How to Get a Student Visa in Malaysia

Malaysia is currently one of the most important destinations for international students from all over the world. It ranks the 11th on the list of the most-visited countries, as it hosts students from more than 100 nationalities. This is due to the huge development witnessed in the Malaysian higher education sector in the last few years. Studying in a higher-education institution in Malaysia requires many steps, starting from checking the best universities and passing through the way of registration. Another important step is to get a student visa in Malaysia. This is what we are going to talk about today.

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Requirements to Apply for a Student Visa in Malaysia

To request a student visa, you need to provide:

All the international students must obtain the approval visa and student pass in Malaysia.

Approval Visa and Student Pass

To get a student pass, you have to obtain an approval visa first, which you will receive from the host institution. Once a Malaysian university accepts you, it will submit an application for the student pass on your behalf. You will need to provide all the required documents and pay all the tuition fees to get the visa.

If all the documents and applications are completed, the Malaysia Immigration Department will issue a letter of approval for a student pass. After that, the university will send you the completed letter with the acceptance of your request, while you are in your country.

This is in addition to personal bonds. Under this procedure, students will not need to apply directly to the Immigration Department. The letter of approval will act as a temporary pass that enables you to enter the country as a student.

How Long is the Processing Time for a Student Visa in Malaysia?

The process will take from two to three weeks for the process of the application and reach a decision. Before leaving your country for Malaysia, you must tell your host about the exact arrival date and time, flight number, and departure date and time.

By the time you arrive at the airport in Malaysia, a representative from the university or the host institution will be waiting for you. The educational institution will send your passport to the Immigration Department within two weeks to get a student pass stamp. This may take from 4-6 weeks. 

What are the Universities I can Apply to Study in Malaysia?

Nowadays, there are more than 400 private higher education institutions in Malaysia, but only 216 allow you to study in. On the other hand, you can apply to study in all the public higher education institutions.

They are allowed to receive international students from different countries. The international students are only allowed to study in the public and private higher education institutions after the approval of the following authorities:

The Ministry of Higher Education: it issues approvals to the institutions to conduct different courses.

The Ministry of Home Affairs: it issues licenses for the institutions to admit the international students.

What are the Restrictions to your Malaysian Student Visa?

A Malaysian student visa does not permit international students to work, at least during the school year. The country has a little stricter rules on the matter compared to other countries. You can work part-time, up to 20 hours a week, during the university holidays. The type of tasks you can work on are also limited to the positions, which are not believed to be immoral. 

Moreover, you are not allowed to take on a loan or access to public funds. However, the Student Pass allows you to rent or purchase a house or a car and travel around Malaysia. 

Learn more about working while studying in Malaysia

How Long is your Student Visa Valid?

The validity of a student pass depends on the courses you study and the universities you are enrolled in. For some, you will receive a visa that will last you for the entire duration of your studies, as long as your passport, insurance coverage and other relevant documents are good. For others, like language students, the student pass will be valid for 6 months but renewable. Some applicants will receive a 1-year validity that will require renewal. This third option is the most common 

To renew your student visa in Malaysia, you can go through the EMGS website. To be granted a renewal, you need an overall attendance of at least 80% to your courses and a CGPA of 2.0 at least. The other requirements depend on the higher education institution you are registered in. For the process, you have to submit a copy of your passport along with the certificates and transcripts relevant to your attendance and school marks.