Posted on Friday, September 14th, 2012 at 6:00 am

Malaysia is currently ranked in 11th place when it comes to the number of inbound international students. The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is expecting to reach 200,000 international students in Malaysia by 2020, bring in revenue approximating RM600 billion, according to the Malaysian Insider. However, this flood of international students will be required to adhere to a few new visa requirements. In an attempt to cut down on visa fraud, Malaysia has tightened their visa requirements and even created Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), an organization dedicated to overseeing the visa enrollment process.

Students hoping to study in Malaysia will now have to:

1. Be accepted into a higher education institute,
2. Be issued a valid student card,
3. Take a Malay language course within their first year of study in Malaysia and,
4. Purchase medical insurance.

With the exception of the language course, this check list must be completed before applying for a visa.

If you are an international student planning to study inside Malaysia, the sooner you can prepare for your visa, the better. This means ensuring your school of interest has received your acceptance application, preparing yourself to learn a second language and purchasing insurance that will meet the new Malaysia Student Visa Requirements.

For information on applying to a school in Malaysia, it is best to contact the school directly. Often, the school’s website will have information on how to apply and become accepted. There will also be a phone number where you can reach an advisor with any questions you have. You can also check out the very popular website, Study in Malaysia, as they have lots of information on their site too.

If you are on the hunt for Malaysia student insurance, one popular plan option for students trying to meet the Malaysia student visa requirements is the Atlas Travel plan. The Atlas Travel plan gives you the flexibility to choose your coverage amount and deductible, allowing you to have a plan that will meet your insurance requirements and your budget. If you would like to purchase the Atlas Travel plan to meet the new Malaysia student visa requirements, you can apply directly online or contact one of our insurance experts for more information.

Posted by Bryanna Davis

Bryanna joined International Student Insurance in 2011 after returning to the United States from teaching English in China. Her interest in international education, sparked initially by her own study abroad experience in Wales, led her to the company. Bryanna is originally from Missouri and is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri.