What to expect
In Malaysia, most scholarships for international undergraduates are partial. They usually take 10–30% off tuition or knock a fixed amount in ringgit off your bill. Fully funded awards do exist, but mostly for master's and PhD students. Details below come from official university and Ministry of Higher Education pages, checked in October 2026. Criteria change every intake, so read the current terms before you apply.
Merit awards at private universities and branch campuses
| University | Award | Value | Key criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| APU | International Merit Award | 10%, 20% or 30% off tuition | A-Level AAA/AAB/ABB; O-Level or IGCSE 8–9, 6–7 or 4–5 As; first come, first served |
| Curtin Malaysia | Merit Scholarship (2026 intake) | RM10,000 or RM15,000 | Pakistani HSSC 85% or 90%; A-Level 3 or 4 As; personal statement and co-curricular record |
| Sunway | International Bursary (2026 intake) | Degree RM6,000 or RM11,000; pre-university RM5,000; diploma RM3,000 | Pakistani HSSC/Intermediate average 75% or 85% for a degree; 70% for pre-university or diploma |
| Nottingham Malaysia | High Achiever's Scholarship | 15–25% off first-year tuition (10–25% for foundation) | Awarded automatically on entry results |
| Monash Malaysia | High Achiever Award | RM10,000 tuition waiver a year | New students with an outstanding ATAR or equivalent |
| Heriot-Watt Malaysia | Undergraduate Bursary | RM5,000 | New students with A-Level, foundation or diploma results from another institution; first come, first served |
A note for FSc students: FSc is a Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC). Curtin and Sunway name Pakistani HSSC grades directly. APU, Nottingham and Monash list A-Level and other systems but not FSc, so ask their admissions teams how they will assess your marks. Taylor's says its 2027 undergraduate scholarships are only for Malaysians and for international students coming from Taylor's own schools, and it tells other applicants to speak to a counsellor.
There are smaller awards as well. Nottingham offers a 10% sibling scholarship and a 25% Dean's Excellence Scholarship for top continuing students. Heriot-Watt lists family and alumni discounts.
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS)
MIS is the Malaysian government's main award for international students, run by the Ministry of Higher Education. According to the official 2026 guidelines:
- Levels: full-time master's and PhD only.
- Who can apply: citizens of ASEAN and Commonwealth countries (Pakistan is a Commonwealth member) and of a named list of other countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. You can apply before you start or while you are studying, as long as you have at least two semesters left.
- What it covers: full tuition, paid directly to the university, plus a living allowance of RM1,500 a month, paid every four months once you submit a progress report.
- Requirements: aged 40 or under for a master's or 45 or under for a PhD; a CGPA of 3.00 or Second Class Upper; IELTS 6.0, TOEFL PBT 550 or a degree taught in English; two referees; and a research proposal of at least 1,000 words for research master's and PhD applicants.
- Where: 20 public universities, including UM, UTM, UPM, USM, UKM and IIUM, plus UTP, UNITEN, MMU and INCEIF.
- Fields: any accredited course, but priority goes to listed fields. In health, medicine, nursing and pharmacy are excluded.
- Status: the 2026/2027 round ran from 4 March to 3 April 2026 and is now closed. Applicants can check their results until 31 December 2026. Watch biasiswa.mohe.gov.my for the next call, because the window was only a month long.
Scholars must keep up good academic progress, and they may not take paid work without written approval from their university.
Research funding for postgraduates
- Graduate research assistantships: at public universities, a supervisor can pay a research student from a research grant. Universiti Malaya's 2023 scheme guideline sets a minimum stipend of RM1,000 a month. UPM's graduate school lists GRA posts, an International Graduate Student Scholarship and Commonwealth-linked awards. Contact potential supervisors directly and ask whether they have funded projects.
- Taylor's research scholarships: Taylor's offers schemes that waive 100% of tuition for international PhD and research master's students. Some also pay a stipend of RM1,500–3,200 a month. You need a strong CGPA and an interview with a research presentation, and you must publish in indexed journals before you graduate.
Other sources
- Commonwealth scholarships: UPM lists Commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth scholarships among the options for its postgraduates. Availability changes each year.
- Islamic Development Bank (IsDB): IsDB has offered scholarships to students from its member countries. We couldn't confirm whether a 2026–27 call is open or whether Malaysia counts as a study destination, so check isdb.org directly.
- Home-country schemes: check government, employer and provincial programmes in your own country too.
How to keep a scholarship
Most awards come with conditions. APU renews its merit award each year only if you keep a CGPA of at least 2.50. Heriot-Watt's Foundation Excellence Award needs a 70% average every year, and once it is withdrawn it is not reinstated. Several Monash scholarships require a full course load and completion within the normal course length. Nottingham's Dean's award needs a Dean's List place each year. Missing the target usually means paying full fees from then on.
How to get the most out of scholarships
- Apply early. APU and Heriot-Watt give some awards on a first-come, first-served basis, and APU says you can secure its merit award by paying the application fee. APU's deadline for full documents for 2026/2027 is 31 October 2026.
- Ask about early-bird and family discounts: Heriot-Watt waives RM3,000 for early full payment, and Nottingham offers 1.5% off and a sibling scholarship.
- Check the stacking rules. Nottingham lets you hold only one scholarship, and Curtin's merit award requires that you hold no other scholarship. Get it in writing if someone tells you two offers can be combined.
- Budget for what's not covered. Awards usually cover tuition only, not visa, insurance or accommodation costs.
Avoid scholarship scams
No genuine scholarship is "guaranteed" before your results have been assessed. Every real award is listed on the university's or ministry's own website and confirmed in an official letter. You apply for MIS only through the ministry portal. Never pay an individual to "secure" a scholarship, and pay fees only into the university's own account.
FAQ
Can I get a fully funded bachelor's scholarship? It's rare. Undergraduate awards at private universities are mostly 10–30% off tuition or fixed amounts of RM3,000–15,000. Full funding is more realistic at postgraduate level through MIS or research schemes.
Is MIS open right now? No. The 2026/2027 round closed on 3 April 2026. Watch the official portal for the next call.
Will my FSc marks be accepted for a scholarship? Curtin and Sunway list Pakistani HSSC/Intermediate thresholds, so you can check those directly. For other universities, ask admissions how they convert FSc marks before you rely on an award.
Can I lose my scholarship halfway through my degree? Yes. If your CGPA or average drops below the level in your offer letter, the award can be suspended or withdrawn.