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Malaysia has been an overwhelming choice for international students to study abroad over the years. For high-value scholarships with relatively low entry barriers compared to Western countries, Malaysia stands out in Asia for offering. For 2026, international students can access fully funded government scholarships, merit-based university awards, and private foundation funding, covering tuition, living costs, and sometimes airfare.

This section breaks everything down with tables, eligibility metrics, and funding comparisons so students can quickly assess what fits them best.

Government-funded scholarships are the most stable and transparent options, especially for postgraduate students.

Government Scholarships Comparison Table

Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS)

The Malaysia International Scholarship is the most widely applied government program.

Key Data Points

• Target group: High-achieving international students
• Preferred universities: UM, UPM, USM, UKM, UTM
• Typical success profile:
  • CGPA: 3.0+
  • IELTS: 6.0+
  • Strong academic SOP

Best suited for

• Research-focused Master’s
• PhD candidates aiming for academic or policy careers

Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP)

MTCP Scholarship is one of the most generous scholarships in Southeast Asia.

Funding Breakdown

• Tuition: Fully covered
• Monthly allowance: RM 3,500
• Airfare: Economy return ticket
• Medical insurance: Included

Ideal candidates

• Students from developing countries
• Background in engineering, ICT, economics, public policy

Public universities in Malaysia are heavily subsidized, which means even partial scholarships significantly reduce total cost.

Public University Scholarship Snapshot

Important insight:
Many postgraduate students at public universities combine:

• Partial tuition scholarship
• Supervisor-funded research allowance

This makes Malaysia highly cost-effective for research degrees.

Private universities focus more on merit-based tuition reductions rather than full funding.

Private University Scholarship Comparison

Best for

• Undergraduate students
• Students aiming for UK/Australian degree pathways at lower cost

These scholarships are need-based or leadership-focused and often overlooked.

Average Annual Cost Without Scholarship

With Government Scholarship (MIS / MTCP)

What this means:
Malaysia offers one of the lowest net study costs among popular study-abroad destinations when scholarships are secured.

From experience, scholarship success in Malaysia depends on:

• Early university application
• Clear academic or career alignment
• Well-structured SOP (not generic)

At Shakil Education Group, we guide students in their application process through university selection, scholarship strategy, SOP refinement, and visa processing, based on real acceptance trends, not assumptions.

Malaysia remains one of the most achievable scholarship destinations for international students in 2026 if approached strategically.