Malaysia, a bustling Southeast Asian nation known for its rich cultural diversity and stunning landscapes, is also making significant strides in the realm of higher education. If you’re considering studying in Malaysia, one of the most attractive options might be the public universities, known for their quality education and affordability. In this article, we’ll dive into what makes Malaysia’s public universities stand out, the benefits of studying there, and some tips to help you navigate the application process.
Public institutions are higher education establishments that receive government funding and fall under the jurisdiction of Malaysia’s Ministry of Education.
We can generally group them into the following three broad categories:
- Public universities provide pre-university foundation year and diploma programs, as well as undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Research universities focused universities, and comprehensive universities are the three main categories into which they can be separated. There are 20 such institutions as of right now.
 It’s packed with valuable insights about the best academic institutions in Malaysia to help guide your decisions.
- Community colleges and polytechnic institutions that offer certificate- and diploma-level programs.
- Public colleges with programs at the certificate and diploma levels
20 Government Universities in Malaysia
University | Short Name | Founding Year | |
1 | International Islamic University Malaysia | (IIUM) | May 1983 |
2 | Islamic Science University of Malaysia | (USIM) | May 1983 |
3 | MARA University of Technology | (UiTM) |
November 1956
|
4 | National Defence University of Malaysia | (UPNM) | November 2006 |
5 | University Kebangsan Malaysia | (UKM) | May 1970 |
6 | Northern University of Malaysia | (UUM) | February 1984 |
7 | Putra University of Malaysia | (UPM) | October 1971 |
8 | Sultan Idris Education University | (UPSI) |
1922
|
9 | Sultan Zainal Abidin University | (UniSZA) |
1980
|
10 | Technical University of Malaysia | (UTEM) | March 1972 |
11 | Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia | (UTHM) | September 1993 |
12 | University of Malaya | (UM) | October 1949 |
13 | University of Malaysia, Kelantan | (UMK) | June 2006 |
14 | University of Malaysia, Pahang | (UMP) | February 2002 |
15 | University of Malaysia, Perlis | (UNIMAP) | July 2001 |
16 | University of Malaysia, Sabah | (UMS) | November 1994 |
17 | University of Malaysia, Sarawak | (UNIMAS) | December 1992 |
18 | University of Malaysia, Terengganu | (UMT) |
1979
|
19 | University of Science Malaysia | (USM) | June 1969 |
20 | University of Technology Malaysia | (UTM) | 1972 |
FAQs
1. How many public universities exist in Malaysia?
- There are 20 public universities in Malaysia.
2. Can International students attend public universities in Malaysia?
- To get admitted to Malaysian universities, candidates must first pass an English language test. International students must have completed recognized worldwide assessments such as IELTS and TOEFL. For IELTS, the candidate must have a score of at least 500, whereas for TOEFL, it is set at 6.
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