Over the years, Malaysia has received a large influx of international students who wished to complete their education from a university in the Southeast Asian country. This increase in interest has been caused by a number of positive factors and has strengthened Malaysia’s bid in international recruitment against prominent destination countries.This article aims to point out the underlying factors that have made Malaysia is best study destination and one of the best emerging options for international students.
Improvement of the Whole Educational System
Competition is what actually instigated the movement for local Malaysian universities to vie for international students’ attention. As Malaysia gave foreign universities the opportunity to set up their branch campuses in the country, local universities had to step up and improve so as not to be dwarfed by the competition. This meant updating their courses and training their teachers to provide the best education to the students, on par with what students can get from the US, UK, and Australian universities.
These efforts are paying off. They have brought out the best in some of the local universities in Malaysia, which landed them within the top 1000 of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2020. The following universities that achieved a ranking within the top 400 include:
Less costly than other foreign destinations
Tuition and living expenses in Malaysia are considerably lower than in the US, Europe, and Australia. Both travelers and interested students find Malaysia a great destination. Tuition fees in Malaysia are usually half the amount compared to their counterparts in the Western world.
When it comes to everyday expenses, a student can already live comfortably for a whole year with a budget not exceeding $6,000. With this budget, you can already travel around the country to immerse in the vibrant Malaysian culture. Having the option to travel to beautiful sites and eat delicious traditional delicacies can make living in a foreign country easier and more comfortable for international students. For these students, learning while having fun can be enough motivation to finish one’s preferred degree.
Communication is never an issue
International students will not feel left out due to language barriers when studying in Malaysia, as most of the courses are taught in English. If they feel the need to learn a new language, Bahasa Malaysia (or some just call it “Malay”), is considered one of the easiest languages to learn. Having the skill to speak Malay is definitely useful when studying a course that takes more than a year to finish. Students are bound to meet different people along their educational journey and communicating with them will be key in forging relationships.
Active Role of EMGS
One of the best supports that Malaysia has given its market of international students is the development of the Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS). It is deemed a one-stop shop for international students as it will guide them from the start of their visa application up to the processing of their student pass. EGMS can also help graduates from Malaysian universities with their future careers.
Malaysia has been open to and attracted a multitude of international students for a while now. The country has successfully positioned itself as one of the major contenders in the international education sector, not only in Southeast Asia but across the globe.
For years, offering a wide range of courses that can compete with those offered by universities in major countries has been the pride of Malaysian education. The quality and cost of education in the country is known to be a worthy investment a student can make. On top of that, it comes with the bonus of discovering beautiful travel destinations; an intimate view of the melting pot of cultures is a sweet treat for all students and visiting researchers.
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