Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the National University of Malaysia, was founded in 1970 to make Malay a language of higher education. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 130th in the world and third in Malaysia. Its main campus is in Bangi, Selangor, about 35 km south of Kuala Lumpur, and its medical faculty is based at the Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz in Kuala Lumpur.
Most of UKM’s bachelor’s degrees are taught in Malay, which shapes who can apply and how. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s own guidance and official Malaysian government information.
1. Check which programmes are open to you
UKM uses both Malay and English for teaching, depending on the programme. Its list of undergraduate programmes for international students opens most degrees, from engineering and law to health sciences and education, only to applicants from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei who can study in Malay. A smaller group, including business management, information technology and software engineering, is listed for international students in general. Check the current list with UKM’s Centre for Academic Management before you apply.
2. Apply from April for October entry
UKM’s bachelor’s degrees start in October, and applications open in April. You must apply at least two months before the registration date for your intake, but apply as early as you can, because places are limited. You apply online through the JOIN UKM system, and you don’t need to post any documents. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia: JOIN UKM.
3. Meet the academic requirements
You need a senior high school certificate after 11 to 12 years of schooling, A Levels taken at one sitting, or a recognised diploma or equivalent. If your country requires a university entrance exam, you must also send your result. Some programmes ask for a credit in mathematics and English. Meeting the minimum requirements doesn’t guarantee a place, as there are normally more applicants than places.
4. Meet the language requirement
For programmes taught in English, UKM’s admission requirements ask for IELTS 6.0, a paper-based TOEFL score of 550 or MUET Band 3. If you can’t meet the requirement, you may be able to take language courses at UKM first. For Malay-taught programmes, you’ll need to be able to study fully in Malay from the start. Practise with our free IELTS, TOEFL and PTE practice tests.
5. Prepare for an interview or entrance test
Some faculties interview applicants or set an entrance test. Be ready to explain why you chose your programme and how your studies so far have prepared you for it.
6. Submit a complete application and pay the fee
The processing fee for international applicants is RM100 (US$30), and it isn’t refundable. UKM won’t process an incomplete application, including one without the fee paid, so upload every document requested and check your application status online regularly.
7. Accept your offer quickly
If you’re offered a place, confirm your acceptance in JOIN UKM. UKM then emails you guidance on your visa application, and you should submit your visa documents at least two months before you plan to arrive in Malaysia. Visa approval usually takes four to six weeks.
8. Understand the fees and funding
UKM publishes its tuition fee rates on its Centre for Academic Management website, and fees for international students are higher than for Malaysians, so ask UKM for the current rate for your programme. The Malaysian government’s best-known scholarship for international students, the Malaysia International Scholarship, is for postgraduate study, so plan to fund a bachelor’s degree yourself or through a sponsor, such as your own government.
9. Get your student pass through EMGS
To study full-time in Malaysia you need a student pass, which is handled by Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS). Once you’ve accepted your offer, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia starts your application and you pay the fees. When it’s approved, you receive an electronic Visa Approval Letter (eVAL), which is valid for six months, and you mustn’t travel to Malaysia before you have it. If your nationality needs one, you then get a single-entry visa from a Malaysian embassy. Complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card before you fly. Within seven working days of arriving, you must have a medical screening, and then hand in your passport so the student pass can be endorsed. You can’t switch to a student pass from a tourist visa, and medical insurance is compulsory. UKM’s health centre carries out the medical screening for its new students. Education Malaysia Global Services: medical screening and student visa guidelines.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
On a student pass you can work part-time for up to 20 hours a week, but only during semester breaks or holidays of more than seven days and only in restaurants, petrol kiosks, minimarkets, hotels or on campus. You need prior approval from the Immigration Department, which you apply for through Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and you can’t work as a cashier. After a bachelor’s degree or higher, nationals of 32 eligible countries, including India, China, Indonesia, the UK and the US, can apply for a 12-month Graduate Pass, which lets you stay and work in permitted sectors without an employer sponsor. You’ll need a Malaysian citizen earning at least RM1,500 a month to act as your sponsor, and the scheme for Indian and Chinese nationals currently runs only until 31 December 2026, so check whether it has been extended. For longer-term work, you’ll usually need an employer to sponsor an Employment Pass. Education Malaysia: FAQs on studying and working in Malaysia and EMGS: Graduate Pass.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at UKM?
UKM’s postgraduate programmes also admit international students through JOIN UKM. Applications for taught and mixed-mode programmes open in October for March entry and in April for October entry, and research degrees accept applications all year. Contact a potential supervisor before applying for a research degree. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
UKM’s places for international undergraduates are limited, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Our guide to studying in Malaysia explains how the Malaysian system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s official JOIN UKM admissions system, its Centre for Academic Management pages on international admission, programmes and student visas, its admission requirements for international students, Education Malaysia Global Services, and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Some of UKM’s international admission information is several years old, and admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details with UKM’s admissions office before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.