Being an international student is expensive. There&rsquo;s the tuition fee, which is higher than what local students pay, and the student visa which you pay for at the start, and then every year following.All that aside, there&rsquo;s also the additional cost of living in another country. With Malaysia being ranked as the <a href="https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/qs-best-student-cities/most-affordable-cities-students-2018" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2nd most affordable city</a> to live in by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking, we decided to put that to the test, and came up with six hacks on how you can stretch your ringgit as an international student studying in Malaysia.<h2>1. Food</h2>When we spoke to many international students on what they chose to eat here, many answered, &lsquo;mamak&rsquo;! Yep, just like us Malaysians, our fellow international friends spend their time at the mamaks nearby campus, with UCSI students citing Gading as their go-to spot. With how it operates at late nights and the cheap food served, it&rsquo;s no surprise that students like Duha Allawi prefers mamak food, which is Indian Muslim cuisine.<a href=""><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fhn6J-6Z5kI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></a>The song of broke college kids everywhere. Turn on the subtitles!&ldquo;Here, the salaries are not as high but the living expenses are not high either. Gas here is cheap, and for food you can just eat at the mamak,&rdquo; says the Palestinian, who can get a meal at the mamak for USD1.20 (RM5).For a more non-halal, but similarly priced option, Jacklyn Soetjipto recommends chap fan, which is Chinese mixed rice where you can choose the dishes that you want to add to your rice. Jacklyn, who is Chinese Indonesian, usually goes there with her Chinese friends, and to the mamak with her Muslim friends.<hr><h2>2. Personal expenses</h2>Personal expenses would be as toiletries and social outings, which would probably include movies or trips to the mall. Yes, it would be possible to survive on less, but Malaysia is filled with places to visit and sightsee- some of which will incur a cost.A lot of students that we spoke to said that they spend most of their time at home resting and hanging out, like Ke Zia. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t really go to clubs or anything like that. I just rest at home, go to the mall with my friends, or hang out at a friend&rsquo;s house.&rdquo; These are activities that cost close to nothing, food and transport aside.<img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492edda7450.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Ke Zia usually spends her time with her boyfriend or her friendsTo further experience the country, some have even travelled to places like Langkawi or Melaka! &ldquo;Sometimes, [my friends and I] rent a car and travel to different states. All you need to do is request for an international license.&rdquo; says Frisca Simbolon, a Batak-bred Indonesian. However, this might cost more, so maybe Netflix and chill is the way to go.<hr><h2>3. Laundry</h2>Laundromats -or the dobi as it&rsquo;s called here- are abundant, especially around universities. More often than not, student accommodation sometimes provides self service laundromats of their own too.<a href="https://afterschool.my/ebook/studying-in-malaysia-on-a-budget-for-international-students?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492ee05e86f.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a>A cross check with a couple of laundromats revealed that a 10kg load of laundry, which is enough to last you about two weeks to a month, costs around USD1-1.20 (RM4-5), with drying prices being about the same.If you still want to be cost efficient and save on that, you can save a lot by washing your own clothes. It costs more initially, but the things that you get to wash your clothes with can last you way beyond a month. A clothes scrubbing brush is about USD1.20 (RM5) and detergent is about USD3.50 (RM15), with water chalked up to your rent bill, and the sunshine to dry your clothes with are free!<img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492ee07255d.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Of course not like this, but you know what we mean.<hr><h2>4. Public transport</h2>The Klang Valley is pretty well connected with buses and trains, enabling anyone in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur to get around at a low cost. Across Malaysia, there are buses, taxis and ride hailing services like Grab in certain states to help transport people to where they need to go.Jacklyn finds that going to places that are easily accessible saves her a lot of money. &ldquo;I go to places like Pavillion because it&rsquo;s easy to go there with the LRT. When I have more friends with me, then we Grab somewhere together. So if the ride is RM8 (USD2) and there are four of us, one person only needs to pay RM2 (USD0.50).&rdquo;<img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492ee082833.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Jacklyn only goes to places that are accessible via public transport- which are usually the best places!Ke Zia is also a fan of public transport. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s so easy to take the LRT to Leisure Mall, or sometimes my boyfriend will drive me places with his motorbike.&rdquo; said the Indonesian Chinese.<hr><h2>5. Phone bill</h2>Most of the students we chatted with had local handphone numbers, which meant that a lot of them had swapped over to local telcos. We decided to look up postpaid plans to see which one can stay within the EMGS estimate- and which ones can&rsquo;t. Here&rsquo;s a helpful table:<img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492ee094560.png" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Telcos below RM100. Click to enlarge - Image from <a href="https://www.soyacincau.com/2016/05/02/malaysia-postpaid-comparison-with-supplementary-lines-digi-celcom-maxis-umobile/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SoyaCincau</a>That being said, the pricier the plan, the better the coverage and the network as a whole, so it really depends on what matters to you more.<hr><h2>6. Lodging</h2>The rental aspect is one of the more costly aspects of living in Malaysia, and depends on how comfortable a student would want their lodging to be. The students that we&rsquo;ve talked to have placed rent prices from USD150-USD180 (RM650-RM750).&ldquo;My parents moved to Malaysia a few years ago, so I&rsquo;m blessed that I can stay with them,&rdquo; said Duha, who lives with her parents and drives herself around daily. However, for most international students, this luxury is not accessible, but student accomodation is usually available from the university itself.<img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492ee0a63de.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Duha has been living in Malaysia for six years nowOne of the people we interviewed also talked about how she lives with her boyfriend, which also manages to help her save on rent. Having roommates is also a great way to make friends and save on rental as well!All this being said, it looks like surviving on a budget is more than doable for the average international student! Do you find that living on a budget works out? Let us know in the comments, and if the budget life in Malaysia makes you think that you might want to study here, let us help you out <a href="https://afterschool-my.typeform.com/to/r6YlHq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>!<a href="https://afterschool.my/ebook/studying-in-malaysia-on-a-budget-for-international-students?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article"><img src="https://images.afterschool.my/admin/uploads/images/getadvice/77098/5c492ee3a3659.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a>

6 Hacks for International Students Studying in Malaysia

In 2017, Malaysia had more than 28,000 Bangladeshi students studying in various universities across the country. That means that one in four international students studying in Malaysia is from Bangladesh! If you’re in college or university, we’re sure that you’ve seen at least one or two Bengalis walking around in campus. You might even be Bangladeshi yourself, with your own community of fellow Bangladeshis on campus too.With Bangladeshi students holding the biggest percentage of international students in the country, you’ve got to wonder why they’d want to come to Malaysia (because it can’t be the traffic, right?). Well, here are a couple of reasons why some Bangladeshi students are deciding to study in Malaysia.<h2>1. Bangladesh and Malaysia are pretty close by</h2><img src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/77097/5c492f245033b.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Image via Google MapsA flight from Kuala Lumpur to Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is about four hours- pretty close by compared to other student cities. This puts many Bengali parents at ease knowing that their kids are nearby and can come home if they really need to. The time difference isn’t major either- Bangladesh is a mere two hours behind to Malaysia.“Once, one of my family members were sick,” said Abdul Bashir, who’s currently doing his PhD in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and is the president of Bangladeshi Student Union Malaysia (BSUM). “They wanted me to come home and told me that at 8.00 am on that day. I bought tickets at 9.00 am, and by 12.00 pm I was on a flight home to Dhaka.”20-year-old Sumaita Ahmed shares the same sentiments. “Girls from my country usually don’t go abroad, but I wanted to prove myself, you know? So I decided to go abroad -but didn’t want to go too far- so I was between Singapore and Malaysia. In the end, I got a scholarship from Monash, so I decided on Malaysia.”Flight tickets between the two countries won’t burn a hole in your pocket either. A quick search on Skyscanner revealed that flight tickets could be bought for as low as RM567 one way (11.3k BDT) on airlines like AirAsia and Malindo. Speaking of money…<hr><h2>2. The living cost in Malaysia is about the same compared to Bangladesh</h2>According to the QS Best Student Cities rankings, Kuala Lumpur ranks number two in the world for affordability. Education Malaysia Global Service (EMGS), a company owned by the Ministry of Education which assists international students, mentions that an international student would need around RM1.8k (37.1k BDT), but that fully depends on how much (or how little) you’re willing to save.Sumaita told us about how studying in Malaysia makes things a lot easier for her family, especially her dad. “Without rental, I usually spend about RM900-RM1200 (18-24k BDT). RM1200 is the limit that my dad gives me, but sometimes I go a bit over, so I make it up by spending less the following month.”<img src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/77097/5c492f2462687.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Sumaita, wearing a traditional Bangladeshi outfit, called a Shalwar KameezAccounting and Finance student Shira* shares the same sentiments. “Alhamdulillah my family can afford to support me in Malaysia, but the exchange rate here is quite affordable. In the future, I would want to send my children to Malaysia to study too because it’s close and cheap.”<a href="https://afterschool.my/ebook/studying-in-malaysia-on-a-budget-for-international-students?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/77097/5c492f2717e24.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a><hr><h2>3. Malaysia is safe</h2>With so many different races in Malaysia, it’s not secret that we all get along pretty well. War is non-existent, and foreigners aren’t seen as strangers, what with 9% of the population being people from other countries. In Malaysia, people are treated fairly and with respect- something which us Malaysians might take for granted.One person who doesn’t take it for granted is Shira. “I feel so safe in this country! As a girl, I don’t feel safe in my own country at all. My parents have to send me everywhere. But in Malaysia, I can have all the freedom I want,” said the 22-year-old.The safety that Malaysia has to offer was also a key reason why Sumaita came to study here. “I’ve always wanted to be independent, but I was always stuck to my parents. The culture in Bangladesh is that you just don’t travel alone because it’s not safe. But I wanted to see the world, so I came to Malaysia.”Both Sumaita and Shira emphasised how they felt safe as single women; however Bashir, being the head of BSUM, has had to take care of many Bangladeshi students here, proving further that Malaysia has what it takes to protect the Bangladeshi students that are here. “When students are sick or face visa problems, I’ll go and help them.”<img src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/77097/5c492f272652d.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Bashir, who has been the head of BSUM for a year now<hr><h2>4. There are more places to study in Malaysia</h2>Dhaka University is the oldest and most prestigious university in Bangladesh, being ranked by the QS in #701-750 globally- and, according to the people we’ve spoken to, is THE university to get into. However, many prospective students sit for the admission test each year, and not all are able to get in. Hence, this pushes many of these students to consider studying abroad instead to get a quality education.“Only very few people can get into Dhaka University,” said Bashir, who considered an education in Denmark before eventually deciding to come here. “I didn’t want to study in other universities because if there are political problems, the university could close down and nobody would get their certificate. Here, there is no such problem.”<img src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/77097/5c492f2735a59.JPG" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The prestigious Dhaka University -&nbsp;Image via <a href="https://www.daily-sun.com/post/332409/2018/08/29/Dhaka-University-admission:-38-students-vying-for-one-seat-" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Daily Sun</a>Malaysian universities also offer a wide range of subjects- even things that you may not have heard about, like econometrics, which is what Sumaita is studying. “I wanted to study econometrics, but it wasn’t offered anywhere in Bangladesh, and it was offered in Malaysia. I like studying here and I don’t think I’d want to do a transfer programme because I’m so used to it here.”Besides these four points, there are many more reasons that Bangladeshi students choose to study in Malaysia, like the courses that are offered, the quality of education, and of course, Malaysia as a country itself! Are you a Bangladeshi student? Tell us why you chose to study in Malaysia in the comments! If you're thinking of studying in Malaysia, click <a href="https://afterschool-my.typeform.com/to/r6YlHq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> and let us help you out.*Name has been changed for privacy<a href="https://afterschool.my/ebook/studying-in-malaysia-on-a-budget-for-international-students?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/77097/5c492f29d9039.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a>

Here's Why Bangladeshi Students Choose to Study in Malaysia

A lot of students go abroad for the knowledge and because it is seen as a fast track to eventually settling overseas.<a href="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608e9e27a.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-38153 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="P1" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608e9e27a.jpg" width="600" height="400" style="width: 600px;"></a>However, an increase in xenophobia has seen many countries tightening the regulations of migration and job opportunities for Malaysians, especially.Click for more info: <a href="https://afterschool.my/news/a-quick-guide-to-working-and-studying-overseas?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article">A quick guide to working and studying overseas</a>Click for more info: <a href="https://afterschool.my/articles/no-more-working-in-uk-after-graduation-for-malaysian-students?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article">No more working in the UK after graduation for Malaysian students</a>Although the chances of working in countries such as the UK may be slim, it cannot be denied that nowadays a foreign degree is very helpful in getting a job locally. Here&#39;s why:<h2>Internationally recognized credentials</h2><h4 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ead6d1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-38154 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="international cred" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ead6d1.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></h4>This probably does not need much explaining, especially if you graduate from a top university.Click for more info:&nbsp;<a href="https://afterschool.my/find-university-in-malaysia/how-to-break-into-top-universities?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article">How to break into top universities.</a>Employers tend to view graduates with foreign degrees as having better communication skills, independence, intellectual and exposed to a mix of cultures: the recipe for a perfect office employee.<hr><h2>Overseas studies equal experience</h2><h4></h4><a href="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ebb228.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-38156 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="overseas experience" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ebb228.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a>Often foreign-degree holders, if they are seen as qualified enough, might be recruited at a more senior position.This is because many foreign degree programmes place high importance on comprehensive learning which sharpens real-life technical skills that can translate well in the industry students will be working in.<hr><h2>Global market savvy</h2><h4 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ecabf7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-38157 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="global market" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ecabf7.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></h4>Companies across sectors are looking towards international markets, so it makes sense for them to employ foreign degree graduates who are able to understand the local culture and the cutting edge technology and trends from overseas at the same time.For instance, a British company looking to develop business in Malaysia would be happy to hire a UK degree-holding Malaysian as they have a better understanding of cultural elements that will help to work with the head office in Britain.<hr><h2>Special skillsets</h2><h4><a href="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ed85e4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-38158 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="special skillset" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/38151/59cc608ed85e4.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></h4>Employers believe that a foreign degree helps change the way graduates look at things and broadens their horizons.Companies tend to hire for skillsets that are generally not available locally. This could be related to new technology and new products not offered in public universities and the courses available in local institutions.Want a foreign degree but unsure if you can afford to go abroad? Read more on the <a href="https://afterschool.my/articles/5-ways-to-be-an-overseas-student-in-your-own-country?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article">5 ways to be an overseas student in your own country.</a>

Employers believe that a foreign degree helps change the way graduates look at things, and broadens their horizons.

Top perks to graduate with a foreign degree in Malaysia

Top Perks of Graduating With a Foreign Degree in Malaysia

A group of Nepalese students, more than 80, are now stranded after being lured by a local college that promised them jobs on cruise ships.<a href="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/32197/598c45ecb0ead.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-32198 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="lence" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/32197/598c45ecb0ead.jpg" width="550" height="293"></a>These students have spent thousands of ringgit to enrol in Lence Academy, a hospitality and beauty school that offers certificate in cruise operation management. The institution has a sister company called Greencity International College or previously known as Orange International College. Both institutions are located in the same building along Jalan Gereja in Kuala Lumpur, and their programmes are not listed in the Malaysian Qualifications Agency site.According to a report from The Star, Greencity&#39;s certificate course in cruise management is still in the process of getting MQA provisional accreditation status. This status means that the course has yet to be evaluated by the strength of its curriculum and the preparedness of its delivery support system.MQA accreditation is only given when the institution has produced its first batch of graduates, and that the programme is in line with standards and criteria as well as in compliance with the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF).At the moment these students are working in small restaurants and pubs as general workers. Living in fear that they might get arrested, these students do not have their passports, which were supposedly sent to the Immigration Department for visa extensions.Reports against these institutions are not new. Last year, Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan was quoted saying that the claims were being investigated which until now has no update.<a href="http://afterschool.my/ask"><img class="size-full wp-image-29618 alignleft fr-fic fr-dii" alt="question" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/32197/598c45ecb8713.png" width="368" height="200"></a>

Foreign students stranded after falling for Lence Academy promise

The Malaysian Ministry of Education announced that foreign students arriving from countries hit by the Ebola virus disease will have to be screened in their country of origin as well as upon arrival in Malaysia. This is to prevent the deadly virus from coming to Malaysia and spreading further.Furthermore, the ministry has asked local universities to monitor foreign students, and alert authorities if they come across anyone with symptoms of the disease. Foreign students from these affected countries will have to undergo health screening twice a year to make sure they do not carry the virus.Ebola is a severe illness which has a fatality rate of up to 90 per cent. Although it is lethal, it is not spread by casual contact. It requires fairly close contact with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, sweat, vomit, and faeces.To date, the Ebola disease has claimed 887 lives in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria.Related news: <ul><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/12850-foreign-students-apply-for-malaysian-private-higher-education-institutions?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">12,850 foreign students apply for Malaysian private higher education institutions</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/foreign-students-in-malaysia-to-have-biometric-identity-cards?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Foreign students in Malaysia to have biometric identity cards</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/icard-for-foreign-students-in-malaysia-introduced-today?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ICard for foreign students in Malaysia introduced today</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/foreign-students-can-work-in-fast-food-restaurants-special-permit-not-needed?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Foreign students can work in fast-food restaurants, special permit not needed</a></li></ul>

Foreign students arriving from countries hit by the Ebola virus disease will have to be screened in their country of origin as well as upon arrival in Malaysia

Malaysia intensifies Ebola screening for foreign students

An i-Card for foreign students studying in Malaysia has been launched today to improve the monitoring mechanism of the students. The card is similar to those carried by foreign workers.&nbsp;<a href=""><img class="size-full wp-image-31371 aligncenter fr-fic fr-dii" alt="ICard for Foreign Students in Malaysia" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/31370/598bfced7f7e7.jpg" width="620" height="413"></a>This development is in response to the misuse and abuse of student visas. According to the Deputy Minister Datuk Mary Yap, 32 foreign students were found to be involved in criminal activities and 1,390 of them were caught overstaying or breaching their student pass conditions, last year.In addition, the ministry also has its in-house enforcement and Inspectorate Department to monitor the management of foreign students by universities and colleges. Private higher learning institutions are required to submit a quarterly report on foreign students management to the ministry.Related news: <ul><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/12850-foreign-students-apply-for-malaysian-private-higher-education-institutions?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">12,850 foreign students apply for Malaysian private higher education institutions</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/foreign-students-in-malaysia-to-have-biometric-identity-cards?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Foreign students in Malaysia to have biometric identity cards</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/3049-foreign-students-application-rejected?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3,049 foreign students application rejected</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/international-students-why-study-in-malaysia/foreign-students-can-work-in-fast-food-restaurants-special-permit-not-needed?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Foreign students can work in fast-food restaurants, special permit not needed</a></li></ul>

An ICard for foreign students studying in Malaysia has been launched today to improve the monitoring mechanism of the students.

ICard for foreign students in Malaysia introduced today

iCard for foreign students in Malaysia introduced today

Twelve thousand and eight hundred fifty (12,850) applications were received in Q1 2014 from international students interested to pursue tertiary education at private higher education institutions in Malaysia, according to Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).&nbsp;Of the total number of applications received, 11,336 applications were approved.For this year&#39;s intake, the Ministry of Education targets to receive 36,000 new international students intake. To date, EMGS has achieved 31 per cent of that target.<a href=""><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30325 fr-fic fr-dii" alt="International Students in Malaysia" src="https://img.afterschool.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/30322/598d89ef94763.png" width="873" height="435"></a>EMGS uses the Student Application and Registration System (STARS) to track and manage student applications. The system enables the agency to identify which private higher education institutions that habitually offer unqualified candidates or places to candidates with dubious applications.As of December 2013, Malaysia has 117,833 international students from 140 countries with active student passes.<h4>Related news:</h4><ul><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/articles/emgs-promises-to-speed-up-student-visa-processing?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EMGS promises to speed up visa processing</a></li><li><a href="https://afterschool.my/find-university-in-malaysia/international-islamic-university-malaysia-iium-targets-more-foreign-student-enrolment?utm_source=AFS&utm_medium=Article" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) targets more foreign student enrolment</a></li></ul>

Of the total number of applications received by EMGS, 11,336 applications were approved.

12,850 foreign students apply for Malaysian universities

12,850 foreign students apply for Malaysian private higher education institutions

In light with the recent ban of foreigners from working in fast-food chains, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi clarified that the ban does not affect foreign students. He said that foreign students will be allowed to continue working part-time at fast food restaurants without the need for a special permit or pass.Foreign students only have to inform the Labour Department on details of their employment.&quot;The Ministry is being considerate towards foreign students who work part-time in fast-food outlets. While no permits are required, they must supply details of their employment to the Labour Department,&quot; he said.

Foreign students can work in fast food restaurants, special permit not needed

Frustration among foreign students and universities is likely to continue due to delays in returning passports.Travel plans are now being put on hold and safety concerns are soaring for foreign students who have reported experiencing difficulty retrieving passports sent for processing back from Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) and the Immigration Department.EMGS which was set up to efficiently process foreign student visas, says they are not to blame for the current situation of the passports.Last June, EMGS planned to station an immigration team in its office by September to help speed up visa applications of foreign students. That, however, has not been implemented, according to EMGS representative Rajvinder Singh Dhaliwal.&quot;We have set timelines and clear procedures in place to ensure a smooth and timely issuance of approvals and passes to applicants. EMGS has been working towards Immigration offices being station in EMGS premises to make this process quicker.&quot;

Foreign students stuck in Malaysia due to delays in passport returns

With the aim to attract 200,000 foreign students by 2020, the Home Ministry has proposed to implement biometric identity cards for foreign students studying in local institutions of higher education to improve security.The Home Ministry is in discussions with the Ministry of Education to adopt this system which features a barcode and RIFD chip. The biometric identity cards would serve as the students&#39; travelling permit when in the country rather than having them carry their passports wherever they go.There are about 80,000 international students in the country, according to the ministry&#39;s records last year.

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