Malaysia: Centre for Educational Excellence

Malaysia is fast emerging as a centre for high quality education systems and standards of educational excellence in the region with its international standards. It is closely monitored by the Ministry of Higher Education, which has the vision to turn Malaysia into a Centre of Excellence for Higher Education.

Diversified Variety of Education

There are many kindergartens, private schools, international and expatriate schools as well as colleges and universities that offer top-notch education. A number of colleges and universities are affiliated with reputable overseas universities. Malaysia is also the pioneer in this region to have branch campuses of foreign universities. The establishment of these reflects the high level of confidence in Malaysia as a provider of quality education.

High Academic Standards

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education are dedicated to ensure high academic standards in the country. The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) under the Ministry of Higher Education is a quality assurance body responsible for monitoring and overseeing the quality assurance practices and accreditation of national higher education. To further promote Malaysia, the Ministry of Higher Education has set up education promotion centres in Vietnam, China, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

Extensive Educational Enfrastructure

Most educational establishments are equipped with extensive facilities for study and leisure. Well-stocked libraries, diverse curricular activities as well as regular seminars and workshops provide the necessary support and create a favourable and conducive environment for a student's development.

Over 500 Institutions of Higher Learning

With more than 500 institutions of higher learning around the country, Malaysia offers international students a wide choice in terms of courses, institutions and locations. Degrees in various fields including Engineering, Medicine, Law, Mass Communication, Tourism, Fashion and Fine Arts can be obtained here at a relatively affordable cost, with the quality assurance that is second to none.

Long-term & Short-term Education

The international community will find Malaysia an ideal destination for all levels of education. Choose from long-term programs such as Diplomas, Bachelor's, Master's and Postgraduate Degrees, or short-term English language courses, summer/motivation camps as well as homestays with the locals.

In Malaysia, international and local students are able to get foreign degree qualifications from universities in Australia, US, UK, France, Canada, etc. through twinning and 3+0 degrees, as well as foreign university campuses that are already setup in Malaysia. Through such programmes, students are able to obtain world class education at a much lower cost.

Students can enrol in private and international schools, or opt for expatriate schools where they can continue with the syllabi of their respective countries. Studying here is also an ideal option for families that participate in the Malaysia My Second Home program or health and wellness packages in Malaysia.

The Local Universities are Getting Better

The rankings of Malaysia's domestic universities are fast improving.

• Universiti Malaya in the capital Kuala Lumpur is ranked 167th in the 2013/14 QS World University Ratings and its computer science, education and engineering programmes preside in the world’s top 100.
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi, Selangor, close to Kuala Lumpur, is well renowned in the Education, Politics, Engineering, Law and Mathematics fields.
• Universiti Sains Malaysia is the only institution in Malaysia to boast a subject in the top 50 - its environmental studies programme is ranked joint 28th.

Straightforward Immigration Procedures

International students benefit from the easy and trouble-free immigration procedures as compared to many other countries which have tighter student immigration procedures. The application of foreign student visa in Malaysia is simple and requires only relevant documentation without any financial guarantee.

In addition, most institutes have a credit transfer department that assists students in applying to study in Malaysia. These simplified procedures help students to save their time and money and the visa application success rate is relatively high.

Comparatively Low Cost of Studying and Living in Malaysia

The expenditure of studying and living in Malaysia is comparatively low to countries like Australia, US, UK, France, Canada, etc. as the Malaysian currency conversion is advantageous. A quick look at the comparison chart shows the expenditure involved in the different countries:

Comparison Table of Studying and Living Cost in Malaysia for a typical Business Degree Student

Courses are Conducted in English

English is the primary medium of instruction for all courses and study programs conducted at private higher educational institutions. For those less proficient in the language, they can first enrol in an English course at local colleges before proceeding to diploma or degree certification.

Work While You Study

Malaysia’s law allows holders of student passes or permits to work while studying. This enables students to supplement their living and earn extra pocket money for travelling and leisure activities. Students are allowed to work part-time for a maximum of 20 hours per week.

Multiracial Composition

The multiracial backdrop provides an excellent opportunity to interact with one another and understand about different cultures. Malay, English, Chinese and Indian language are the four main languages in Malaysia. There are also Chinese who are proficient in Guangdong, Hakka and Hokkien dialects.

International Student Community

Foreigners will find a variety of student populations here from many other countries such as China, Japan, Singapore, Pakistan, Indonesia, Australia, India, Thailand, Iran, Iraq and many other parts of the world.

Multi-ethnic Nation with Vast Variety of Cultures

International students benefit from the experience of studying in Malaysia through the exposure to the different cultures and traditions of a multi-racial country which is valuable and not easily available.

Wide Choices of Food

With the many races and cultures living together in Malaysia, this country is a food haven with a great variety of cuisines: Asian, Western, Middle-Eastern, Chinese, Continental, and Japanese. Both Halal and non-Halal food are widely available in Malaysia.

High Quality of Life 

Malaysia is a newly industrialised country that has outpaced other developing counterparts. The infrastructure in Malaysia is one of the most developed in Asia with state-of-the-art health care and medical facilities, advanced telecommunications infrastructure, world-class university campuses and facilities, and best expressway network in Southeast Asia.

In addition, all major colleges and universities are located in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Accommodation and transportation are not only very convenient but are sometimes provided by the educational centre.

Sports Activities and Adventure

Many sports are played in Malaysia. Amongst the popular ones are soccer, badminton, hockey, tennis and squash. Other favourites are biking, cricket, bowling, golf, rugby, table-tennis, softball and grand prix racing.

If you love natural adventure, you will have much fun! With the long coastline and offshore islands, you can do water-skiing, wind-surfing, snorkelling and diving in islands and marine parks. There is also canoeing, white-water rafting, river safari and cruises along the large river system.

That is not all. Cave exploring, mountain climbing, off road driving, mountain biking, jungle trekking, trail riding, scuba diving, fishing, bird watching, and paragliding are also among popular activities in Malaysia.

Moderate Climate and Weather

Malaysia has a tropical, humid climate with temperatures averaging 29°C throughout the year, making it easily adaptable. Geographically, it is bathed in warm tropical sun, with 3,000 kilometres of coastline, a string of cool hill resorts, the world's oldest rainforest, and Southeast Asia's highest mountain. The bright and tropical climate ensures that most sports and activities can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Great Place for Travel Destinations

Malaysia is a friendly, beautiful and culturally rich country - one that’s extremely good value for money to travel in. It’s modern enough to be comfortable yet full of natural beauty. Malaysia has an impressive variety of microcosms ranging from the high-rise buildings of Kuala Lumpur to the world’s largest single cave chamber in Sarawak’s extraordinary Gunung Mulu National Park and Sabah's Sipadan Island which is known as one of the top destinations for diving in the world. In 2010, Malaysia was ranked 9th most visited country in the world.

Comfortable, Peaceful and Safe Living in Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the safest and most politically stable countries in the world with a relatively low crime rate and the country is free from most natural disasters which makes it an attractive country to live in. In 2011, Malaysia was ranked 19th most peaceful country out of 153 countries.