About
The University of Malaya (UM) is the oldest university in Malaysia, founded in 1905, and consistently ranks as the top public university in the country and third across Southeast Asia.
UM is a research university that attracts academics from all over the world, and five of Malaysia’s prime ministers have been UM graduates. The university boasts a diverse range of students, which reflects Malaysia’s mix of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and Indigenous peoples. As a result, the campus is bursting with different cultures, languages, and religions.
Location
The University of Malaya is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city. Click here for a campus map. Sprawling over 800 acres, the UM campus is a tropical oasis that is home to not only their research facilities, but also a lake that offers kayaking, luscious greenery that hosts exotic wildlife, and even a barber shop!
Kuala Lumpur is a safe, interconnected, and multicultural city. The popular Southeast Asian service called Grab is available for cheap rides around town, or you can use the modern, clean, and air-conditioned public transport, which includes the KL Monorail. As well as being able to easily commute around the city, Kuala Lumpur’s international airport is one of the busiest in the region, located at the crossroads of Southeast Asia, providing fast connections to other parts of Malaysia and neighbouring countries.
Level of competitiveness
Less competitive *
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
Important: Please also note that University of Malaya's Faculty of Business and Accountancy is competitive and places are limited, therefore students whose applications are successful and allocated an exchange space here by Qyeen Mary may not be able to access modules within this faculty.
Application process for successful students
Nominated students can find out more about how to apply.
Language of instruction
The main language of instruction at UM is English, but please note that some courses are taught in other mediums of instruction, such as Arabic or Malay. You are advised to apply to only courses explicitly taught in English.
The first official language in Malaysia is Malay, and the second official language is English. English proficiency in Malaysia is ranked third across Southeast Asia, but some students may be interested in learning Malay to feel more comfortable. UM offers a range of extracurriculars to international students and exchange students, and the language clubs are among the most popular options.
Academic Calendar
The academic year is divided into two semesters:
- Semester 1: October to February
- Semester 2: March to July
Orientation at the University of Malaya is known as ‘UM Week of Welcome’, and is an essential opportunity for students to meet each other, learn about the expectations UM has in place for their students, and an introduction to the campus. This usually takes place in September, but nominated students should pay attention to communications from UM for more details.
UM’s academic calendar can be found here.
Courses
UM encourages multidisciplinary studies, so students can choose courses from a range of faculties that cover the Sciences, Arts & Social Sciences, Business, Language, Engineering, Computer Science, etc (across a maximum of three different faculties).
Please consult UM’s course catalogue for more information.
Module restrictions: Kindly note that there are restrictions applicable to modules taught in Faculty of Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy. Those modules are not available for mobility programme students.
Credits
Students must take four courses per semester totalling 12-16 credits.
The University of Malaya uses a grading scale from A+ to F. Once exam results are released, UM sends a copy of your transcript to you and the Global Opportunities Office at Queen Mary.
Find out more about Queen Mary’s credit transfer and grade conversion process here.
Queen Mary student feedback:
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
Accommodation
The University of Malaya offers some on-campus accommodation, some of which is only allocated to international students and exchange students, but this is competitive and spaces are limited. While their on-campus accommodation is among the cheapest in Kuala Lumpur, other affordable options are also available. More information about accommodation published by UM is available here.
The main off-campus residential area is Bangsar South, where most exchange students tend to live. The area has many high-rise buildings offering different sized apartments for rent at reasonable prices. Nominated students will be invited to join a Telegram group chat where they can contact other exchange students interested in a flat share.
Komune Living in Bangsar South and VE Hotel & Residence are slightly more expensive options that offer en-suite studio rooms in properties with hotel facilities; 24 hour concierge, a gym, a pool, restaurants, and communal areas including a games room and a fully-fitted kitchen.
Cost of Living
The cost of living depends on individual lifestyle choices, but the cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is generally relatively low. Public transportation is cheap, averaging at less than £0.50 per journey in the city. Rent is also considerably cheaper than London, but living closer to the city centre or in more luxurious properties will put the prices up. For a glimpse into how cheap eating at local places is, especially the famous night markets, take a look at this video tour of Malaysia’s longest night market.
General information about the cost of living in Kuala Lumpur can be found here. Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Support Services
For information on accessibility, please visit the Disability Management Services page.
Campus Life
UM is home to vibrant, colourful, vivid and exciting student activities whether organised by the International Student Centre, students themselves or by external parties with the objective of further adding values and experience in students’ life on campus. The list of activities includes community engagement programmes, non-academic cultural exposure programmes, student society activities, etc.
Student life at UM is all about inclusivity, community, and opportunities. While some events are organised by the International Students & Mobility Centre, most extracurriculars and clubs are hosted and managed by the students or UM Global Buddies. Activities include:
- language clubs, ranging from Mandarin and Japanese to Spanish and Russian
- creative arts, which include dance workshops and painting classes
- community engagement programmes
- non-academic cultural exposure programmes
- student society activities
- sports clubs, from badminton and frisbee to bouldering and football, culminating in a sports day at the end of each semester
The UM Global Buddies also host a Farewell Dinner at the end of each semester for all exchange students to meet for a final meal together, accompanied by performances and awards.
Social Media
University of Malaya:
Resources
Download resources from UM's Info Packet page for incoming exchange students, including:
- Fact sheet
- Academic calendar
- Application guide (once you are holding an offer and have been nominated to UM)
- Grading scheme
- Visa application guidance
More information can be found on their landing page for incoming exchange students.
