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Universiti Malaya (UM) is a multidisciplinary educational institution. Choose the direction and study program that are perfect for you.
Universiti Malaya (UM) is Malaysia's oldest and highest-ranked university, located in Kuala Lumpur. Almost all programmes are taught in English, and fees are well below those of comparably ranked universities in the UK or Australia. Its strongest fields are petroleum engineering, computer science, mathematics, business and medicine.
Programme | Language | Duration | Tuition per year |
|---|---|---|---|
Foundation | English | 1 year | MYR 35,000 (≈ CNY 57,400) |
Bachelor's: humanities, languages, education | English | 3.5–4 years | MYR 17,400–20,000 (≈ CNY 28,500–32,800) |
Bachelor's: sciences | English | 4 years | MYR 17,650–19,600 (≈ CNY 28,950–32,200) |
Bachelor's: business and economics | English | 3.5 years | MYR 22,000–28,300 (≈ CNY 36,100–46,400) |
Bachelor's: computer science | English | 3.5 years | MYR 25,500 (≈ CNY 41,800) |
Bachelor's: engineering | English | 4 years | MYR 33,000 (≈ CNY 54,200) |
Bachelor's: medicine (MBBS) | English | 5 years | MYR 134,600 (≈ CNY 220,800) |
Master's (coursework) | English | about 1 year | MYR 24,800–98,600 per programme (≈ CNY 40,700–161,700) |
Master's (research) | English | 2 years | MYR 16,000–26,500 (≈ CNY 26,200–43,500) |
PhD | English | 3 years | MYR 17,000–34,200 (≈ CNY 27,900–56,100) |
Fees are based on the official 2025/26 international schedule (which applies to later intakes too), excluding 6% SST and accommodation. UM publishes the cost of the whole programme at minimum duration; here it is divided by year.
Category | Application period |
|---|---|
Research master's and PhD, spring 2027 | 27 April – 22 November 2026 |
Bachelor's, March 2027 (selected programmes) | 7 September 2026 – 30 January 2027 |
Coursework and mixed-mode master's and PhD, March 2027 | 7 September 2026 – 30 January 2027 |
Foundation, July 2027 | expected February – May 2027 |
Bachelor's, October 2027 (main intake) | expected February – 30 August 2027 |
Programmes | Requirement |
|---|---|
Bachelor's: humanities and most language programmes | IELTS 4.5–5.0 / TOEFL iBT 33–40 |
Bachelor's: computer science, engineering, sciences, pharmacy | IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL iBT 46 |
Bachelor's: medicine, dentistry, nursing, business, economics | IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL iBT 60 |
Bachelor's: English and Chinese language and linguistics, TESL | IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL iBT 96 |
Master's and PhD | IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL iBT 60 / PTE 59; education IELTS 6.5 |
Age | No limit for regular programmes; MIS scholarship up to 40 (master's) and 45 (PhD) |
English is mandatory for every bachelor's applicant; IELTS Indicator, TOEFL Home Edition and TOEFL ITP are not accepted.
The CSCA exam is not needed for UM: it is a Malaysian university. Bachelor's programmes accept a completed Grade 11–12 school certificate, A-Level, IB or Foundation with the grades set by each programme.
UM's main campus covers about 373 hectares (922 acres) in south-west Kuala Lumpur, between Pantai Dalam, Bangsar and Petaling Jaya. It holds 14 faculties, 2 academies, institutes including the Institute for Advanced Studies and the Asia-Europe Institute, more than 550 buildings and 13 residential colleges.
The teaching hospital UMMC sits on the campus in Lembah Pantai and is where medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing students train.
Rimba Ilmu, founded in 1974, is a 57-hectare botanic garden with about 1,700 plant species and a herbarium of more than 81,000 specimens. The library holds almost 900,000 print and 290,000 electronic items.
UM also runs a site in Bachok, Kelantan, and off-campus student housing in Petaling Jaya (International House and Japan Apartment).
Campus | Room type | Price |
|---|---|---|
Residential colleges KK1–KK13 (undergraduates) | Twin or triple room, fan, shared bathroom | about MYR 2,000–2,800 per semester |
Residential colleges (postgraduates) | Single room / twin room | MYR 30 per day / MYR 15 per person per day |
KK10 (women) | Single room with air conditioning and bathroom | MYR 44 per day |
KK11 (men) | Twin room with air conditioning | MYR 23–27 per person per day |
KK11 apartments | 2- or 3-bedroom apartment | MYR 1,500–1,800 per month per unit |
International House, Petaling Jaya | Twin / single room | MYR 450 / 900 per person per month |
Japan Apartment, Petaling Jaya | Twin or triple room | MYR 350 per person per month |
Private housing near campus costs about MYR 800–2,200 a month for a room and up to MYR 3,300 for an apartment. UM estimates about MYR 1,000 a month for food, transport and leisure. The EMGS visa package, including insurance, is about MYR 5,451 a year.
Scholarship | Who can apply | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) | Master's and PhD applicants, CGPA 3.00, IELTS 6.0; up to 40 (master's) or 45 (PhD) | Tuition plus MYR 1,500 a month (Malaysian government) |
UM Bright Scholarship | Local and international PhD-by-research candidates | Full scholarship |
UM Scholarship Scheme / Graduate Research Assistant | Research master's and PhD students working on a research grant | Tuition waiver within normal study time plus at least MYR 1,000 a month for up to 3 years |
PTE x UM Scholarship | International students | GBP 3,000 towards tuition |
ASEAN-Maybank Scholarship | ASEAN citizens only, undergraduates | Full undergraduate scholarship |
Year | Event |
|---|---|
1905 | King Edward VII College of Medicine founded in Singapore on 28 September |
1928 | Raffles College founded |
1949 | The two colleges merge on 8 October to form the University of Malaya |
1959 | Two autonomous divisions created, in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur |
1962 | On 1 January UM becomes Malaysia's national university in Kuala Lumpur; Tunku Abdul Rahman installed as first Chancellor |
1974 | Rimba Ilmu botanic garden established |
2009 | Confucius Institute opened with Beijing Foreign Studies University |
2026 | 56th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and first Malaysian university in THE's top 200 |
UM is Malaysia's oldest university and in 2026 marked its 121st anniversary. Its first Vice-Chancellor was the mathematician Professor Alexander Oppenheim, and today the Chancellor is Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah of Perak.
Ranking | Edition | Position |
|---|---|---|
QS World University Rankings | 2027 | 56 (1st in Malaysia) |
QS World University Rankings | 2026 | =58 |
QS Asia University Rankings | 2026 | 15 |
THE World University Rankings | 2027 | =194 |
THE World University Rankings | 2026 | 201–250 |
THE Impact Rankings | 2026 | 24 |
UI GreenMetric | 2026 | 35 |
Столица Малайзии и главный финансовый, образовательный и культурный центр страны. Это современный мегаполис с небоскрёбами, развитым транспортом (включая метро и монорельс), большим количеством университетов и международной средой. Город сильно ориентирован на бизнес и студентов из разных стран.
Для студентов Куала-Лумпур — хороший вариант, если нужна англоязычная среда, международные вузы и активная городская жизнь. Здесь проще адаптироваться иностранцам, чем в большинстве городов Восточной Азии.
