Study in Malaysia: The ultimate guide from EduCare International

By Phyllis MUCHOKI

Student recruitment firm – EduCare International and the government of Malaysia are in talks to boost the number of Kenyan learners seeking higher education and possible job opportunities in the Asian country.

The move comes amid a growing appetite by local students signing up to Malaysian universities in record numbers amid rising education costs and poor quality of higher education in most of the Kenyan universities.

Inflated tuition fees, exorbitant housing costs for college students, quality of faculty as well as administrative policies in institutions of higher learning are some of the reasons being cited by learners who are now flocking Malaysia for alternatives.

The country’s total average tuition fees per annum are approximately at US$ 4,400 for public universities and US$ 4,970 for private universities. Malaysia sits among one with the lowest cost, in which our Cost-of-Living Index is only 42.47.

Malaysian universities rank in the world’s top universities and a total of 13 in the top 600 according to QS World University Rankings 2023.

Based on QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022, 10 Malaysian programmes were placed among the top 50 universities for the study of their academic subject, offering competitive degrees, Masters Degrees and PHD courses in various fields, that are well-recognized globally.

Omar Mohamed – the Chief executive of EduCare International, a Kenyan-based student recruitment firm, say those concerns have led to an increased number of Kenyan learners to tap education opportunities in Malaysia, whose government is renowned for training top talent through public and private tertiary education institutions as well as professional bodies and accredited skill centers, resulting in the country being a global leader in key industries.

“Malaysia is a great destination and in terms of education they are highly advanced. Courses in medical fields for example are very marketable and can cost just between $USD 4,000 and $5,000 which is cheaper or affordable compared to most foreign universities in Europe for instance,” said Mohamed at a joint forum held in Nairobi to boost the ‘Study in Malaysia’ program between the firm and the Asian country.

Malaysian universities rank highly in global university ranking tables. The oldest and premier university, the University of Malaya, is placed 13th on the QS World University Rankings 2020.

Ruzaimi Mohamad, the High Commissioner of Malaysia says plans are afoot between Kenya and Malaysian governments to advance and extend incentives on higher education for students keen to move to Malaysia for specialized training in careers like Business Administration and Engineering courses among others.

“I hope this program will benefit many Kenyan students and parents for those who are yet to make up their minds on where to pursue their university courses,” offered Mohamad.

Plans are already underway that will see the Malaysian government relax certain limitations to allow more students not only benefit from world-class courses in the Asian country but also have internship privileges.

“We are working closely with the immigration departments to work on the internship and allow the students to work in Malaysia. But also, any Kenyan who wants to come to Malaysia even as an expatriate is allowed to work and study at the same time without getting a visa,” said the CEO of Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).

Currently, international students in Malaysia are only allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours during semester breaks or holidays. To be able to work part-time, students will have to seek help from the host institution in Malaysia to get a work permit, but the aforementioned pledge promises to amend such restrictions.

In order to be able to study in Malaysia, you will need to apply for a Student Pass, which acts as a student visa. This can be applied for online before your arrival, but it is more common for your institution to apply on your behalf once you’ve accepted their offer of a place.