Study in Australia: Fees, Intakes, Universities, Jobs for Malaysian Students

Malaysian students studying in Australia get access to 9 universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2027 top 100, the right to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during term, a concessional ASEAN visa charge of AUD 2,050, and a direct post-study route to residency through the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), which allows 2 to 5 years of work depending on qualification level and region of study.

Undergraduate applicants need a completed SPM or STPM certificate with a strong academic record, plus an accepted English test score (IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5, PTE Academic 50 to 58, or equivalent). Postgraduate applicants need a recognised Bachelor's degree, a higher English score, and relevant work experience for some courses.

Tuition for a Bachelor's degree costs AUD 20,000 to AUD 48,000 a year, a Master's degree AUD 22,000 to AUD 52,000, and a Diploma AUD 12,000 to AUD 24,000. Living costs add roughly AUD 29,710 a year, the figure the Department of Home Affairs uses to assess visa financial capacity.

Yes. Malaysian citizens apply for the Subclass 500 Student visa, and as citizens of an ASEAN member country, currently pay a concessional visa charge of AUD 2,050, lower than the standard AUD 2,500 charged to most other nationalities, effective from 1 July 2026.

Student visa applications are lodged through ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au). AECC counsellors guide you through the ImmiAccount process and help prepare a complete application.

The process has four steps: choose a course and university, submit academic transcripts and an English test score to receive a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), lodge a Subclass 500 student visa application with proof of funds and OSHC, then wait for a decision, which the Department of Home Affairs typically processes within 4 to 8 weeks. AECC provides this guidance free of charge.

No course is entirely free, but the Australia Awards Scholarship, a fully funded Australian government award open to Malaysian applicants, covers tuition, living expenses, return airfares, and an establishment allowance for the full duration of study. Malaysian students already at an Australian transnational campus in Malaysia can also apply for the shorter Australia Awards – Malaysia Semester Program. Malaysian students can further apply for the JPA/MARA scholarship for study in Australia.

There is no single fixed amount published by the Department of Home Affairs. Applicants must show enough funds to cover 12 months of living costs (around AUD 29,710), plus tuition and travel, through savings, an education loan, or a scholarship letter. AECC's counsellors help calculate the exact figure based on your course and city.

Yes. Subclass 500 student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, and unlimited hours during official semester breaks.

Not directly, but most Malaysian graduates first move onto a Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), which grants 2 to 4 years of work rights for a Bachelor's and Master's (Coursework) degree, and 3 to 5 years for a PhD and Master's (Research) degree, before applying for a skilled independent visa (Subclass 189), a state-nominated visa (Subclass 190), or employer sponsorship.

Most graduates take 2 to 4 years from finishing their course to being granted permanent residency, using the Subclass 485 visa period to build the work experience and points needed for a skilled visa.

Nursing, engineering, IT and cybersecurity, and several trades consistently appear on Australia's Core Skills Occupation List, which underpins most skilled visa pathways. Choosing a course connected to one of these fields gives you a clearer route toward sponsorship or a points-tested visa after graduation.

Skilled visa application charges currently run from around AUD 4,640 to AUD 6,140 for the primary applicant (Subclass 189/190/491), on top of costs for a skills assessment (AUD 500 to AUD 1,000) and English test fees. Migration agent fees, if used, are separate and vary by agent.

Graduating in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, commonly nursing, engineering, and ICT for Malaysian graduates, and securing employer sponsorship under the Subclass 186 or 494 visa is the quickest route, since it avoids competing in the points-tested general skilled migration pool.

Yes, through the points-tested Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189), which requires no job offer or state nomination but does require a minimum of 65 points across age, English proficiency, qualifications, and work experience, assessed against Australia's skilled occupation lists.

For most Malaysian students, yes. It combines 9 QS top-100 universities, legal part-time work rights, an ASEAN visa fee concession, an established Malaysian community across major cities, and one of the clearest study-to-PR pathways of any major destination, through the Subclass 485 to Subclass 189/190/186 route.

Yes. The Australia Awards Scholarship is fully funded and open to Malaysian applicants with a strong academic record, alongside the shorter Australia Awards – Malaysia Semester Program for students at Australian transnational campuses in Malaysia. The JPA/MARA scholarship also funds Malaysian students studying in Australia. University-funded scholarships are additionally open to Malaysian applicants and typically range from 10% to 25% of tuition.

Australian universities and the Department of Home Affairs accept IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and in many cases the Duolingo English Test, with minimum scores varying by course and provider.