Admission at a glance
Universiti Malaya (UM) is a public research university in Kuala Lumpur and the oldest university in Malaysia. International undergraduate applicants apply online through UM's Academic Services Department (ASD) rather than through Malaysia's domestic UPU system, and are assessed against the same academic bar as local students: a completed STPM, A-Level, International Baccalaureate, an equivalent high school qualification, or a recognised diploma with a CGPA of at least 3.00 out of 4.00. Every online application is reviewed by the relevant faculty and UM aims to notify applicants within four to eight weeks of a complete submission. All international students accepted into any UM programme must also complete a Malay language course during their studies, regardless of the language their degree is taught in. UM sets its own English proficiency floor of IELTS 5.0 or the TOEFL, MUET, PTE Academic or Cambridge equivalent, and charges a flat RM 300 application fee that covers up to three programme choices in one submission. Tuition is billed as one whole-programme figure rather than a clean annual rate, and ranges from about RM 61,000 for an arts or Islamic studies degree to more than RM 673,000 for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, reflecting how much medical training costs relative to other faculties at UM.
Deadlines
All rounds| Level | Intake | Round | Closes | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor | Semester I 2027 | Regular | TBC | Tbc | 7 Sep 2026 |
Requirements
Bachelor's degree
Completion of at least 12 years of primary and secondary education, evidenced by one of: Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), GCE A-Level, International Baccalaureate, a high school diploma equivalent to Grade 12, or a diploma recognised by UM with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00. Some programmes set higher subject-specific requirements; check the individual programme page before applying.
English language
One of: IELTS Academic 5.0, TOEFL 500 (PBT) / 173 (CBT) / 60 (iBT), Malaysian University English Test (MUET) Band 3, Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE Academic) 41, or grade C or above in Cambridge O-Level, A-Level or First Certificate in English. Some programmes require a higher score than this general floor.
Postgraduate (master's and PhD)
Entry requirements are set by the relevant faculty and vary by programme; UM directs applicants to the Study@UM (study.um.edu.my) programme pages and the faculty's own graduate office rather than publishing one university-wide postgraduate standard.
What changed
Full log- Pte Min: none to 41
- Toefl Min: none to 60
- Ielts Min: none to 5
- Application Fee Currency: none to MYR
- Application Fee Amount: none to 300