In the past 10 years, people didn’t think much of Malaysia as a study destination. Fast forward to today and it is not only amassing huge numbers of international students annually but is poised as a future top study destination in the coming years.
One reason for the increasing numbers of international students may be due to the benefits one can get from studying in Malaysia.Â
You Can Get Affordable EducationÂ
Though tuition fees vary and usually depend on the study program or the institution, Malaysia still offers one of the most affordable education in the world. Tuition fees, for example, cost around $9,600 to $11,800 for 3.5 years for BA courses, and $137,500 to $160,300 for Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery courses.
Aside from its low tuition fees, the country also has a low cost of living. In fact, its capital city, Kuala Lumpur, was named one of the most affordable cities for international students in 2019. For example, a one-bedroom apartment in Kuala Lumpur’s city center only usually costs around $459.90 a month. Meanwhile, a meal from an expensive restaurant only costs around $3.39.Â
You Can Study in the Best Institutions in the World
Aside from its affordable tuition fees and affordable cost of living, Malaysia is also home to many world-class higher educational institutions (HEIs). In fact, many of its HEIs constantly rank in various prominent HEI rankings such as the QS World University Rankings, Shanghai Rankings, and Times Higher Education Rankings. In addition, many of those educations teach in English. Thus, it is more accessible to many international students worldwide.Â
You Get to Experience DiversityÂ
The country is known for its heterogeneous society shaped by years of migration of people from various parts of Asia.
In fact, even though Malaysia’s official language is Malay other languages are spoken by large groups in its society. Aside from Malay, you will probably hear people speaking in Chinese, English, Tamil, and other minority languages.Â
You Can Taste Diverse Types of Food
Malaysia’s diversity is not limited to its people. In fact, when you go to local restaurants or try some of the street food, you will notice Malaysia’s diversity in its food. For example, mee goreng, a type of noodle dish with meat, veggies, soy sauce, and eggs, has a strong Indian Muslim influence.Â
Char kuey teow, another noodle recipe in Malaysia that is made with flat rice noodles, topped with pork lard, soy sauce, bean sprouts, and chili, was brought to the country by Chinese migrants.Â
Better Career OpportunitiesÂ
Malaysia’s economy is expected to grow more in the coming years, and transition from an upper-middle-income economy to a higher income economy. Because of that, employment opportunities in the country, especially for high-skilled professionals are increasing. Thus, if you get to graduate in one of Malaysia’s HEI, it becomes easier to get a job there.Â
In case you don’t want to work in Malaysia and just want to study there, don’t worry—studying in Malaysia will still increase your employability back home or in other parts of the world.Â
Planning to study in Malaysia? To learn more about it, check out MSM Unify’s article on How Much Does it Really Cost to Study in Malaysia.