🇲🇾Malaysia

Malaysia offers a lower-cost gateway to Western-branded education, hosting branch campuses of universities like Monash and international institutions such as UCSI and Taylor's, popular with students seeking affordable, English-medium degrees in Southeast Asia.

Popular Places

Petronas Twin Towers

Kuala Lumpur

Iconic twin skyscrapers, once the world's tallest buildings.

Hotels from ~$40-180/night

Langkawi

Kedah

Archipelago known for beaches, cable car rides, and duty-free shopping.

Hotels from ~$40-200/night

Batu Caves

Selangor

Limestone hill with Hindu temples and a giant golden statue.

Hotels from ~$25-100/night

Penang (George Town)

Penang

UNESCO-listed city known for street art and food culture.

Hotels from ~$30-130/night

Universities in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

University of Malaya

Malaysia's oldest and most prestigious university, based in Kuala Lumpur, University of Malaya is consistently the country's top-ranked institution, particularly strong in medicine, law, and engineering. Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. International students: Around 6,240 international students out of over 18,000 total students (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Minimum 65% in Grade 12 (or equivalent) for undergraduate admission. English language: UNDERGRADUATE: IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79, or PTE 63; POSTGRADUATE MBA MS MIM: IELTS 6.0 minimum Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Kuala Lumpur

Universiti Teknologi MARA

One of Malaysia's largest universities by enrollment, historically established to support Bumiputera students, UiTM has since opened select programmes to international students, based primarily in Shah Alam near Kuala Lumpur. Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. International students: Approximately 185,000 local and international students combined, with over 1 million alumni (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: UNDERGRADUATE: IELTS 5.5-6.0 (programme-dependent); POSTGRADUATE: IELTS 6.0+; TOEFL: 550 (paper) / 213 (computer) / 80 (iBT); ENGLISH MAJOR: IELTS 6.0 or MUET Band 4 Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Kuala Lumpur

Taylor's University

A private university based in Subang Jaya near Kuala Lumpur, Taylor's is known for hospitality, culinary arts, and business programmes, with strong industry partnerships. Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. International students: 1,704 international students out of 5,800 total students (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: GENERAL: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 88; MUET Band 5; SOME PROGRAMMES LOWER: IELTS 5.0 (no band below 5.0) or TOEFL iBT 34 Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Kuala Lumpur

Sunway University

A private university in Petaling Jaya, Greater Kuala Lumpur, Sunway is known for its twinning degree partnerships with universities like Lancaster and Curtin, offering dual/transfer pathways to study abroad. Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: UNDERGRADUATE: IELTS 6.0 minimum; POSTGRADUATE: IELTS 6.0-7.0; TOEFL: 80-100 iBT / 215-250 CBT / 515-600 PBT Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Selangor

Monash University Malaysia

The third-largest campus of Australia's Monash University, based in Subang Jaya, Selangor, offering Australian-accredited degrees at a lower cost than studying in Australia directly. Located in Selangor, Malaysia. International students: Around 8,400 students representing 78 countries (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Outstanding academic performance with a GPA of 3.5 or above typically expected. English language: GENERAL: IELTS 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 79 overall (12 listening, 13 reading, 21 writing, 18 speaking) Acceptance rate: Approximately 40%.

18%intl. students

Selangor

UCSI University

A private university based in Kuala Lumpur, UCSI is known for pharmacy, music, and hospitality programmes, with a substantial international student population. Located in Selangor, Malaysia. International students: 39% of over 12,000 total students are international (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: UNDERGRADUATE: IELTS 6.0-6.5 depending on programme; TOEFL iBT 79; FOUNDATION DIPLOMA: IELTS 5.5-6.0 Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

39%intl. students

Selangor

Universiti Putra Malaysia

A public research university based in Serdang, Selangor, UPM is particularly renowned for agriculture, veterinary medicine, and forestry. Located in Selangor, Malaysia. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: GENERAL: IELTS Academic 6.0 or TOEFL iBT approximately 79-80 (some sources cite lower minimums of IELTS 5.5/TOEFL iBT 60 for certain programmes) Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Cyberjaya

Multimedia University

Based in Cyberjaya, Malaysia's designated technology hub, Multimedia University is known for engineering, IT, and creative media programmes, reflecting Cyberjaya's tech-park identity. Located in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: GENERAL: IELTS 5.5 minimum, or TOEFL iBT 60 minimum Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Penang

Universiti Sains Malaysia

Based in George Town on the island of Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia is one of Malaysia's oldest public research universities, known for the sciences, medicine, and a distinctive 'university without walls' philosophy. Located in Penang, Malaysia. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Postgraduate applicants need a recognized bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.75; competitive programmes such as MBA or engineering may require interviews or written tests. English language: GENERAL: IELTS 5.0 minimum; MBA: IELTS 6.0 minimum; TOEFL: minimum 42 iBT (some sources cite higher, up to 61, depending on programme) Acceptance rate: Estimated 45-50% for international students.

18%intl. students

Johor Bahru

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Based in Johor Bahru near the Singapore border, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is a leading public technical university known for engineering and built environment programmes, with students from more than 120 countries. Located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. International students: 4,987 international students out of 24,780 total students, from more than 120 countries (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: UNDERGRADUATE: IELTS 5.5 minimum, or TOEFL PBT 500 / iBT 59 / CBT 173; POSTGRADUATE: IELTS 6.0 minimum, or TOEFL 550 paper-based Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students