Study Abroad in Malaysia

Located in between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malaysia is a warm weather country bordered by Thailand and Indonesia. Malaysia is divided into two parts; Peninsular Malaysia, which has several mountain ranges and fertile plains, and East Malaysia, which contains many rivers and tropical rainforests. Because of its location, Malaysia has a diverse spread of different people and things to do.

For the adventurous type, Malaysia is home to some of the world’s most beautiful coral reefs rich with sea life; and for those who love to shop and eat, Malaysia’s big cities like Kuala Lumpur.

Kuching: Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, is described as one of Malaysia’s most inviting and lively cities. Kuching has a very unique style, as it is a modernizing city with a whole lot of old-world charm. Fortunately, this city is very convenient to get to; only ten minutes from the Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Malaysia (the University that the Globalinks Learning Abroad program sends students to). There will be no shortage of fun for students living near Kuching as it has an abundance of restaurants, shops and nightlife!

Kuala Lumpur: The capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, is a cosmopolitan city with one of the most impressive skylines in Asia. Kuala Lumpur is said to be one of the best places to shop and eat in Asia, with huge department stores throughout the city and unique Asian fusion cuisine due to Malaysia’s diverse culture. In addition to its many skyscrapers, Kuala Lumpur contains gorgeous colonial architecture and rainforest reserves, so students who visit this city can appreciate it’s may changes of scenery!

Because studying abroad in a foreign country is a big and exciting change, students should make sure that they do their research and pick the program that suits them best.

1) Language: Student’s who go abroad to Malaysia should not worry too much about a language barrier. Although the native languages spoken in Malaysia are Malay, Chinese, and Tamil, most Malaysians are conversant in English. The Globalinks Learning abroad program, for instance, offers abroad students all classes taught in English. Even though students can get by speaking only English, it is highly encouraged that they expand their knowledge and attempt to communicate in Malay, Chinese or Tamil.

2) Academic Life: Academics are valued in Malaysia, so students who go abroad here will be impressed by their learning environment. In addition to the many laboratories, lecture halls, and computer labs; the universities in Malaysia also offer state of the art digital resources. Malaysian Universities cater to a variety of majors including biotechnology, business, engineering, and multimedia design.

3) Housing: Different housing options are available depending on what program one decides to go through. The Globalinks Learning abroad program offers students the option of on campus housing at the Swinburne University of Technology in Sarawak, or apartment style living off campus.

4) Student Life: Student life in Malaysia is vey unique because of the immense amount of diversity among both students and locals. The Globalinks Learning abroad program, for example, sends students to Sarawak where the campus contains international students form over thirty different countries. Because of this vast diversity, students are especially willing to branch out and learn about each other while seeing Malaysia’s most impressive sights. Students can take a tour of Kota Kinabalu City and see it’s world famous Hot Springs, as well as visit the Sarawak Museum located in the heart of Old Kuching.

Stop squeezing those pennies! Here are some funding options to help you study abroad in Malaysia:

• The Pacific Prime Global Diversity Scholarships awards participants studying abroad in Asia.
• CIEE has many scholarships available for its program participants.
• More Study Abroad Grants and Scholarships

Contributed by Maxine Sharf