A Guide to Study in Malaysia

Increasingly, many students are choosing to study at Malaysian universities due to the high quality, affordable costs, and 100% English-language instruction. Additionally, the Malaysian people speak English extensively, which makes it easier for students to communicate with the Malaysian populace and navigate life in Malaysia in general.

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia and has an area of 845,000 square kilometers, consisting of 13 states. Its population exceeds 30 million people. The currency is the Ringgit, which is approximately equal to a quarter of a US dollar. The official language is Malay, but English is very widely used in commerce, education, and business. The capital is Kuala Lumpur, which is a modern and developed center in terms of technology, business, and commerce.

The higher education system in Malaysia is diverse in terms of the variety of its educational institutions, including private and public universities as well as international universities. Malaysian universities are divided into four types, and each university in Malaysia is distinguished by its quality in specific specializations, for which it is well-known among international students. International universities are considered the strongest in Malaysia. These are international universities with branches only in Malaysia, offering students the opportunity to save on the high tuition fees that would be incurred if studying in the home country, such as in Britain or Australia.

Types of Universities in Malaysia

Public universities in Malaysia, like any public universities in other countries, are supported and regulated by the state. Malaysian public universities are among the strongest in Asia, including the University of Malaya (UM), which ranks 59th globally according to the QS Worldwide Ranking 2021, and the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), which is among the top 50 universities worldwide in the field of engineering.Admission Requirements for Public Universities

It should be noted that admission to public universities is relatively difficult compared to private and international universities and requires the following for application
A high school diploma, as public universities take into consideration the average of science subjects, where it is preferred to be more than 85%.

Private universities in Malaysia are very strong and their academic strength is comparable to that of public universities. They are characterized by easy acceptance if the student meets the requirements. Moreover, many of them offer numerous academic terms, meaning a student can start their studies at any time, unlike public universities where application starts only once a year. For example, MMU, one of the strongest private universities in Malaysia, has three academic terms throughout the year in November, April, and July. Students can enroll at these times and begin their studies immediately. Also, UCSI, the first private university in Malaysia, offers many new specialties sought by students and has three terms as well, in January, May, and September, allowing students to apply during these periods. OK TAMAM group is the official agent for these universities and provides all services and consultations for enrollment.

Additionally, some newly established universities work on making some agreements with a number of strong international universities. The courses offered are affiliated with those universities with which they have partnerships, and the entire teaching staff belongs to these universities. They come to Malaysia to teach and follow up with the students. Also, the examination system is under the supervision of these universities, and students definitely receive a graduation certificate from these universities, just like students who study at these universities in the home country. One of the most important features of this type of universities is that the student receives two degrees, one from the university in Malaysia and one from the other university that has a partnership with the Malaysian university, and these universities are less expensive in terms of fees compared to international universities.

International universities are institutions affiliated with countries such as Britain and Australia, having branches in Malaysia. They are distinguished by achieving very strong global rankings. For instance, Monash University is an Australian university located in Malaysia, ranked 54th globally in international university rankings. Students can, at any time, choose to complete their studies at the parent university if they wish. There is also the University of Nottingham, a British university with a branch in Malaysia, ranked 99th globally in university rankings. Perhaps the most notable feature of international universities is:

the strength of the universities in terms of their level, educational quality, and advanced position in the global rankings
the student obtaining a degree from the university’s home country, not a degree from Malaysia
the student’s ability to study in Malaysia and live there with expenses lower than the cost of studying in the home country of the university. For example, the tuition fees for the University of Nottingham in Britain are 23,760 GBP, which is roughly equivalent to 33,000 USD annually, excluding living expenses in Britain. The university has a branch in Malaysia, where the tuition fees for a branch in Malaysia are approximately 9,200 USD for one of the specialties, such as social sciences. It is noticeable that there is a significant difference between the university expenses in the home country and the university branch in Malaysia, even though both universities are distinguished by the same quality of education

A Guide to Study in Malaysia

Types of Universities in Malaysia

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