The Cheapest Universities in Malaysia for International Students

One of the great benefits offered by Malaysia is that you can study in Malaysia at the lowest cost. This also contributes to attracting foreign students. That is because the main cost when it comes to international education is the course fees and accommodation expenses. Here is our advice for international students who want lower cost studies in Malaysia, along with our list of the cheapest universities of the country.

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Reasonable Tuition Fees

The reasonable costs of higher education are one of the good reasons that make foreign students choose Malaysia as a study destination. Upon calculating the education and accommodation costs in Malaysia, many foreign students discover that it offers them the opportunity to receive a high-quality higher education for a very reasonable cost.

Low-Cost Study in the Cheapest Universities in Malaysia

Despite the notable developments in the higher education system in Malaysia, the costs of studying are still low. This makes it very easy for international students to study in some of the top universities in Malaysia at a low cost. The bachelor’s degree in the main campus of a UK university costs £13,470, while you can pay less than £7,000 for the same degree in a Malaysian campus.

Most important of all is that there is no difference between the two courses at all. The content of the two courses will be the same. The applied assessment criteria and grading schemes are the same on the two campuses. The only important difference is the cost.

Check our article about the top universities in Malaysia.

Tuition Fees in Malaysian Universities

Tuition fees differ according to the universities, owing to the higher number of international branches and private institutions. In general, studying in Malaysia is cheaper, when compared to many countries.

Currently, the average tuition fees reach USD 3,950 annually. Interestingly, the costs of the highest-rank university in the country, which is the public University of Malaya, is only USD 1,674 per year.

Although the costs of programs in Malaysia tend to be higher, their prices are relatively reasonable, as they offer the same value. For example, if you decided to obtain a bachelor’s degree in computer sciences from Monash University branch in Malaysia, this would cost you USD 9,222 per year.

However, getting the same degree from Monash University in Australia would cost you more than the double, USD 23,000 per year.

Costs of Living

The cost of living of international students in Malaysia is low. They could reach around RM 14,400 (USD 3,300) per year, including food, traveling, and accommodation. This rate may seem relatively low when compared to other study destinations.

But, it is very important to plan your budget before traveling, especially that your visa application will require proof of the available funds.

You have to put in mind that foreign students are not allowed to work during their study duration.

The only allowed working time for them is during the vacations between semesters and the holidays that exceed seven days. Moreover, working is not permitted for more than 20 hours per week and only for specific job categories. This means that working to earn a living is no more an option.

Check our article about the costs of studying and living in Malaysia.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Scholarships and financial aid are very common in Malaysia between the students to find funding for their study in the country. This is in addition to being one of the assisting things to study at the lowest costs.

Most likely, the individual universities in Malaysia offer scholarships or fellowships for the international and local students alike. Information about such financial aids are available on the universities’ websites.

Furthermore, the Malaysian government offers the financial aid funds for the international students. One of these funds is the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP).

Check our article about scholarships in Malaysia.

List of Cheap Universities in Malaysia for International Students

Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Open University Malaysia was established in 2001 as a private university owned by a group of 11 Malaysian public universities. Its particularity is that the university offers mainly distance and e-learning, offering very flexible programs and schedules. Its main building is in Kuala Lumpur, but it is backed up by 37 learning centers throughout Malaysia.

OUM has 5 faculties and more than 80 programs in education and languages, science and technology, IT and multimedia communication, business and management as well as applied and social sciences. Tuition fees start as cheap as RM 1,530 (around USD 370) per semester, for a Bachelor’s degree, plus 20% more for international students.

Learn more at the website of the Open University Malaysia

UCSI University

UCSI is not only among the best private university in Malaysia. But it is also one of the cheapest universities in Kuala Lumpur for international students. It opened its door in 1986 and has 7 faculties and 2 institutes. Subjects taught at UCSI are: business and information science, social science, applied science, liberal arts, engineering, technology, environment, medicine and health science, music, creative art and design, hospitality and tourism.

UCSI hosts over 12,000 students with affordable tuition fees for nonmedical degrees. First year of study to get a bachelor’s degree starts from RM 15,000 (around USD 3,600).

Learn more at UCSI

Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia

The third Malaysian university with low tuition fees of our list is the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. This is one of the most affordable institution for engineering and technology studies. Annual tuition fees start at RM 7,350. It was established in 1993 and has its main campus in the state of Johor.

Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia has 8 faculties. It offers programs in civil and environmental engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, technical engineering as well as mechanical and manufacturing engineering. Also, they have programs in technical and vocational education, computer science and information technology, technology management and business, applied science and technology.

Find out more at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)

The University of Malaysia, Perlis (UniMAP) was established in 2001 in the Malaysian state of Perlis. It has campus in 30 locations in the state. It has one faculty and 10 engineering and technology-focused schools. Tuition fees at UniMAP for a bachelor’s degree program in English cost between USD 2,451 and USD 2,689 the first year. Then these tuition fees drop below USD 2,000 from year 2. Also, accommodation in student residences are included in these fees.

Universiti Malaysia Perlis offers study programs in business innovation and techno-entrepreneurship, environmental engineering, bioprocess engineering, human development and techno-communication.

Learn more at the website of the University of Malaysia Perlis

Universiti Malaysia Pahang

The last of our list of the cheapest universities in Malaysia is a public self-governed technical university in Pahang, Malaysia. Founded in 2002, it has over 12,000 students distributed in 9 faculties and 1 school of postgraduate studies.

Tuition fees start at USD 500 per year with study programs in various areas of engineering and technology as well as vocational education and training. Faculties at UMP include civil engineering technology, science and industrial technology, science and industrial management, chemical and process engineering technology, computer systems & software engineering, mechanical and manufacturing engineering, …