Getting your student visa is possibly the most stressful thing to go through when studying abroad. Even thinking about the process of applying for it, waiting for it to be approved; all this can cause unnecessary stress, especially when the whole idea of studying abroad is meant to be a fun experience! But don’t fret just yet—while the process of getting your student visa seems impossible, it is very doable indeed and you’ll get it in no time!

Introduction

What you should know first before is that all international students require a Student Pass and a student visa to study in Malaysia.

You must first apply for a Student Pass through Education Malaysia Global Services. As soon as you receive an approved provisional Student Pass, a student visa will be issued to you when you enter Malaysia. You will receive a full Student Pass once in the country.

Before you leave

Below are the requirements you must meet:

• Once you have been accepted by a Malaysian university, they will then apply for a Student Pass on your behalf. If your application is successful, the Malaysian Immigration Department will issue a Letter of Approval for a Student Pass to your host university.
• Your host university will then send the completed letter to you whilst you are in your home country, along with a signed Personal Bond document that serves as a sort of endorsement of your good character.
• The Letter of Approval will act as a provisional Student Pass that enables you to enter the country as a student.
• When you book your flight, you must inform your host university of all of your arrival details.

When you arrive

• You will need to have your Student Pass approval letter on hand when you reach immigration in Malaysia.
• When you arrive, a representative from your host university will meet you at customs and help you with the process.
• You will then be issued a Special Pass that will enable you to enter the country which is valid for two weeks.
• You will need to go to your nearest State Immigration Department before these two weeks are up to get your full Student Pass.
• You will also be issued a visa upon your arrival in Malaysia, which will be in the form of an endorsement on your passport that is valid for at least six months.
• Your host institution will submit your passport to the Immigration Department within two weeks of your arrival in Malaysia so that you can get a full Student Pass.
• This may take from four-six weeks. When you get your passport back, there will be a Student Pass sticker inside it that you will need to renew yearly.

Documents required to apply for a Student Pass and visa

To apply for a Student Pass, you will need to provide all of the documents below. Your institution will then submit these to the Malaysian Immigration department on your behalf:

• An official letter of acceptance from your host institution
• A completed Student Pass application form
• Academic certificates/transcripts
• A copy of your passport data page (name/age/face etc)
• 1 passport-sized photo
• Proof of purchase of Malaysian Health Insurance
• A photocopy of your medical health examination report
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Proof you’re able to financially support yourself for the duration of your study programme
• A Personal Bond document that has been signed by your host institution

Using your Malaysian Student Pass and visa

Your Student Pass is valid for a year and may not be renewed if you have not met class attendance requirements or have no proven course selection for the following semester. You will need to renew your pass at least one and a half months before its date of expiry. This can be done through your host university, each of which has a separate renewal process that is retrievable on their website. For example, Monash University Malaysia requires submission of specific documents as well as a fee of RM 1000 (US$ 305) that also covers health insurance costs.

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