How to Choose the Best Degree Course to Study in Malaysia
Written by EduSpiral Consultant Services For more information contact 01111408838
After STPM, A-Levels, Foundation, SAM, AUSMAT or other Pre-University Programme there are many different degree programmes at top private universities and colleges in Malaysia for you to choose from and sometimes it can be confusing. Students in Malaysia who are not sure of what to study after STPM can contact EduSpiral Consultant Services to help guide you to choose the right course and university in Malaysia
Choosing the right course to study in Malaysia after high school is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life. This can be a confusing and difficult time if you are unprepared. With the wide variety of courses available to a student, the time after STPM can be a confusing one if not guided properly by an experienced and knowledgeable education counselor.
An experienced Education Advisor would be invaluable in assisting you to choose the right course. Here at EduSpiral Consultant Services, we do our research on the job demand for the careers in Malaysia, Salary Reports, and universities so that we can advise our students based on facts and evidence.Students need to talk to the right education counselors so that you get the right information to help you in making this life-changing decision.
I have grouped all the courses that are popular and have job demand in Malaysia into 10 main areas of study. Some courses have higher job demand and salary than others. You have to choose based on your list of criteria of what’s important to you. This list of top ten courses in Malaysia makes it easier for students to narrow down to which area that you are interested in and would best suit you.
For a personalised advise on how to choose the right course contact 01111408838
Please fill up the Form below and I will WhatsApp you and provide you with sound advise on how to choose the best private university or college in Malaysia to study at. If you do not give your mobile number or full name as in IC, your query will not be answered. Our knowledgeable & experienced counselor will send you a message on WhatsApp & provide assistance from there.
The Top Ten List of Best Courses to Study in Malaysia
Min En, Actuarial Science, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
Choosing a course to study after SPM, UEC, STPM, O-Levels or A-Levels is a process in finding out who you are and what you are good at. An experienced Education Advisor would be invaluable in assisting you to choose the right course.
Here at EduSpiral Consultant Services, we do our research on the job demand for the careers in Malaysia, Salary Reports, and universities so that we can advise our students based on facts and evidence. Students need to talk to the right education counselors so that you get the right information to help you in making this life-changing decision.
Choosing a top private university in Malaysia to study after SPM, O-Levels, UEC, Pre-U, A-Levels or STPM takes time, it is a process in finding out which one best fits you. You need to talk to the right counselors who are knowledgeable and experienced to help you to choose the best course to study in Malaysia.
- Best Engineering & Built Environment Courses to Study in Malaysia
I met EduSpiral a few years back & although I wanted to pursue his advise, my parents asked me to take STPM. I wasn’t satistied with my STPM results and finally, EduSpiral helped me to understand clearly that SAM was the best Pre-U that suit me.
Khalil, South Australian Matriculation (SAM) at Taylors College- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical & Electronic Engineering
- Telecommunication Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Mechatronic Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Nanotechnology Engineering
- Optical Engineering
- Robotics & Automation Engineering
- Quantity Surveying
- Construction Project Management
- Interior Architecture
- Architecture
- Aircraft Maintenance
- Best Computing & Information Technology (IT) Courses to Study in Malaysia
- Computer Science
- Software Engineering
- Information Communications Technology
- Computing
- Network Computing
- Database Administration
- Business Information Systems
- Cyber Security or Computer Security
- Systems Security
- Forensic Computing
- Cloud Computing
- Mobile Computing
- Computer Games Development or Games Design
- Intelligent Systems
- Data Analytics or Data Science
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Computer Engineering
- Bioinformatics
- Best Accounting, Finance & Quantitative Studies Courses to Study in Malaysia
EduSpiral picked us up from Subang Airport to take us to visit the universities & advised on which is the best for mass communication.
Hui Lan, Mass Communication at KDU University College - Best Business Management Courses to Study in Malaysia
- Best Mass Communication Courses to Study in Malaysia
- Best Health Science Courses to Study in Malaysia
I had financial difficulties for my studies and contacted EduSpiral for advise. He took me and my mum to tour the college which fit my budget. It had excellent facilities & a job guarantee!
Calvin Teoh, Graduated with Diploma in Culinary Arts at YTL International College of Hotel Management - Best Applied Science Courses to Study in Malaysia
- Best Humanities & Social Science Courses to Study in Malaysia
- Best Art and Design Courses to Study in Malaysia
I was confused about what to study & at which university. Talking to EduSpiral helped clear my doubts.
Zen Yi, Graduated from Software Engineering at Asia Pacific University (APU) - Best Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts Courses to Study in Malaysia
Choosing the Best Course to Study in Malaysia
Gan twins, Foundation in Arts at Taylor’s University
Choosing the right course after high school or Pre-University can be confusing. Other than interest in the course, students must research carefully the course for its job demand and salary in Malaysia or globally if you want to work overseas. You don’t want to choose a course and then find out that there is no job demand for it or that the salary is too low without much career prospects.
To choose the best course to study in Malaysia, you have to ask yourself the following questions:
- Look at your results – what are your best & worst subjects, and which subjects are your favourite?
- What are your interests & hobbies?
- What is your passion?
- Talk to the counselors at the private universities to find out in detail about the curriculum of the course to see which one best fits you.
- What is your budget? Discuss the budget for your studies with your parents. A Pre-University (Pre-U) Programme will cost from RM10,000 to RM50,000 while a degree at a private university will cost from RM50,000-RM100,000 for a business course to RM130,000 for a Pharmacy course. To study overseas for degree will cost from RM150,000 to RM200,000 a year including cost of living. If this is out of your budget, then you should consider taking the STPM and going for Public University. If you do not have the finances to study at private universities, then just go for STPM. Note that STPM is extremely tough and takes 2 years of your time. You may not get the degree of your choice when entering into Public University.
- Job demand for the career of choice. There is no point in choosing a course out of passion and then graduate to find out that you cannot get a job in that field.
- Salary of the career of choice
If you are not sure what to study, do ask a trained counselor and always make decisions based on evidence and facts. The decisions that you make now, can change your life forever. You can contact us for a free career test to help you understand yourself better so that you are able to make the right decision.
What am I good at? What am I not good at?
Harold, Diploma in Business IT at Asia Pacific University (APU)
An undergraduate degree course in Malaysia lasts three to five years – that’s a long time to spend studying something which you don’t enjoy, especially at a more intense level! First of all ask yourself what you have enjoyed studying at secondary school in Malaysia.
Your SPM or O-Level results will show what you are actually good at. Having good results in Maths, you can consider Actuarial Science, Accounting, Computing or Finance courses. Having narrowed down to these courses, you can go for the Foundation in Arts for 1 year before really choosing which one to study for your degree.
Alternatively you can also think about subjects you definitely don’t want to study at university level and which you can’t wait to say goodbye to. Crossing these off will make your list of options smaller and less overwhelming.
Your parents and friends would also be able to give you an idea of what you are good at. Looking at your hobbies and interests would help to narrow down the list. Your hobby in drawing could open the possibility of choosing design courses.
What qualifications do I have already?
You may already have an idea of the area you want to study and find a career in, which will have dictated what subjects you’re already studying at school. However it’s good to look at the qualifications and grades you have (or are predicted to have) to see what you are already eligible to study. Some students want to study medicine but in their SPM results, they only managed to get 5Cs. To study in medicine, one needs to have at least 5Bs including the science subjects. Students need to be realistic in choosing their course of study by looking at their actual results.
If your actual results do not meet the entry requirements for your particular course of interest, then you may need to consider other options or to resit the SPM or O-Level exam to get the necessary results.
What are my interests?
Zi En, Interior Design at First City University College
If you can’t think of an academic subject which you’re especially strong at or one which you would want to pursue at university-level, think about your non-academic interests outside of school. It’s likely that you’re much more passionate about these but you’ve never even thought you could study a course related to these (or pursue a career in this area).
Your hobbies, interests and which clubs & societies that you have joined in secondary school would give you some idea of what you are good at. These, together with your actual results would contribute to your decision-making process in choosing the right course of study.
New courses are being created all the time to prepare and develop talent for growing industries, such as animation or computer game design. Projects, events and knowledge related to these interests can all contribute to show that you’re passionate about this area and eligible to study on a course which can prepare you for a related career.
In other cases there may be several routes to your dream career, some of which may allow you to study something different before transferring or. Talk to those who are already working in this area to see how they got to where they are now, including what they studied (or even what they wish they had studied).
What do I want to do for my career?
You may have a clear idea of what you want to do for a career which makes choosing a course to study
Hui Ying, Diploma in Accounting at Asia Pacific University
easier, particularly if you want to become a doctor or lawyer. You can search our articles section to see if we’ve already written about your dream graduate career and how you can achieve this.
When making a decision about your career, it is important to take into consideration the average salary. Starting salaries in Malaysia is about RM2800 to RM3000 for most careers while starting salaries in Singapore is about SGD2714. Although starting salaries is generally the same level for everyone, what you do in the following years of your job will determine how much higher you would get.
Therefore, it is also important to choose the right university that would equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to move up in your career. Many students make the mistake of choosing the cheapest university for their studies and then later realise that they cannot get the promotion or salary increment because they did not get the skills needed. English is one of these skills that most students do not take seriously about its importance for promotion and salary increments in future jobs.
Think about it, if you are unable to write a report or email in proper English or do a presentation smoothly, how would you be able to become a manager or CEO eventually?
Top Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Course in Malaysia
Hanson, Foundation in Science (Engineering) at UCSI University
- Is the course popular at that college or university? Quality/reputation/ranking of the private college in Malaysia
- Which are the awarding bodies? Are the certificates recognised for enter at all universities overseas?
- Are the courses recognised and approved by the Ministry of Education Malaysia and the relevant external bodies? For example, Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), Malaysian Pharmacy Board, Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM), Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM), etc.
- Are the courses accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Audit (MQA)?
- Subjects offered in the Course. Do they help you to achieve your undergraduate academic goals and equip you well to handle the challenges of the working environment?
- What is the class size? Will you have personal attention from the lecturer?
- Do they have enough students to start a class?
- How many students do they have studying that course at that university?
- What is the duration of the course?
- When do you get your results so that you can meet the application deadline for the overseas university?
- Quality of lecturers. What are their qualifications? How many years of experience in teaching?
- Faculty contact/classes taught by full-time qualified & experienced faculty
- Ask your friends who have studied there for their opinion. Ask your friends who are currently studying there as well.
- Entry requirements
- How much money do I have to pay for the course and cost of living? Ask your parents. Note that you will need to have enough to pay the tuition fees as well as your cost of living. (tuition, hostel, food, transportation, etc.)
- How much are the tuition fees? Does it include the external exam fees and other fees?
- How much is on-campus accommodation?
- How much is off-campus accommodation? Note that it might be cheaper to find off campus accommodation on your own with friends. Is the accommodations near eateries, banks, entertainment, public transportation, etc.?
- What is the student culture at the university? (English-speaking environment, ambitious, serious about studies, lifestyle or party university, etc) The language spoken mostly at the college by the students may also matter if you don’t know Mandarin or BM or English. If most of the students speak Mandarin at that university then it will not help you to improve your English. Having a good command of the English language helps you to get good jobs and promotions.
- What are the Extra-curricular activities available? (Student organisations, clubs, sports, etc.)
- Does the college or university have a dedicated department to assist students for the overseas university and scholarship applications?
- Does the college have regular visits from overseas universities so that you can expose yourself to the various universities and ask questions?
Common Factors in Choosing the Best College or University in Malaysia
Jia Jin, Foundation in Design at Taylor’s University
Here’s a list of common criteria in choosing a top private university in Malaysia:
- What type of university do I like? (Large, medium, small, city, suburbs, or outer city) Some people like small universities where you get a community feel while others like large university campuses where they get to meet lots of people.
- The size of the university also matters to some people as some prefer a small and friendly university environment where you know everyone’s names. Some may prefer a medium sized university where there are more students to interact with and more facilities to use like a bigger library, student centre, computer labs etc.
- In large universities you might feel lost but there will be more facilities like a football field, gym, swimming pool, basketball courts, etc. You just need to understand your personality and then choose the type of university that fits you.
- If you are a sports person, you might want to find one with a football field, basketball courts, gym or swimming pool.
- Safety at the university campus and community.
- Know yourself, if you like city life, don’t choose a university far away from the city even though the facilities are great. However, if you have a discipline problem in having too much fun, studying away from the city may be a good choice
- What are the facilities and resources offered at the university? – engineering labs, computer labs, computers, science labs, sports facilities, student centre, job placement centre, etc. Note – You should expect to get what you pay for.
- If you like sports, you may not want to choose a university without a basketball court or gym.
- Is it near public transportation? This is important if you do not have transportation.
Ask a Knowledgeable & Experienced Education Consultant to Help you Make the Right Choice
Dora, Diploma in Hotel Management at YTL International College of Hotel Management
Choosing a course to study after SPM, UEC, STPM, O-Levels or A-Levels is not a science, it is a process in finding out who you are and what you are good at. An experienced Education Advisor would be invaluable in assisting you to choose the right course. Students need to talk to the right education counselors so that you get the right information to help you in making this life-changing decision.
Ask the right Education Counselors. Would you ask a Doctor on how to repair your car? Or would you ask a mechanic for medical advise? Although this sounds ridiculous, but many students do listen to advise from young and inexperienced counselors from universities, colleges or agents’ offices. Talking to an experienced education advisor would help you to navigate through this confusing time of choosing the best course that fits you.
Experienced education counselors are able to analyse your interests, personality and exam results to help you make a list of possible courses for consideration. EduSpiral Consultant Services staff have more than 15 years experience in counseling students. Having worked in the private education industry, we have in-depth knowledge of each private university and college in what they are good at.
EduSpiral Consultant Services has worked with our partner universities and colleges for many years while the counselors at the private universities or agents’ offices change every few years therefore they would not have the in-depth knowledge of the courses and the university that they are working at.
Choosing the Best Course to Study in Malaysia
Ying Kit, Diploma in Culinary Arts at My mother contacted EduSpiral & he arranged for me to attend a workshop which helped me to choose the right course.
Jessie, Diploma in Hotel Management at YTL International College of Hotel Management (YTL-ICHM)
Choosing the right course to study in Malaysia after high school is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life. This can be a confusing and difficult time if you are unprepared. With the wide variety of courses available to a student, the time after UEC, SPM or STPM can be a confusing one if not guided properly by an experienced and knowledgeable education counselor.
It can be confusing for students to choose the right major for their undergraduate degree studies in Malaysia. Preparations should have been made even before this time but fear not it is still not too late if you have not decided on a career path. It is important for you to research carefully the career that you intend to pursue.
Students after SPM or O-Levels would need to go through some sort of a Pre-University programme before entering into the degree course. Therefore, you still have about 1 to 1.5 years in your Pre-U programme to really figure out what to study for your degree.
Students who are not sure of what to study after SPM can contact EduSpiral Consultant Services to help guide you to choose the right course and university.
EduSpiral Consultant Services- Your Personal Online Education Advisor
Established since 2009, EduSpiral Consultant Services helps provide information and counselling on courses and universities in Malaysia & Singapore.
Kenneth, Interior Design at Taylor’s University
EduSpiral Consultant Services represents the best colleges and universities in Malaysia offering a wide range of choices for students to choose from. These colleges and universities offer value for money in the quality of education and excellent facilities that you get.
These universities and colleges are chosen by EduSpiral because they represent the best in their fields in Malaysia and affordable. EduSpiral provides in-depth information and counseling on their courses so that students are able to make the right choice.
If you are still not sure what to study, please contact us and we will send you a free EduSpiral Career Assessment Form.
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Please fill up the Form below and I will WhatsApp you and provide you with sound advise on how to choose the best private university or college in Malaysia to study at. If you do not give your mobile number or full name as in IC, your query will not be answered. Our knowledgeable & experienced counselor will send you a message on WhatsApp & provide assistance from there.
Top Private Universities & Colleges in Malaysia 