Most expat students travel abroad, usually to their home country, for higher education, but it is possible for a foreign resident to attend university in Malaysia. To do so you’ll need a ‘student pass visa’, which your educational institution applies for on your behalf. Students who study at postgraduate level are allowed to bring their immediate family to live with them in Malaysia. Family members will be issued with ‘social visit’ passes, valid for the same length of time as the student pass.

KL is home to Malaysia’s largest and most prestigious public university, Universiti Malaya. International students who do not speak Bahasa Malaysia must take a language course. Private universities such as Limkokwing, KDU and HELP offer a variety of degrees and diplomas, often in partnership with universities overseas. A few international universities have set up campuses in KL, including Monash from Australia and Nottingham from the UK.

Most final school qualifications offered by international schools, including A Levels, International Baccalaureate, US high school diplomas and Australian HSC will be accepted for entry into local universities.