethnic groups and believes in harmony.

What to study in Malaysia?

The country offers hundreds of programs including more than 2,300 undergraduate degree-level courses. An average course in the country usually lasts for 3 to 4 years with short courses being 6 months to 2 years in duration. Since the job opportunities in the country are directly proportional to the stream you choose, it is greatly recommended to go through all the aspects when selecting a program you are interested in.

For any program in the country, a candidate will require A-levels or equivalent along with the specific-entry requirements for each course and university. While STEM courses, data science, IT and Business Administration are the popular choices for masters degrees among international candidates, other programs like hospitality, communications, petroleum engineering and healthcare are equally best alternatives to opt for.

Best courses to study in Malaysia

To make the process more feasible, a list of some of the popular programs, the best institute for the corresponding program and their top recruiters are as mentioned below.

How to study in Malaysia: Application Process

For the applicants who have made a decision to apply to study in Malaysia, it is highly recommended to waste no more time and start planning your application at the earliest possible opportunity. In order to make the process simpler, we have compiled a step-by-step guide for all the prospective aspirants.

1. Explore your options: Since the country has more than 100 globally renowned institutes with an array of courses that are ranked among the top 100 across the world, it is highly essential to choose your dream university carefully and ensure that it is the perfect fit for you in terms of cost, location, course etc.
2. Plan your finances: Malaysia is believed to be one of the affordable study-abroad locations among international students where you can study for as low as 7,500 to as high as 60,000 MYR.
3. Prepare your application: Most universities in Malaysia have their respective application process and deadlines. The major seasons of intakes are February, July and October. Students are highly encouraged to apply at least 7 to 8 months before the deadlines.
4. Apply for a study in Malaysia visa: After you have received your offer of place, apply for a Malaysian visa at your nearest embassy and pay the application fee of 1,060 MYR. The entire process may take 3 to 4 weeks or more depending on the individual's application. A candidate must show proof of funds with a minimum of 70,445 MYR per year to obtain their visa successfully.
5. Prepare your departure: Once you have received your relevant visa, plan your departure by looking for accommodation alternatives in the country, explore more about Malaysia and the city you are planning to live in, book your air ticket and pack your bags.

Study in Malaysia Admission Requirements

Some basic information regarding the admission process and basic requirements is as tabulated below.

When to study in Malaysia: Application Cycle

The intake periods at Malaysian Universities is when a student completes his/her enrollment, before the commencement of classes. While the application deadlines to study in the country differs, the major intake seasons are similar which are as mentioned as follows:

February Intake Timeline:

• For getting admission in February, students need to begin their research on universities around May-June.
• Applications close by October and universities respond by November.

July Intake Timeline:

• For getting admission in July, students need to begin their research on universities by November-December.
• Applications close by March and universities respond by April.

October Intake Timeline:

• For getting admission in October, students need to begin their research on universities by February-March.
• Applications close by June and universities respond by July.

Study in Malaysia Cost

Malaysia is one of the preferred locations for international students, especially when seen from the perspective of the low cost of living and education. While the amount may vary tremendously depending on the choice of program, university and lifestyle of an individual, as discussed above, the amount is still low in comparison to other study-abroad destinations.

Is study in Malaysia for free?

The cost of studying in Malaysia for international students is usually lower when seen in contrast to other renowned destinations across the world. A bachelor's degree in Malaysia usually costs around 43,000 to 100,000 MYR while the master’s program would cost nearly 1,800 to 30,000 MYR. The price will highly vary on your university type which is either public or private.

For instance, a bachelor's degree in IT from a public institute will cost around 8,900 to 9,910 MYR but a similar course from a local private university or an international private institute will round off to nearly 33,000 to 43,000 MYR and 52,800 to 84,000 MYR, respectively. The cost of attendance for Malaysia has been compiled in detail as follows:

A comparison of tuition fees for some of the regarded public and private institutes in Malaysia has been depicted in the graph below.

Cost of Living in Malaysia

While the basic fee in the country would vary on the individual’s personal preferences for accommodation, food, city of choice etc., an estimated amount required to survive a month in Malaysia is as follows:

How to study in Malaysia With a Scholarship?

Since attracting international students to Malaysia is currently a priority for the government of the city, it ensures sufficient funding for the deserving candidates seeking to study there. The financial aid is provided in the form of Government grants and loans, private and public scholarships, studentships, university and course-specific awards, among others.

Scholarships to study in Malaysia

While most studentships and awards in the country are primarily for the domestic students, some of the top scholarships for international students in Malaysia are as tabulated below.

Jobs after studying in Malaysia

With the world entering into a digital era, the job market has seen drastic changes over the past few years and the Malaysian market has been no exception. Thus, it becomes highly essential that students choose their courses with utmost care taking into account the employment and job prospects in the field.

The youth unemployment rate of about 10.9% in Malaysia is reflective of the fact that while there are endless new job opportunities being created in the country every year, the mismatch between student’s qualifications and requirements of a job profile fails to meet.

Some of the courses expected to see a huge demand and increase salaries in the upcoming years include IT and Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Architecture, Hospitality, Accounting, Business Administration, among others. It was interesting to note that while Engineering graduates enjoyed a salary hike of over 12% in comparison to other graduates in Malaysia, data science graduates were in fact some of the highly paid employees in the country with a starting salary of 4,000 to 8,000 MYR per month.

Salary trends for graduates of different streams soon after completing their degrees from Malaysia have been depicted in the graph below.

In a nutshell, we can conclude by saying that Malaysia is quickly becoming the new go-to destination for studying abroad among international students. From being an affordable alternative with a globally recognized curriculum and campuses of some of the greatest institutes of countries like the UK, USA, Canada to exposure of diverse cultures and languages, Malaysia offers it all to its aspirants.

Apart from being a paradise for food-lovers, safe environment, endless opportunities for adventure and growing job profiles, the country is also very welcoming and friendly towards the students which is reflected in its easy immigration process and support for students in every step of the way during the application process. Thus, if you are a prospective candidate seeking to study overseas, it is high time you include Malaysia to your list.