Frequently Asked Questions

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Depending on the grade and qualification that the student enrolled into, tuition fees in an international school in Malaysia typically start from MYR $39,600 - MYR $193,125 per annum. Besides that, cost of living in Malaysia is inexpensive and international students can expect to spend between MYR $1,500 - MYR $2,000 per month at a primary and secondary school level.


Most international schools in Malaysia do not have an exact cut-off date for applications as the schools will try their best to allocate new students into a class as soon as possible. In the event of overwhelming applications into a certain grade level, the school will prioritise students on a first-come-first-serve basis which takes into consideration both date of submission and application fee payment.

Therefore, we encourage parents and students to appoint a professional education agent who is able to provide the helpful advice to secure a spot in the desired school. Study Trust International has partnered with many international schools in Malaysia and our agents will be able to provide helpful and effective guidance throughout your application process to ensure a higher chance of a successful application.


Most international schools have their own set of rules to decide if a student is eligible to enrol into the school. Students will need to submit all required documents to the school’s admission department in order for them to accurately access a student’s ability to cope with the school’s teaching.

As international schools would like to maintain a quality standard of the school, students who wish to apply may be required to sit for an admission assessment in order to determine the eligibility of the student to enrol into the school.

Furthermore, as English is the main language of teaching and instructing, students may require some basic level of English language understanding and will have to show proof of English language proficiency. The school may also include an English assessment test for applicants.


There are multiple factors that a school will consider when determining which grade a new student should be placed in during the admission stage. The school will decide based on, but not limited to, date of birth, past academic school reports, the grade or year the student has completed, the country of the school where the student currently/previously studied in, and the admission assessment result. This many factors taken into consideration is because international students come from all over the world with different academic backgrounds and school systems that may differ from the system in Malaysia’s. Hence the school has to look carefully into these components to know which grade level best fits a student.

The table below is the year group placement most commonly used by most schools to determine the year that a new student should be allocated to:

Age on 31st August Year Group Key Stage
3 Pre-School Foundation Stage
4 Reception Foundation Stage
5 Year 1 Key Stage 1
6 Year 2 Key Stage 1
7 Year 3 Key Stage 2
8 Year 4 Key Stage 2
9 Year 5 Key Stage 2
10 Year 6 Key Stage 2
11 Year 7 Key Stage 3
12 Year 8 Key Stage 3
13 Year 9 Key Stage 3
14 Year 10 Key Stage 4
15 Year 11 Key Stage 4
16 Year 12 Key Stage 5
17 Year 13 Key Stage 5

For primary and secondary education admission, Malaysia international schools may require applicants to sit for an English language assessment provided by the school to assess their English language proficiency. This assessment seeks not only to review the eligibility of a student to enter the school, but also to understand if he/she requires additional English language course.

If a student is able to provide any standardised English language proficiency test result during the admission process, he/she can be exempted from taking the English assessment.


Yes. Most international schools in Malaysia have a good academic standard to maintain and will accept students who show and a certain standard of academic performance. Therefore, international students who wish to apply to an international school in Malaysia may be required to sit for a school entrance exam. This purpose of the assessment is to review a student’s academic performance and to determine which grade level they should enrol in.

On top of that, some schools may also arrange for an interview session with international applications with the school admission officer or principal.


Yes. The immigration department of Malaysia only allows 1 Guardian Visa per family and will issue it to one parent to accompany their child below 18 years of age to study in Malaysia. Most schools will assist students and parents to apply for the student and guardian visa which will take around 3-4 weeks to be processed.

Parent should be aware that the guardian visa does not permit parents to work in Malaysia, and therefore the family will need to show proof sufficient funds to support the monthly expenses while residing in Malaysia. One of the requirements for any new guardian visa application is to show back statements from a local Malaysia bank account with at least MYR $10,000 deposited in it.

Since only one guardian visa is permitted for each family, it is expected that the other parent residing outside Malaysia will provide continued financial support to the spouse and student living in Malaysia. As the guardian visa is on a yearly renewal basis, parents will need to show a 3-month bank statement with active transactions of minimum MYR $2,000 each month in order for the renewal to be successful. For families who have difficulties obtaining a local Malaysia bank account without having a visa to stay in Malaysia, the international school will provide the relevant certified letter to the parent to open a local bank account.

In most situations, the guardian visa will be issued to the child’s mother. In the event that the child’s father would like to accompany him/her during their studies in Malaysia, the father will need to show letter of employment or any business ownership outside of Malaysia along with a bank account statement to prove they have sufficient income.


It is important to do your research and understand more on the various topics of studying abroad before you make a decision. Read more at our education blog here.

Learn more about the different types of schools in Malaysia

Types of schools in Malaysia

Learn more about how to apply to the various schools in Malaysia

How to apply to Malaysia schools