Malaysia postgraduate funding

Malaysia International Scholarship: who can apply

We wrote this for graduates considering a Master’s or PhD in Malaysia. It reads the Ministry of Higher Education’s own FAQ for 2026/2027: who is eligible, what is covered, and how the university and scholarship applications fit together.

Government scholarship

Malaysia International Scholarship: who can apply and what it covers

The Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) is run by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE). It is for full-time postgraduate study, meaning a Master’s or a PhD. It is not for bachelor’s or foundation study. Everything below comes from MOHE's MIS FAQ for academic year 2026/2027 (MOHE MIS FAQ 2026/2027).

That FAQ is a year-specific document. The 2026/2027 application window ran from 4 March 2026 to 3 April 2026 and has closed. The dates and country list for the next round are not in it, so check the MIS portal before you plan.

Malaysia International Scholarship routePostgraduate full-time study, eligible country, academic and English criteria, a supported university, and separate applications to MIS and the university.01Postgraduate onlyMaster’s or PhD, fulltime. Not bachelor’sor part-time study.02Eligible countryThe FAQ lists thecountries for 2026/2027,including India.03Meet the criteriaAge limit, CGPA 3.0 or2nd Class Upper, Englishevidence.04Pick a universityOnly selected public andfour private universitiesare supported.05Apply to bothApply to MIS and tothe universityseparately.

  1. Postgraduate only

    Master’s or PhD, full time. Not bachelor’s or part-time study.

  2. Eligible country

    The FAQ lists the countries for 2026/2027, including India.

  3. Meet the criteria

    Age limit, CGPA 3.0 or 2nd Class Upper, English evidence.

  4. Pick a university

    Only selected public and four private universities are supported.

  5. Apply to both

    Apply to MIS and to the university separately.

Steps follow the MOHE MIS FAQ for 2026/2027. Fetched 10 November 2026.

Malaysia scholarship countries listed for 2026/2027

MIS is open to graduates from the countries the FAQ names. Check your own passport country against the live list.

Named in the FAQ

  1. ASEAN countries.
  2. Commonwealth countries, with CPA regions including Asia and India.
  3. A named list that includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Oman is not in the list we read. Nepal is not in the list we read.

What to do with that

  1. Indian graduates: the FAQ refers to India among the Commonwealth regions, so MIS is open to you for that year.
  2. Gulf residents: the criterion is the country you are a graduate of or citizen from, not where you live. The FAQ does not say how residence is treated, so ask MOHE if your case is mixed.
  3. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are not named one by one in the text we read. We cannot confirm them from this document, so ask MOHE.

Malaysia MIS eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet all of these for the application to be considered further.

Age

Not more than 40 years old for a Master’s and not more than 45 for a PhD, at the time of application.

Academic

Master’s: CGPA 3.0 or 2nd Class Upper (Honours) or higher at bachelor’s level. PhD: CGPA 3.0 or excellent results at Master’s level in related courses.

English

IELTS band 6.0 or higher, or TOEFL paper-based 550 or higher or an equivalent score on other TOEFL tests, or a previous degree taught in English.

Research proposal

At least 1,000 words, for Master’s by Research and PhD applicants only. The research must be about or related to Malaysia and carried out in Malaysia.

What MIS pays for, and what it does not

Figures as stated in the FAQ.

Covered

  1. Tuition fees, paid directly to the university each semester against the university's invoice.
  2. A living allowance of RM1,500 a month (about Rs35,179 at RM1 = Rs23.4525, investing.com historical data, checked 10 Nov 2026), paid into a Malaysian bank account.
  3. Sponsorship of up to 24 months for a Master’s and up to 36 months for a PhD, with no extension beyond that.

Not covered, and conditions

  1. Travel and lodging on arrival are not covered.
  2. Thesis or paper publication fees are not covered.
  3. The allowance is paid after a satisfactory progress report, and is held if you study online from home.
  4. There is no application fee, and no contractual bond to work in Malaysia, though the FAQ encourages contributing back.

How to apply for the Malaysia International Scholarship

  1. Apply to a supported university separately

    MIS does not give admission. The FAQ says MIS applicants go through the same postgraduate placement process as other applicants.

  2. Know the 90-day rule

    You can apply to MIS before you have a university place, but an awardee must gain admission within 90 days of the MIS offer letter, or the offer is withdrawn.

  3. Apply online through MOHE

    Application is through the MIS portal. Documents: certified passport copy, transcripts, English evidence, two referee letters, CV, and the admission letter if you have one.

  4. Expect screening and an online interview

    Shortlisted applicants are invited to an online interview.

Supported universities per the FAQ: all 20 public universities and four private ones, UTP, UNITEN, MMU and INCEIF. Check the FAQ for the full list.

Malaysia scholarship questions

Can I get MIS for a bachelor’s degree?

No. The FAQ says MIS is for Master’s and PhD only, and full-time only.

Is the scholarship guaranteed if I meet the criteria?

No. Meeting the criteria gets the application considered. Selection includes document screening and an interview.

Does Emir handle the MIS application?

MIS is applied for directly through MOHE. We can help you plan the university application and documents.

Malaysia scholarship sources and dates

This is a planning guide. MIS terms change each year; confirm on the MOHE portal before you apply.

Malaysia study experiences from our students

We work with 34 partner universities. Read student experiences published on our website (emiroverseas.com), reproduced as published there, with the 5 out of 5 stars shown beside each.

“They guided me through every step of the application and clearly explained what to expect throughout the process and after arriving in Malaysia, which made everything much less stressful. They also helped connect me with other students in Malaysia, which was extremely reassuring …”

Hima Shiraz, University of Nottingham Malaysia. As published on Emir Overseas’ website.

“The team was professional, responsive, and made the entire process extremely easy. Special mention to Ms. Bibu, who managed everything seamlessly and ensured the process was stress-free for me.”

Ihab, MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change · Heriot-Watt Malaysia. As published on Emir Overseas’ website.

Your Malaysia study plan, with our Calicut team.

Bring your degree transcript, English score and the Master’s or PhD you have in mind.

Talk to our Malaysia study-abroad expertsOur office: Ground Floor, HiLITE Business Park, Calicut. Please arrange an appointment before visiting.