There are many universities in Malaysia, and how can you choose the right University in Malaysia for yourself? In the past, I can see many students register at the University without doing enough research. Some students even ask, which one is the best University in Malaysia?
You see, we are not comparing apple to apple. It is difficult to tell which one is the best. Many factors can define the word “Best” in the eyes of different students. It is subjective. Different people have a different view and preference. We have brought a group of students to visit two Universities, listen to their presentation and had a campus tour. Fees are almost the same for both Universities, but half of them choose University A, and the other half choose University B. How is that possible? In my own opinion, A is better than B.
The other question is this, when you ask the best, in terms of what? Compared to what? Are we comparing on Facilities? Ranking? Location? or Academic? Even in Academics, we still have different programmes. Some Universities are strong in Designing, some in Business programmes and so on.
Therefore to choose the right University, let us create a shortlist before we move on.
What is your budget?
The first and most important question, what is your budget? This will narrow down to what Universities you can study comfortably. Not to forget to calculate your living expenses such as flight ticket, accommodation, food, entertainment and your girlfriend’s expenses (if you are a guy). How to choose the right University depends much on your budget.
Which Programme Are you interested in?
Putting the jokes aside, the next question is to ask yourself which programme you are interested in? In the past, different University had separate entry requirements. However starting in 2019, MQA (Malaysia Qualification Assurance) has come out with a new guideline. One of them is to standardize the entry requirement, which means if you are not accepted to University A because of your entry requirements, other Universities are not supposed to take you too.
Are you qualified to register into your preferred programme? If yes, congratulations. If not, what is the alternative programme? For example, if you can’t enter into Software Engineering, are you willing to substitute with Information Technology?
Are you looking for a local or foreign certificate?
Which programme do you want to graduate? Some Malaysian Universities have two degrees. You can either choose local, foreign or even both. Definitely, there will be a different fee amongst those.
What pathway do you want to choose?
Many students overlook this due to lack of planning. But of course, you won’t learn this in your high school. If you meet a good counsellor, they will ask the right questions and make sure you know what you want. After your degree, do you want to continue for your Master? What Master that you can go for? Or after your first year Degree, can you change to a different major Degree without wasting your 1st year? Is the University you choose has the complete pathway for your future? With proper planning, trust me you can save a lot of money and time.
Now that you know how to shortlist your options, you can make a better decision. I also would like to highlight this. You might need help to gain information about the country, Malaysia and which University is the right choice for you. There will be a difference between asking a particular University and an agency. University itself will tell you that they are the right University to choose. Even for an agency, you will need to find a good one (Someone like LEA Study to Malaysia :p). They must be neutral and understand what you want before assisting you to shortlist and coach you to your decision.
How to Choose The Right University in Malaysia depends on how you do your research, and choose the right person to ask for help.
