International students who plan to pursue their educational goals in Malaysia will require a Malaysia Student Visa.
International students wishing to enter Malaysia need to obtain the relevant Pass according to their intended travel destination. So, to study in Malaysia, there is a need for a Malaysia Student Pass.
It is common to use the terms Malaysia Student Visa and Malaysia Student Pass interchangeably, and by all definitions, they refer to the same thing.
Who needs a Malaysian Student Entry Visa?
Applicants from the following countries need a Malaysian Visa With Reference:
| Algeria | Argentina | Austria | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Belgium |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Brazil | Cambodia | Cameroon | Chile | China |
| Croatia | Cuba | Czech Republic | Egypt | Finland | France |
| Germany | Ghana | Guinea Republic | Hong Kong (C.I / D.I) | Hong Kong SAR / BNO | Hungary |
| India | Indonesia | Iran | Iraq | Ireland | Italy |
| Japan | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Kosovo | Kuwait | Lao PDR |
| Lebanon | Liechtenstein | Malta | Mexico | Montenegro | Morocco |
| Mozambique | Myanmar | Nepal | Netherland | Nigeria | North Korea |
| Oman | Pakistan | Philippines | Poland | Qatar | Romania |
| Russia | Rwanda | Samoa | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Serbia |
| South Africa | South Korea | Spain | Sri Lanka | St Marino | Sweden |
| Syria | Taiwan | Thailand | Turkey | Turkmenistan | Ukraine |
| United Arab Emirates | United Nations | United States of America | Uzbekistan | Venezuela | Vietnam |
| Western Samoa | Yemen | ||||
Malaysia Visa On Arrival (VOA) is available after students present a Visa Approval Letter if their countries are not listed above.
Get the FREE Cheat sheet for
Malaysia Student Visa
What are the Requirements for the Malaysia Student Visa?
To apply for a Malaysian country student visa, applicants must go to the Malaysian Immigration Department and submit the following required documents. Read our article to learn about the general Malaysian visa requirements.
- One picture of the applicant
- Dimensions: 35mm x 45mm
- White background.
- A copy of the passport. A passport must include information, such as:
- Personal information
- Issuance date
- Expiry date. (The passport must hold validity for at least 12 months.)
- A history of previously obtained visas of the student.
- The page which states any possible changes, such as
- Extensions
- Name clarifications
- Previous passport numbers
- Copies of all the pages of the passport. This is necessary only for the residents of the following countries:
- Iran
- Iraq
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
- The acceptance letter from a Malaysian educational institution.
- Previous academic certificates, educational background, and transcripts.
- Medical and health certificates. This part requires students to visit a registered clinic overseas to perform pre-arrival medical screening to prove they are in good health.
- A certificate of Yellow Fever Vaccination. It is required for applicants who come from a country or recently traveled to a country affected by Yellow Fever.
- A Personal Bond. To ensure the proper authority, students must sign a Bond that they will abide by the law and will not violate the Immigration laws of Malaysia. The bond will be returned if no violation is committed.
- Evidence of proficiency in the English Language. An English Language test must be taken, and a certificate demonstrating an acceptable level of English must be attached to the application. Malaysian institutes accept English certificates from the tests below:
- IELTS
- TOEFL
- PTE
- CAE
- CPE
- MUET
- The applicant’s institution from Sudan must apply for a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) at the Sudanese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
- The applicant’s institution from Iran must apply for a Letter Of Eligibility (LOE) at the Sudanese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Video description
Find the links and extra information explained in the video here.
The list of countries that need to get a Malaysia visa: https://visalibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/countries-that-need-a-Malaysian-Visa.pdf
How to get a Malaysia Student Visa?
The steps to apply for a Malaysia student visa are as follows. International students must:
- Apply for a Malaysian educational institution and get accepted.
- Apply for a Visa Approval Letter (VAL).
- Apply for a Malaysia entry visa. This step is for students whose countries are in the table above.
- Appear at the immigration checkpoint in Malaysia.
- Register at their educational institution.
- Visit the Malaysia Immigration Department and get a Student Pass.
Interested in immigrating to Malaysia as a Teacher? Just click the link.
How Can I Apply for a Malaysian Student Visa Approval Letter (VAL)?
After students get accepted into Malaysian educational institutions, they are presented with two options of how to apply for a Visa Approval Letter. They can:
- Apply via the Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) website.
- Entrust the application to their university.
To apply for a Malaysia student visa, students must collect all the required documents to prove that they meet all the requirements for eligibility to receive a student visa for Malaysia. Next, they visit the EMGS website and create an account.
Applicants must have electronic copies of their documents because they need to upload them since the application process is online. Additionally, there is a visa processing fee, which varies by country, and a personal security bond.
If the visa is approved, the Visa Approval Letter (VAL) will be sent to students via email. They must have a printed copy and keep both the electronic version and printed versions with them.
What is a Malaysian Entry Visa for Foreign Students?
After the student obtains a Visa Approval Letter (VAL), residents of specific countries need to acquire a visa to enter Malaysia. The list of those countries is in the table above.
Visa With Reference is the type of entry visa required for a Student Pass. This means the students must have a letter of authorization from the Malaysian Immigration Department (the Visa Approval Letter (VAL)).
How to Get a Malaysian Student Entry Visa?
Applying for a Malaysia student visa is possible through one of the two following ways:
In person
Applicants must visit a Malaysian Representative Office abroad, embassy, or consulate. Here is the application process for a student visa:
- Find out where the nearest Malaysian Embassy/Consulate is and check their website to learn about their opening hours and requirements.
- Download the Malaysia visa application form from the embassy’s website and complete it.
- Collect the required documents.
- Submit the documents and the passport, copies of the Malaysia visa application form (two copies), and a copy of the VAL.
- Students will receive their Malaysia visas in the form of a sticker attached to their passports.
Online
Malaysian visas can only be applied for online by nationals of the following countries:
- China
- India
- Sri Lanka
- Nepal
- Myanmar
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
- Bhutan
- Serbia
- Montenegro
What Should I Do After I Arrive in Malaysia?
Once students enter Malaysia, they must request entry to the country from the immigration officers. Students must present their printed entry visas and any other supporting documents to the immigration officers.
In the next step, students must register at their educational institution and go through a medical screening within seven days of their arrival. The screening must be performed at a clinic that is registered with EMGS.
The Malaysia Student Pass and i-Kad will be given to students after they have registered and undergone the medical screening.
What are Malaysia Student Passes and i-Kad?
The Student Pass endorses a student’s stay in Malaysia for the purpose of studying. This Pass is in the form of a sticker, and immigration officers attach it to the passports.
Students can request their Malaysia Student Pass at the Malaysia Immigration Department after their educational institution registration is over. To get a student Pass, students must submit their passports to their school. Then, the schools arrange for students to receive their Student Pass.
In addition, after students have received their Student Pass, they can get an i-Kad. In Malaysia, the I-Kad is an identification card that proves the holder has valid resident status.
How Long is the Malaysia Student Pass process?
The whole process, starting with applying for a Malaysian Student Visa Approval Letter (VAL) until receiving the Student Pass, is 4 to 6 weeks long.
The Visa Approval Letter takes 14 days to be completely processed. The process of obtaining a Malaysian entry visa is between one and three weeks; however, an eVisa is typically processed within 2 days.
How long is a Malaysia Student Pass valid?
The student’s course of study specifies the validity of the Malaysia Student Pass. If a student needs to attend a language school, their Student Pass is issued for 6 months; however, it is subject to renewal.
For most courses, students will be given a 1-year Student Pass, which can be renewed.
For certain courses, students will be given a Student Pass, which will maintain its validity for the duration of the course.
How can I Renew my Malaysia Student Pass?
The renewal of a Malaysian student pass is possible through the EMGS website. In order to renew a Malaysian Student Pass successfully, applicants need:
- A CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of at least 2.0.
- Overall attendance of at least 80%.
The transcripts and certificates that you received at your educational institution, as well as students’ passports (biodata page and any visa pages), must be submitted.
The other requirements for renewal are the same as those for entry into the educational institution.
How Much is a Malaysia Student Pass Fee?
Personal Bond paperwork costs range from RM 300 to RM 1,500 (US$ 91 to US$ 457) depending on your place of birth. You may be obligated to pay an application fee to your university as well. For instance, the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus demands a fee of RM 200 (US$ 48) due before your application is submitted. This money will be refunded to you once you have finished your course and graduated from your school.
Additional payments, including medical check-up fees and health insurance charges, may be required as part of your Student Pass application, depending on your place of origin. On the Education Malaysia website, you may receive an estimate of how much these costs might be.
A student must purchase a health insurance package as part of their application for a Student Pass. There are prices in the range of RM 500 to RM 850 (US$ 152 to US$ 259).
The annual charge for a Student Pass is RYM 60 (US$ 18), while visa fees range from RYM 15 to RYM 90 (US$ 4.50- US$ 27), based on your place of birth. All payments must be paid to the State Immigration Department directly.
How Can I Cancel my Malaysia Student Pass?
Some students come to realize that studying in Malaysia is not the best option. They will need to ask their school to file a cancellation request with EMGS if they no longer wish to pursue their studies in Malaysia. Students cannot request for Student Pass cancellation personally.
Can you work under a Malaysia Student Visa?
No, Holders of Malaysian Student Passes are not able to work during the school year. Student pass holders can only work during school holidays. Keep in mind that school holidays are at least seven days long. Even then, they might only work up to 20 hours a week.
The Bottom Line…
The Malaysian government issues Malaysian student visas for international students to continue their educational activities in the country. Foreign nationals can apply for Malaysia student visas online and in person. After acquiring a student visa, students must obtain a student pass and i-kad. Citizens of some countries are exempt from applying for Malaysian student visas.
If you have applied for this visa in the past, please share your experience with us in the comment section.
- Published by
- Max-B.