Top Universities in Malaysia

Top Universities in Malaysia: One of the top emerging study centers in Asia, Malaysia aims to attract 250,000 international students by the year 2025, which is a very ambitious target, among many others. In general, universities in Malaysia are currently showing great promise on the world stage, while at the same time, our home-grown universities are complemented by a large number of international branch campuses, most of which are found in close proximity to the new EduCity project.

Whether you want to be part of cutting-edge research or want to have a diverse learning experience, this is a guide to top universities in Malaysia according to the QS World University Rankings 2024.

Why Study in Malaysia?

Malaysian academic landscape is home to international branch campuses of universities of other countries, which is part of the strategy aiming to broaden and enhance the availability range of higher education in the country. The established branch campuses include from England the University of Nottingham and from Australia of Monash University.

Malaysia’s decision to make branch campuses became the basis of the new EduCity development in Johor, located at the southernmost tip of West Malaysia just 5km north of Singapore. This campus of 350 acres will be shared between eight international branches of the prestigious universities affiliated with it.

They include the UK’s Reading University, the University of Southampton and Newcastle University Medicine, and Dutch Maritime Institute of Technology, Singapore’s private Raffles University, and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts from the States.

On the one hand, the presence of overseas universities in Malaysia is increasing the variety of higher education services, but on the other hand, home-based universities in these areas should not be ignored.

Courses offered by top Universities in Malaysia

Internationals are being presented with vast opportunities to choose from a variety of courses and programs; these include, certificate, pre-university, diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs.

Popular courses for international students in Malaysia include:

• Information technology (IT) and computer science: Cyber-security
• Accounting and financial services: Accounting
• Business: Digital Marketing
• Communications: Mass communication
• Humanities: Law (LLB)
• Health Science

Other popular postgraduate courses in Malaysia include:

• Engineering
• Pharmacy
• Medicine
• Finance and accounting
• Economics
• Business and commerce
• Tourism and hospitality

Other courses offered by top universities in Malaysia also include:

Agriculture, Biology and biochemistry, Chemistry, Clinical medicine, Physics/geoscience, Material science, Microbiology.

List of Top Universities in Malaysia

Below given is the list of top universities in Malaysia for International students:

Rank	College	Location	Fees	Top Courses	Reviews
1	University of Malaya	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	₹4.97L/Yr (RM28,145/Yr) + ₹17.6K/Yr (RM1,000/Yr)	M.B.A Business Administration, M.S Human Resource Management	THE: 251, ARWU: 301
2	Universiti Teknologi Petronas	Seri Iskander, Perak, Malaysia	₹13.57L/Yr (RM76,883/Yr)	M.S Petroleum Engineering	THE: 301, QS: 307
3	Universiti Utara Malaysia	Changlun, Kedah, Malaysia	₹1.69L/Yr (RM9,587/Yr)	M.S Human Resource Management	THE: 401, QS: 538
4	Universiti Sains Malaysia	George Town, Penang, Malaysia	₹86.6K/Yr (RM4,907/Yr) + ₹1.69L/Yr (RM9,600/Yr)	M.B.A	THE: 401, QS: 137
5	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia	Skudai, Johor, Malaysia	₹5L/Yr (RM28,315/Yr) + ₹4.68L/Yr (RM26,500/Yr)	M.S Biotechnology	THE: 401, QS: 188
6	Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN)	Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia	₹3.57L/Yr (RM20,200/Yr)	B.S Computer and Communication Engineering	THE: 601, QS: 761
7	Sunway University	Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia	₹14.19L/Yr (RM80,382/Yr)	M.A Marketing	THE: 601, QS: 586
8	Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)	Kampar, Perak, Malaysia	₹8.77L/Yr (RM49,678/Yr) + ₹5.93L/Yr (RM33,600/Yr)	M.B.A Business Administration	THE: 1001, QS: 801
9	Multimedia University	Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia	₹4.23L/Yr (RM23,954/Yr) + ₹3.96L/Yr (RM22,427/Yr)	LL.B Law	THE: 1201, QS: 1001
10	Universiti Teknologi MARA	Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia	₹3.85L/Yr (RM21,838/Yr) + ₹2.9L/Yr (RM16,430/Yr)	M.S Computer Science – Web Technology	THE: 1501, QS: 555
11	Universiti Putra Malaysia	Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia	₹2.58L/Yr (RM14,597/Yr) + ₹2.12L/Yr (RM12,000/Yr)	M.S Computer Science	QS: 158, ARWU: 701
12	Taylor’s University	Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia	₹1.56L/Yr (RM8,857/Yr) + ₹2.95L/Yr (RM16,706/Yr)	M.B.A	QS: 284
13	UCSI University	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	₹6.33L/Yr (RM35,879/Yr) + ₹7.72L/Yr (RM43,760/Yr)	M.B.A	QS: 300
14	International Islamic University Malaysia	Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia	₹5.94L/Yr (RM33,653/Yr) + ₹7.94L/Yr (RM45,000/Yr)	M.S Computer Science	QS: 711, CWUR: 1527
15	University of Nottingham Malaysia	Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia	₹4.54L/Yr (RM25,716/Yr) + ₹5.05L/Yr (RM28,600/Yr)	M.Sc Business and Management	QS: 284

Admission Requirements to Study in Malaysia

Students who wish to study in Malaysia instead of applying to universities through different channels or websites can now apply through a single portal known as the UPU; they will only be required to submit applications once, through a single channel.

UPU processes applications for Polyrtechnics, Community Colleges, Public Universities and Institut Latihan Kemahiran Awam (ILKA)

Applications to study in Malaysia for international students are accepted by UPU in case of:

• The students who appear for SPM (Sijil Pelajaram Malaysia) examinations.
• Students who have completed STPM(Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) are one of the highly-rated qualifications.
• Alumni who have diplomas from public universities

These are the details that a student should go through to apply for top universities in Malaysia.

Eligibility Criteria to Study in Malaysia

Undergraduate Courses to Study in Malaysia for international students: One who would like to enrol for an undergraduate course at the top universities of Malaysia must have passed:

• STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) with the higher principal level passes.
• UCE (Unified Exam Certificate) above 75%.
• Matriculation certificate
• Polytechnic certificate (if any)

Postgraduate Courses to Study in Malaysia for international students: To study at a prestigious university in Malaysia, the prerequisites are as follows:

• Bachelor’s degree (from a private/public well-known university)
• Pre-masters course (If any)

Here’re few other requirements that needs to be fulfilled to be eligible to study in Malaysia.

Level of English Proficiency to Study in the Malaysian Education System

It is very easy for students who have done their previous studies from English speech countries to proceed without appearing for tests such as TOEFL, GRE. Just like it is for the students from non-English countries, English (TOEFL) is also an important requirement which a student should take. However, it depends on the particular institution.

Should they want to study at the Malaysian colleges, the international students should have already passed the English language qualification recognized internationally – IELTS and TOEFL. The minimum TOEFL score is 100 and it is 6 for IELTS.

Apply Before Application Deadline

However, the precise deadlines may differ depending on the program and the university you are interested in. The major intakes in Malaysia are listed below

• February Intake: Research will commence in May-June as application ends in October.
• July Intake: Research will commence from November-December as applications close by March.
• October Intake: Research will begin by the end of February-March as application deadline is in the end of June.

Offer Acceptance

When the chosen student gets the acceptance letter, it will be sent to him or her.

• Plan for accommodation
• Pay tuition fees

After Offer Acceptance

When your application gets accepted by college students should start the process of visa application, finding money and insurance for travel.

Visa Requirements while Studying in Malaysia

All international students studying in Malaysia have been provided with a student pass by the Malaysian government. The student’s university usually takes care of the student pass application. The student pass often takes from 7 to 8 weeks to be processed in Malaysia. A student pass in Malaysia is valid for 12 months.

Documents Required to Study in Malaysia

In order to apply in the universities of Malaysia, students will be requested to furnish their application with the following documents.

• Letter of recommendation
• Records from my earlier universities
• Valid passport
• Identity proof
• Medical health record
• Supplementing Accommodation Form (if there is an accommodation required)
• Applying (costs vary from institution than another)

Conclusion

A majority of private universities in Malaysia offer a dual or 2+1 degree program. With this, students will be able to complete some of their degrees in Malaysia and the other in a partner university of another country. This option seems advantageous, it gives an opportunity to become a holder of diploma accredited by a reputable university teaching in the established higher education country (e.g. US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France or Germany) without paying the full tuition fee for the whole duration of the degree. This is , in fact, one of the reasons for the high demand for studying in Malaysia.

Top Universities in Malaysia – FAQs

It is difficult to choose which city is better to study in Malaysia since both places have their own advantages?

The main gist of it all is, Kuala Lumpur by all means is best when it comes to study cities in Malaysia because some of the most respected universities in Malaysia are found in the city. Kuala Lumpur is without any doubt,the most popular and, its well-known city for all those who are seeking for study in Malaysia.

What university in Malaysia has the higher employment rate?

It is worth noting that Sunway University won a top position as a university in Malaysia for graduate employability by Talentbank for the second time in a row, getting six-star employability rating for 25 different fields of study, namely accounting, engineering and hospitality management.

Is Malaysia a suitable country for higher studies?

Certainly, I can count on Malaysia as an excellent country to study. Students here can have access to a strong educational system and learn foreign degree qualifications from universities in Australia, UK and US at a cost which is lower than studying in these countries.

Is it not cheaper to study in Malaysia?

One of the main features of Malaysia that make it much cheaper for international students to study here is its comparatively low cost of living and tuition fees. The living cost Malaysia is 54,096 RM (10.17 lakhs INR) yearly and its tuition fee ranges from 15,500 to 23,000 RM (2,91,000 to 4,36,000 INR) yearly.

Is Malaysia a pricy destination for foreign students?

Malaysia attracts many international students as it is one of the cheapest countries to live and study in. It is rated 142th out of 192 the most expensive countries in the world to live in.