Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Our students Julia and Vere share their thoughts about why you should study in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
International students studying in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will get to experience a multicultural city full of life. Besides that, Universiti Putra Malaysia is highly ranked among universities around Asia and the world. This makes UPM a highly reputable international university. There are numerous facts that are easily accessible via Google. Only the students who have experienced Kuala Lumpur can answer the question of how it is to live and study in Malaysia. Read more and find out what our spring semester 2020 students, Julia and Vere have to say.
Julia and Vere met up with our Digital Marketing Coordinator Fabian to share insights on how it is to live and study in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Fabian / CC BY
Tell me about yourself?
My name is Julia and back home I make a dual study program within the field of marketing. My studies combine theory with practice. When I come back home to Germany I will start my thesis.
My name is Vere and I study my third year at the university and my focus is on applied psychology. I will do a one-year internship after my exchange semester and then I´m done with my studies.
Enjoy the lush green parks in the city center of Kuala Lumpur while living and studying there. Photo by Fabian / CC BY
How did you get to know about UPM?
J: I heard about Asia Exchange through a friend who studied at Universiti Putra Malaysia. He said many of the students he hanged out with applied through Asia Exchange and he recommended me to have a further look at the AE website.
V: I´m a free mover and looked up information and options online. I just searched for study abroad on Google and Asia Exchange came up. It was easy to find different programs and courses and so I decided that Kuala Lumpur would be a good fit for me.
Both Julia and Vere think the overview of the programs are easy to understand on Asia Exchange’s website. Photo by Fabian / CC BY
What is your impression of the university?
J: The campus is huge compared to my University back home. The campus is also very green with palm trees, bushes, and small ponds. It´s very nice! The teachers are very motivated and helpful. It is very noticeable that UPM is very proud of its high standard of education. There are posters and banners everywhere around the campus with information showing off their excellent ranking. UPM is ranked 159 in the world and 33 in Asia so they have all the rights to be proud.
V: The classrooms are very nice and I like the fact that all the classes are mixed with locals. So you do not only interact with exchange students and I think that helps a lot to get an understanding of the culture.
Universiti Putra Malaysia is known for its green parks and ponds. Photo by Fabian / CC BY
What are your favorite courses?
J: I would say consumer behavior is my favorite course. The classes are very interactive, we have lots of fun projects. Everything is group-based and we always mix mobility students with locals.
V: I like psychological first aid. It is a course where you get taught how to handle people in a crisis. It is very interesting.
What is a regular day in Kuala Lumpur?
J: We do not live in the city. We live close to the University like most of the exchange students do. To be honest, we have not spent much time in the city center.
V: But the few times we have been there we´ve mostly done a lot of sightseeing, shopping and eaten good food.
J: Kuala Lumpur is a melting pot with different cultures and therefore you can find all kinds of food for a cheap price.
It is quite cheap to shop in Kuala Lumpur. You will find shopping malls everywhere around the city. Photo by Fabian / CC BY
Why did you choose to live in the dream city apartment area?
J: it was recommended by Asia Exchange and the pictures of the place looked nice. For Europeans, the monthly rent is very cheap. We are four people who share the apartment and we found each other through the Facebook group which Asia Exchange created before the semester started.
V: I like that we are from different countries. It´s important to mix nationalities and to not live with people only from your own country. Now we are forced to speak English and it helps a lot to improve our language skills.
You might also be interested in: Kuala Lumpur – Attractions You Definitely Need To Explore
What have you done so far?
J: We have managed to travel around a bit in Malaysia. For example, we went to Penang and Langkawi at the beginning of the semester which was nice.
V: We also did a fast trip to Krabi in Thailand. We are planning to go to Bali and Bangkok as well during the midterm break. Let´s hope it will be possible to travel. Everything is upside down at the moment due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Who would you recommend to study in Kuala Lumpur?
J: You have to be open-minded and not too shy to speak English. There will be many local students trying to interact with you during the semester. They are very social and curious about us foreigners.
V: I would recommend studying in Kuala Lumpur to someone who is flexible and loves to travel.
If you’re flexible and loves to travel, then Kuala Lumpur is a good fit for your exchange semester abroad. Photo by Fabian / CC BY
Are you interested in studying in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia?
Asia Exchange is a Finnish company providing study abroad opportunities in Asia Pacific for students from all around the world. Want to get travel tips and new blog posts straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter! If you have any questions about studying abroad, feel free to contact us! We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
This interview was conducted by our Digital Marketing Coordinator, Fabian!
