Chinese students drive growth in Malaysia university applications

Interest in studying in Malaysia continues to grow among Asian students, with applications to branch campuses increasing by almost 50 per cent in 2024, data shows. 

Total applications to study in Malaysia increased by 26 per cent last year compared with 2023, increasing from 91,835 to 115,208, largely driven by Chinese students.

Data released by Education Malaysia Global Services shows that the country continues to attract growing numbers of Chinese students, with 24 per cent more applying to the country’s institutions in 2024 than the previous year. 

Chinese students remained the biggest group applying by far, with 33,216 applications in 2024, compared with 6,917 from Bangladeshis, the next largest cohort. 

There was also significant growth from South-east Asia, with 9,995 applications, compared with 6,922 in 2023 (up 40 per cent). 

Malaysia continues to market itself as an international education hub for the region and has set a target of recruiting 250,000 international students by the end of the decade. 

Analysts have previously suggested that changing preferences among some Asian students post-pandemic may be contributing to the rise as some prefer to study closer to home. China’s faltering economy could also be impacting decision-making among families. 

“One of the biggest drivers of Malaysia’s growth is the economic slowdown and property sector crisis in China, with students who would otherwise have studied in the UK or other traditional study destinations now looking for a lower-cost option,” said Jazreel Goh, Malaysia director at the British Council. 

While they still account for a small proportion of foreign students, Malaysia’s international branch campuses also saw a significant increase in application rates (48 per cent) compared with the previous year.

“Branch campuses let students earn a UK degree at a relatively lower cost, especially when it comes to living expenses, so they’re particularly attractive to this group,” Goh continued. 

“Based on discussions with agents in China, many of these students are still planning to continue their studies at the master’s level in the UK. A bachelor’s degree from a branch campus is seen as a good preparation for this.”

Other countries in the region have also seen increased interest from Chinese students, including Thailand, where some private universities have almost entirely Chinese student bodies. 

However, Goh said, while Chinese numbers are growing in Malaysia, they remain smaller than the top four English-speaking destinations. “Main English-speaking destinations are still very popular amongst Chinese students and are more popular than all other East Asian study destinations put together,” she said. 

This growing popularity among Chinese students has previously generated concerns about a lack of diversity in student flows, with Chinese students accounting for 29 per cent of all international applications to study in Malaysia in 2024. However, one academic, speaking anonymously, said reaching student targets is a bigger priority for the country than diversifying.

“The most crucial indicator of international students in Malaysia is the number,” they said. “Diversification is always secondary. At the policy level, there is no specific policy or incentive to encourage diversification.”

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com