The Malaysian International Scholarship is the Malaysian Government's flagship inbound scholarship, run by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), to attract top international graduates to full-time Master's and PhD programmes at Malaysia's leading public and selected private universities. It pays your full tuition directly to the university and gives you RM 1,500 a month for living costs. It is one of the few government scholarships in Asia open to graduates from dozens of countries across ASEAN, the Commonwealth and beyond — no travel costs covered, so it suits applicants who can fund their own flights.
Why it is notable: full tuition coverage at heavyweight research universities (UM, USM, UKM, UTM, UPM); the 1,000-word research proposal is the decisive document and the guidelines explicitly prefer Malaysia-related research topics; you can apply either before securing admission or while already enrolled (with at least two semesters remaining).
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full tuition fees for the entire sponsorship period, paid directly to the university on invoice to MOHE.
Monthly living allowance of RM 1,500, paid every four months upon submission of the scholar's progress report.
(Airfare, accommodation and medical costs are NOT covered — arrange these yourself.)
This scholarship is offered for full-time Master's and PhD programmes at the 24 listed Malaysian universities (offered for postgraduate study only).
Who can apply
citizens of the MIS recipient countries — ASEAN members (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), Commonwealth CPA regions (Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands & Mediterranean, Canada, the Caribbean, Americas & Atlantic, India, the Pacific), plus ~40 named countries including Afghanistan, China, Japan, South Korea, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Brazil, Russia, Hungary and others (full list in the official Guidelines PDF).
Experience
No experience required.
Language Certificate
Official requirement — IELTS band 6.0+, or TOEFL PBT 550+ (or equivalent), OR a previous degree taught in English (official university declaration of medium of instruction accepted).
Other Certificates
certified passport copy (≥6 months validity); certified transcripts of ALL previous study (undergrad for Master's; undergrad + Master's for PhD) plus an official grading-system document if the transcript lacks CGPA information; certified English translations if documents are not in English.
Age Limit
Master's: not more than 40 years old at the time of application; PhD: not more than 45 years old at the time of application (official Guidelines).
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
Eligible = citizens of the published MIS recipient-country list (ASEAN, Commonwealth CPA regions, ~40 named countries). Excluded = Malaysian citizens (implicit…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
Bachelor's with CGPA 3.00 / Second Class Upper (Honours) or higher for Master's; Master's with CGPA 3.00 / excellent results in a related field for PhD.
02
Language
IELTS 6.0+, TOEFL PBT 550+ (or equivalent), or a previous degree taught in English with an official university declaration.
03
Documents
certified passport (≥6 months), certified transcripts (+ grading-system document), English test or MOI letter, 2 recommendation letters, CV, admission letter if held, 1,000-word research proposal (research-Master's/PhD).
04
Essays/answers
the written research proposal (minimum 1,000 words, relevant to the field; Malaysia-related topics preferred) is the key scored document.
05
References
two (2) letters of recommendation.
06
Fee
none — no application fee.
Document checklist
011. Certified passport copy (≥6 months validity)
022. Certified academic transcripts (all previous study
03+ grading-system document if transcript lacks CGPA)
043. IELTS/TOEFL result or official medium-of-instruction letter
054. Two letters of recommendation
065. Admission letter (if already secured/enrolled)
076. CV
087. Research proposal, minimum 1,000 words (research-Master's and PhD only). All in English or with certified English translations.
Application fee
No fee — completely free (no fee is stated anywhere in the official Guidelines).
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: Malaysia Student Pass, processed through EMGS (Education Malaysia Global Services) via your university.
Application Procedure
5 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Check the official Guidelines PDF for your cycle
confirm your nationality is on the recipient list and your target university is one of the 24.
certified transcripts (+ grading-system document if needed), certified English test result or medium-of-instruction letter, 2 recommendation letters, CV, research proposal (min 1,000 words, for research-Master's and
→
03
Register on the MIS Online Application System
at https://biasiswa.mohe.gov.my/INTER/index.php and complete the form; upload all documents as PDFs in English (certified translations where needed).
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05
Track your status on the portal
successful candidates are offered the scholarship and must confirm admission to the Malaysian university themselves.
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04
Submit within the application window (2027 dates TBA —
the 2026/2027 cycle closed with shortlist-checking 08 Oct – 31 Dec 2026).
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official 24 listed universities platform.
Is MIS available for undergraduates? A: No — Master's and PhD (full-time postgraduate) only.Do I need a university admission letter to apply? A: Not necessarily — the guidelines cover both applicants who have secured admission and those currently pursuing full-time postgraduate studies in MaIs the scholarship fully funded? A: It covers full tuition (paid directly to the university) plus RM 1,500/month living allowance; travel and other personal costs are not covered.Can I work while on the scholarship? A: No paid employment during the tenure unless you have written approval from the host university.Can I change my programme after being awarded? A: Not without written permission from both the university and MOHE.Does the scholarship guarantee my student visa? A: No — you must apply and meet visa requirements yourself, including a medical examination; see visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my.What happens if my university suspends me? A: The scholarship is immediately suspended and no monthly allowance is paid during the suspension.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Malaysia · 24 listed universities
