UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
Study Abroad in Kuala Lumpur at Universiti Putra Malaysia for 1 or 2 Semesters
Study economics, engineering, information technology, nursing and much more for a semester or two at one of the best universities in Malaysia – Universiti Putra Malaysia. Live in the heart of the bustling capital city of Malaysia and learn more about the world and yourself. It’s easy to apply and your study placement will be confirmed even in one day.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Semesters
Spring (Feb – June)
Autumn (Sep – Jan)
Max. Credits
ca. 30 ECTS /
18 US credits
Program Content
Lectures
Excursions
Levels of Study
Bachelor and Master
Fees
Study Fields
Food science, biotechnology, computer science, architecture, economics and management, engineering, environmental studies, nursing and many more
Universiti Putra Malaysia
#10 best universities worldwide under 50 years old
#123
In QS world
university
ranking
ranked #1
international
university
in Malaysia
Accredited by AACSB
SEMESTER DATES
AUTUMN 2023
- Semester dates
- October 9th, 2023 – February 20th, 2024
(minor changes possible) - Orientation
- October 4th – 5th, 2023
- Application deadline
- May 30th, 2023
- Holiday
- TBA
SPRING 2024*
- Semester dates
- March 20th – July 24th, 2024
(minor changes possible) - Orientation
- March 19th - 20th, 2024
- Application deadline
- November 30th, 2023
- Holiday
- TBA
AUTUMN 2024*
- Semester dates
- October 7th, 2024 – February 20th, 2025
(minor changes possible) - Orientation
- October 2nd – 3rd, 2024
- Application deadline
- May 30th, 2024
- Holiday
- TBA
SPRING 2025*
- Semester dates
- March 20th, 2024 – July 24th, 2025
(minor changes possible) - Orientation
- March 18th - 19th, 2025
- Application deadline
- November 30th, 2024
- Holiday
- TBA
Explore virtually – interactive destination tour
Program Highlights
Take your knowledge to the next level and choose among high-quality courses from 18+ fields
Boost your career prospects by studying abroad in one of Asia’s most important business and education hubs
Improve your English skills in a country where it’s widely spoken
Enjoy the cultural diversity in the multicultural melting pot of Kuala Lumpur
Meet new people from all over the world and build an international network
STUDYING IN UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA PROGRAMS
STUDYING IN UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
Universiti Putra Malaysia is the right choice for those who want to challenge themselves academically at a top-class research university. The courses reflect the international standards of the Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge) model of teaching and are part of the regular degree curricula of the university.
Studying at Universiti Putra Malaysia is for you if…
- You’re a university student looking for new challenges
- You want to be able to choose among hundreds of courses to expand your knowledge
- You want to improve your English and intercultural communication skills
- You want to get to know life and culture in one of the most important cities in South East Asia
- You want to network with people from all over the world.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Courses
Bachelor’s level course lists and summaries
Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences
Faculty of Agriculture
Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences
Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology
Faculty of Design and Architecture
Faculty of Economics and Management
Faculty of Educational Studies
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Environmental Studies
Faculty of Food Science and Technology
Faculty of Forestry
Faculty of Human Ecology
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Faculty of Communication
Master’s level courses
4000-level courses
The courses which have number 4 as the first number in the course code are 4000-level Bachelor/Master courses (MGM4149, for example). These courses can be acknowledged as Master’s level courses depending on your home institution. If you currently study in a graduate program, the 4000-level courses will automatically be marked as Master courses in your UPM Transcript of Records. You can find the 4000-level course listed in the documents linked above.
5000-6000 level courses
The courses with numbers 5 and 6 as the first number in the course code are advanced Graduate level/Master courses (MGM5149, for example). If you are currently studying in a graduate program, we recommend selecting 4000, 5000 & 6000 level courses. You can find the lists of all available master-level courses in the documents linked below.
Course descriptions
Below you will find example syllabi:
In case you cannot find the syllabi for your wished courses in the documents above, please do not hesitate and contact us at info@asiaexchange.org
Teaching language
All the courses are included in the official curriculum of the university and are held in English. Both Malay and international and other exchange students attend the same classes.
How to choose the courses
You can choose 2-6 courses per semester from a faculty that matches your major field of studies.
You are recommended to choose a maximum of 5 courses, unless you need to take courses worth of 30 ECTS.
You can still make changes to your course selections plan after arriving at UPM.
Please note that UPM reserves rights to changes in the course offerings.
When are the courses organized?
Check that the courses you would like to take are organized during the semester you wish to partake. Please note that the autumn semester is semester 1 (September intake) and the spring semester is semester 2 (February intake).
Elective courses
Please note that elective courses are not organized every semester. The list of elective courses is finalized approximately a couple of months before the semester by the university.
Course requirements
There is an 80 % obligatory attendance. Failure to adhere to this requirement may lead to failing the course.
eCampus
In addition to the courses mentioned above, you have the chance to attend additional distance learning courses in the fields of Economics, Marketing, Sociology, and Politics. All the courses are taught from a distance and can be joined independently from place and time. This gives you the ultimate flexibility to combine your study abroad experience with various academic courses.
All information about the eCampus can be found here.
You have the chance to opt for distance learning courses during your application process. Please note that each distance learning course is worth 5 ECTS and comes at an additional charge of 149€ / 167USD.
After completing your eCampus courses, you will receive an academic transcript issued by Undiknas University. Additionally, you will receive a participation certificate for each completed distance learning course.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Credits
Asia Exchange students can choose 2–6 courses per semester (max. a total of ~30 ECTS/18 US Credits) when studying in Kuala Lumpur. One completed course is usually worth 3 credits, generally converted to 5 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) study credits or 3 US credit points. Read more about study credits.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Tuition fee
Tuition fee:
Application fee:
See what’s included in the fees.
Many of our students apply for national student funding such as PROMOS, BAföG, or CSN.
Are you from outside of Europe? Find out more about fees.
ATTENTION: Some additional fees become payable upon arriving in Malaysia, such as registration, orientation, co-curricular and other mobility fees, and health screening fees (approx. 780 MYR in total). Please note that these fees are subject to change. In addition, there might be some academic expenses (such as books) for 200 MYR. The student visa costs about 1100 MYR in total (Student pass processing to be paid directly to UPM during registration). Read more about the visa. Asia Exchange does not cover these costs.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences also has a Bench Fee of 4000 MYR per semester to cover facilities and equipment costs.
Benefits when applying via Asia Exchange
- Confirmation even in one day
- Asia Exchange Guide with lots of information e.g., about studies and accommodation and eVAL Guide
- Pre-departure orientation webinar
- Orientation days
- No English proficiency test required
discount when applying for two semesters.
Minimum requirements
- Minimum age of 18 years (you must be 18 years old at the time of your application)
- You have to be currently enrolled at an institution of higher education (university, university of applied sciences or similar)
See the additional requirements.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Required Documents
- An official transcript of records of your latest semester in English.
For those applying to the Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science, and Biomedical Science, please note that good grades increase the chance of getting accepted into the faculty. - A scanned copy of the identification page of your passport. Please note that your passport must be valid for at least 18 (eighteen) months after starting your Student Visa application. If your passport expires earlier, please apply for a new one and submit it before the application deadline. Applications sent without a valid passport cannot be processed.
- UPM application form. (See Example)
- A formal letter that declares you are a student in your home university. This can be a Certificate of Enrolment, Acknowledgement of Nomination or Recommendation Letter signed and stamped by your home university in English.
- UPM requires all new students to bring a copy of their insurance certificate in English, and it must be valid for one year
Please note that UPM strictly reviews your faculty choice in the application documents. Please choose the faculty that is closest to your faculty at home.
Apply to study abroad at Universiti Putra Malaysia
APPLICATION
Fill out and submit the online application form together with the required documents
- Flexible application: You can apply even if you’re not yet certain of your plans. Cancel at no extra cost up to 1 month before the semester starts.
- When you apply for two semesters: 100 EUR discount on the second semester
- Get access to comprehensive information materials such as an Asia Exchange Guide and an interactive orientation webinar after you apply
Uploading and submitting the attachments
- Fill out the required attachments
- Scan all the required attachments to your computer in PDF format
- Fill out the online application form below and submit it with the required attachments.
Uploading and submitting the attachments
- Please upload the attachments in PDF format.
- If possible, please submit all the attachments together with the application. If you’re missing some attachment(s) when you first apply, you can later send the missing document(s). However, please note that we won’t process applications without any attachments whatsoever.
- All attachments must be sent to us within 30 days of applying or by the application deadline at the very latest.
- You can submit all the documents electronically. Please don’t send anything via regular mail.
- There is a late application fee for applications or attachments submitted after the application deadline.
Confirmation and official acceptance letter
You’ll get a confirmation of your study placement in 1-7 days. You’ll receive the official acceptance letter about 2–3 months before the semester starts. We’ll send it as an electronic document by email. You will need this document for the eVAL application.
Fees
The application fee invoice will be sent to you soon after the initial acceptance letter. This fee will be due within 10 days of receiving your confirmation. The application fee is non-refundable even if you decide to cancel (see below). You’ll receive the invoice for the tuition fee about 2.5 months before the semester starts. The cost of the Malaysian student visa is around 1100 MYR (click here to convert). Find out more about the student visa below. There are some additional fees at the destination related to university services. These include the mobility fee and health screening fee (approx. 170 EUR in total). You may also need to purchase academic material like books for around 200 MYR (click here to convert). All the above fees are subject to change.
Cancellation
If you’re unable to participate in the study abroad semester, you have the right to cancel your participation up to 1 month before the semester starts with no extra cost (the application fee will not be refunded, however). Let us know about your cancellation by writing us an email at info[at]asiaexchange.org. Cancellations notified via phone, SMS or by any other means will not be considered. For more detailed information on our cancellation policy, please see the terms and conditions for cancellation. We also reserve the right to cancel your participation if your application fee or tuition fee becomes overdue. For more information, please see our terms and conditions.
Student visa and medical check-up
All students wishing to study abroad in Malaysia must apply for a student visa. Please note that applying for a student visa to Malaysia is a multi-step process. The visa application process and the list of the required documents may change at any time. Please take this into account when choosing your study abroad destination. Before applying for a student visa, you have to apply for a Visa Approval Letter online (eVAL). Please follow the instructions carefully and prepare the required documents early enough. All students are required to attend a health screening during the registration at UPM. If the student is not in excellent health, Universiti Putra Malaysia has the right to cancel the study abroad placement.
About Universiti Putra Malaysia
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Kuala Lumpur is ranked as the second-best university in Malaysia (Times Higher Education 2019), 10th best under 50-year old university in the world (QS 50 under 50) and acknowledged among the top 200 universities in the world (QS World Ranking, place 123). UPM is a public university founded in 1931. It has 16 faculties and approximately 32 000 students. The university is located in the capital of Kuala Lumpur and is among the elite institutions in the city. Find out more about Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Address
Mobility Section Putra International Centre Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia
Universiti Putra Malaysia Accreditations
- International Association of Universities (IAU)
- Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA); follows MQA’s quality assurance practices, including the Code of Practice for Programme Accreditation (COPPA) and Malaysia Qualifications Framework (MQF)
- Belongs to the top 5 universities in Malaysia
- Research University (RU)
- Universiti Autonomi
- Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM)
- The Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL)
- ASEAN University Network (AUN)
- ASEAN-European University Network (ASEA UNINET)
- EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce & Industry (EUMCCI)
- Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Universiti Putra Malaysia Activities
The university has extensive sporting facilities. There is, for example, a fully equipped gym, sports hall, outdoor swimming pool, under soil drainage football pitch, Astroturf pitch for hockey, and an excellent floodlit athletics and football stadium. UPM also features an Olympic-sized swimming pool located in the Swimming Complex and international-standard tennis courts in the Tennis Complex. Some of the best grass pitches in the country, including an 18-hole professional golf course, are also located on campus. Golf for free as much as you want!
CO2 OFFSETTING
Unfortunately, traveling by plane to study abroad increases the carbon footprint of each student. Over the past years, it has become more apparent than ever: we face a climate crisis and air transport is responsible for up to 10% of humankind’s contribution to global warming. But should students stop pursuing their dreams of studying abroad and sacrifice their future goals? We don’t think so!
We see it as our responsibility to preserve our environment, live a sustainable life, and minimize the carbon footprint of each of our students. Consequently, Asia Exchange has chosen to work with Atmosfair, a non-profit organization that actively contributes to CO₂ mitigation and offers Co2 offsetting. You can now easily donate a free amount of money to Atmosfair’s projects dedicated to offsetting Co2 emissions. During the application process for your study abroad program, you have the opportunity to donate and mitigate your flight emissions.
Simultaneously, Asia Exchange will support your efforts to reduce their carbon footprint when studying abroad by doubling your donations and contributing equally. Let’s make this world a better place!
Click here to find out more about offsetting your flight emissions
MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: How do I select my courses? A: You should select the courses in the UPM application form that you submit as one of the attachments with your application. You can still change your course selections during the registration period at the beginning of your semester.
Q: Can I choose courses from several different faculties? A: Yes! While you’re advised to choose the faculty that best matches your current major, you’re still able to choose courses from several faculties if you wish.
Q: What study level are the courses at Universiti Putra Malaysia? A: The courses with the digits 3xxx and 4xxx are Bachelor level courses, but 4xxx courses can also be accredited as Master’s level courses.
Q: Are the courses organized in English? A: Yes! The official teaching language is English, and you attend the same courses as other international and local students
Q: Do I need to have an English language certificate? A: You do not need an English language certificate either for your application or the student visa
Q: What is the required course attendance? A: The official course attendance requirement is 80 %.
Q: When do the exams take place? A: Exams are included in the semester dates and they take place in the middle and at the end of the semester.
Q: What type of visa do I need to have to study in Malaysia? A: You will have to apply first for an eVAL, then for a Single-Entry Visa and finally start the process for your Student Pass as the last step of your registration period at the beginning of the semester.
Q: When can I apply for my visa? A: You can apply for your eVAL as soon as you receive the Official Offer Letter from Universiti Putra Malaysia. You will usually receive this approximately 3 months before the semester starts.
Q: Can I travel outside of Malaysia during the semester? A: Yes, but only after your Student Pass has been processed. The process usually takes 2-4 weeks, so we don’t recommend planning any trips outside Malaysia before your mid-term holiday. Read our general visa instructions here.
Q: Is there on-campus accommodation available at Universiti Putra Malaysia? A: Yes, but the rooms are very modest and not necessarily up to Western standards.
Q: Where and how can I find suitable accommodation options independently? A: Most students prefer staying in the Seri Kembangan area, a 10-15 min Grab drive from the campus. For example, BluConstellation and Dreamcity are suitable options. You can contact the accommodation agents in the student FB group, for which you’ll receive the link before the semester. Read our accommodation tips here.
Q: How can I get to the campus? A: Download the Grab taxi application to your phone. It’s the safest, cheapest and easiest way to travel in Kuala Lumpur.
Q: Do I need insurance? A: Yes, insurance is a requirement for the student visa. You can either purchase one through EMGS during the eVAL application or purchase any similar insurance independently. See our recommended travel insurance providers. Please note that you must bring your insurance certificate in English for the Student Pass processing.
Q: Which extra fees do I have to pay on top of the tuition fee? A: On top of the tuition fee, we charge an application fee of 75 EUR. Some additional fees become payable upon arriving in Malaysia, such as Mobility fees and Student Pass processing fees. Please note that these fees are subject to change. When calculating your budget, please also take into account flights, accommodation and other costs of living.
Q: What are the costs of living in Malaysia? Kuala Lumpur has been voted the most affordable city in the world for a student. The real costs will depend on your lifestyle. Find a list of general living costs here. Read more about budgeting your study abroad semester.
Q: I need to have my learning agreement/certificate of enrollment signed. What should I do? A: Please fill the document and send it to info@asiaexchange.org.
Q: When will I receive my Official Acceptance Letter? The official letter of acceptance (Offer Letter) will be sent to you by email 2–3 months before the semester starts. You will need this for your eVAL application. You cannot apply for eVAL with the initial acceptance letter from Asia Exchange.
Q: When will I receive my Transcript of Records? The university prepares and sends the Academic Records, usually within 1-2 months after the end of the semester. Still, you can already see your grades in the online student portal before that. The university will inform you when the grades are online.
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