Malaysia Universities and Colleges

Overview

Overview of Higher Education in Malaysia

Malaysia has a comprehensive system of higher education which includes public and private universities and colleges as well a variety of institutions that offer vocational programs. The Ministry of Higher Education oversees all aspects of higher education including planning, funding, quality assurance and marketing.

Secondary school students who intend to attend a university will attend secondary school for 18 months longer than other students and will take the Malaysian Higher School Certificate exam, which is equivalent to the British A-level exams. Students who do not follow this path may be able to enroll in a matriculation program which is primarily targeted at the indigenous population and qualifies students for university education. Polytechnics have similar admission requirements.

Admissions to undergraduate programs in public universities are centrally processed by the Division of Student Admission. Public higher education is highly subsidized by the government with only 10 percent of the cost being covered by student fees. Private institutions charge varying tuition which is substantially higher than at public institutions.

Types of Schools and Degrees

As of 2007, there were 20 public universities which included four designated research universities, four broad-based universities and twelve specialized universities. Over 400 private institutions also operate, many in cooperation with or as a branch of a foreign school. There are about 60 polytechnics, community colleges and other vocational schools which offer two and three year diploma and certificate programs. Another 25 or so teacher education institutes train the country's teachers.

Bachelor's degrees can be earned in three years, master's degrees in one to three years and doctoral degrees in two to six years. All public universities as well as many of the private universities offer master's and doctoral degrees. The University of Malaya is considered the top university in the country and has ranked in the top 200 of the QS World University rankings in recent years.

International Students

According to Malaysian government statistics, about 48,000 international students attended a higher education institution in 2007. Approximately one-third of these foreign students attended a public institution and the numbers have been increasing steadily in recent years. Not all institutions have been granted permission to recruit international students.

Courses at private universities and in all postgraduate programs are taught in English. Undergraduate courses at public universities are taught in Bahasa Malaysia although science and math courses are typically taught in English.

Foreign students need to apply directly to universities, whether they are public or private. They will pay tuition rates that are low relative to western schools (under $10,000 US a year for tuition and living expenses) and are allowed to work part-time.

About Malaysia

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia and consists of two distinct regions which are separated by the South China Sea. It has a population of about 28 million with about 20 million residents living on the Malay Peninsula and 7 million living in East Malaysia. Bahasa Malaysia, a form of Malay, is the official language while English is also widely spoken and a mandatory subject in school. Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the largest city.

The economy in Malaysia is a newly industrialized market economy that is driven by manufacturing, science, tourism, international commerce and medical tourism. It ranked 26th out of 125 countries on the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index in recent years.

Resources

Ministry of Higher Education

Tourism Malaysia