PUTRAJAYA: The Higher Education Ministry has dismissed claims that international student enrolments at public universities has displaced local students, stressing that Malaysians remain the top priority in higher education admissions.
Higher Education director-general Datuk Prof Dr Azlinda Azman said total international student enrolment across Malaysian higher education institutions stood at 155,986 out of 1.25 million students as of December 2024. At public universities, the figure was only 8.7%, or 53,322 students.
She was responding to allegations that international students at the five research universities (UM, USM, UKM, UPM and UTM) accounted for 27% of enrolment.
“The actual figure is 21.3%, comprising 38,388 international students out of 180,024. Of these, 15.8% are postgraduates and only 5.5% are undergraduates,” she said in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 26).
Azlinda explained that research universities have focused on postgraduate recruitment, which has successfully drawn 28,383 international students — nearly half of total postgraduate enrolments.
"Their diverse cultural and academic perspectives enrich research, foster creativity, and enhance Malaysia’s position in global university rankings," she said.
She said that all international students pay full tuition fees without government subsidies.
"Revenue generated from these fees has been channelled into upgrading campus facilities, which benefit both international and local students.
“The presence of international students creates a dynamic and reflective learning environment for locals, expanding their horizons without the need to study abroad."
This, she said, was cross-cultural that equips Malaysian graduates to compete globally.
The Ministry continuously monitors intakes to ensure that local students are not disadvantaged.
“There is no discrimination against Malaysians in higher education admissions. Our commitment is to safeguard opportunities for local students while strengthening Malaysia’s competitiveness in the global education landscape,” she added.
