Local Information

Study Entry Level
Depending on the entry level you are planning for such as primary, secondary, diploma, post diploma, graduate or post graduate, Malaysia offers you a wide array of opportunities.

Profile Of The School/College/University
Before selecting the place of study, it is important for you to be equipped with the knowledge of the profile of the institution of learning.

Programmes/Courses
There is a variety of programmes / courses to select from, depending on what entry level you are looking at. It is important that you select the correct institution for the programme/ course you are planning to register for.

Facilities
It is important to look out for various facilities which are required to support students in their course of study, such as comfortable lecture halls / class rooms, well equipped laboratories, library with sufficient updated books for research, computer and/or multimedia facilities, gymnasium and canteen/cafe.

Student Services and Activities
In case you place emphasis in the area of student services and activities to ensure that students’ social and extra-curricular needs are not neglected, remember to look out for institutions which cater for this area too.

Preparing For Studies In Malaysia

Moving abroad to a new place to study requires considerable preparation – and not just for the course and institution.

Some points to consider:

It is important for international students to note that they are only allowed to study in higher educational institutions which the:

• Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (in Malay: Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia) grants approvals to such institutions to conduct courses of study and
• Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia (in Malay: Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri Malaysia) grants approvals to such institutions to recruit international students.

Steps For Direct Entry Into Malaysia

Step 1
You submit an application form to study together with relevant documents to the intended educational institution which has the official approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Malaysia Immigration Department) to recruit international students.

Step 2
If your application to study is accepted by the educational institution which you applied to, they will then help you apply for student pass at the Malaysian Immigration Department in Malaysia prior to YOUR entry.

Step 3
Upon acceptance, a letter of approval for student pass will be issued by the Malaysian Immigration Department to the educational institution which offered the place for you to study. The educational institution will send the approval letter to you while you are still in YOUR own (foreign) country.

Step 4
Before leaving your country for Malaysia, you must inform the educational institution of your port of entry (airport), flight number, arrival date and time.

Step 5
Upon your arrival at the airport in Malaysia, the educational institution's representative should receive you at the immigration check-point at the Malaysian airport. Visa will be issued to you at the entry point in the form of an endorsement on your valid national Passport. Note : Nationals from The Peoples Republic of China are required to obtain Entry Visa prior to entry into Malaysia.

Step 6
Within two weeks of your arrival, the educational institution will submit your passport to the Immigration Department to affix the Student Pass sticker.

Local Information

Study Entry Level
Depending on the entry level you are planning for such as primary, secondary, diploma, post diploma, graduate or post graduate, Malaysia offers you a wide array of opportunities.

Profile Of The School/College/University
Before selecting the place of study, it is important for you to be equipped with the knowledge of the profile of the institution of higher learning.

Programmes/Courses
There is a variety of programmes / courses to select from, depending on what entry level you are looking at. It is important that you select the correct institution for the programme/ course you are planning to register for.

Facilities
It is important to look out for various facilities which are required to support students in their course of study, such as comfortable lecture halls / class rooms, well equipped laboratories, library with sufficient updated books for research, computer and/or multimedia facilities, gymnasium and canteen/cafe.

Student Services and Activities
In case you place emphasis in the area of student services and activities to ensure that students’ social and extra-curricular needs are not neglected, remember to look out for institutions which cater for this area too.

Procedures For Entry Into Malaysia

Procedure 1: To apply for a visa to enter Malaysia
The Malaysian Government has introduced simplified and hassle-free entry procedures to welcome foreign students to study in Malaysia's public and private higher educational institutions. A visa is required but the procedure is simple i.e. You do NOT need to apply directly for the visa from the Malaysian Missions in your country in order to enter Malaysia, with the exception of Chinese students from The Peoples Republic of China. The visa will be issued to you upon your arrival in Malaysia at the immigration check-point.

Procedure 2: To apply for a student pass for the pursuit of studies in Malaysia
The process to apply for a student pass is simple. The Malaysian educational institutions of higher learning which offer international students a place to study at their institutions will apply for the Student Pass on your behalf in Malaysia. Applications will be submitted by the educational institutions to the Director of Pass & Permit Division, Malaysia Immigration Department Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. Students do not need to apply directly to the Immigration Department under this procedure. The prospective students will be informed of their application status by the Immigration Department in Malaysia through their educational institutions within seven (7) days of the application, irrespective of whether it has been successful or not. Therefore, students are not required to apply for a visa/student pass from the Malaysian Embassy/consulate office abroad before proceeding to Malaysia. The educational institutions which enroll the students are responsible to make the necessary arrangement pertaining to immigration matters. All applications, processing, approval and issuance of the Student Passes and Visas for prospective foreign students are done in Malaysia, except for students from The Peoples Republic of China (PRC). The PRCs nationals are required to obtain their Entry Visas from the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, Guangzhou or Shanghai prior to their entry to Malaysia.

Documents required for the application of a student pass
The Malaysian educational institutions are required to submit the following documents to the Malaysian Immigration Department Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur in order to apply for the student pass for students who intend to study at institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. The Immigration Department requires seven (7) days to process the application. The documents are as follows:

• An offer letter or letter of acceptance from the educational institution to the student
• Student Pass Application Form (IMM14) in duplicate
• Two photocopies of the students Passport/Travel Document
• Two passport-sized photographs of the student
• The educational institution is required to sign a Personal Bond prescribed under Regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations 1963. No fees will be charged for the Personal Bond

Procedure 3: Arriving in Malaysia - at the Malaysian immigration check-point
Upon arrival at the airport in Malaysia, students have to show their Student Pass approval letter at the immigration check-point. A Special Pass will be issued to refer the student to the respective State Immigration Department for issuance of the Student Pass. A visa will also be issued to the student at the entry point in the form of an endorsement on the students valid national Passport.

The Educational institutions representative will be at the immigration check-point to receive and attend to the student. After the immigration clearance, the representative will be responsible to transfer the student to the educational institution for reporting of attendance.

Procedure 4: Issuance of student pass to students
Students will be issued a Special Pass valid for 14 days at the Immigration check-point. Within two weeks of their arrival, the educational institution is required to submit the students passports to the State Immigration Department to enable Student Pass stickers to be affixed. The fee for a Student Pass is RM60.00 a year (or part of a year) while a visa fee ranges from RM6.50 to RM100.00 depending on the countries the students come from. All payments of fees, issuance of Student Passes and Visas as well as renewal of Student Passes can be done at the relevant State Immigration Departments.

Working Part-time While Studying in Malaysia

All international students studying at public or private higher educational institutions are allowed to work part-time with effect from 15 February 2005.

Conditions for part-time work
Students are allowed to work part-time for a maximum of 20 hours per week only during semester breaks or holidays of more than 7 days; in Restaurants, Petrol Kiosks, Mini Markets and Hotels as long as the Student Pass remains valid. Students are not permitted to work as a cashier. In addition, in the hotel sector, students are not allowed to work as singer, masseur, musician, GRO and other activities deemed to be immoral. Application to work part-time must be made through the educational institution in which the student is studying. The student needs to be present with the educational institution representative at the Immigration Department when submitting the application.

Disclaimer

• This section is intended as a general guide for reference only.
• The information contained in this section should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice in individual cases. Future changes in information, regulations, legislation, tax levels and practice could affect the information in this site.
• The information shown is based on date or information obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but HSBC Amanah makes no representation and accepts no responsibility as to its accuracy or completeness, and will not be held liable for damages arising out of any person’s reliance upon this information.
• Information sourced from Immigration Department and Ministry of Tourism Malaysia.