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Malaysia scholarships for Pakistani students, in short
Pakistani students can study in Malaysia on two fully funded government scholarships. The Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) covers Master’s and PhD study, paying full tuition plus RM 1,500 a month. The MTCP Scholarship covers a Master’s, paying full tuition, RM 3,500 a month and a return air ticket. You apply directly to the Malaysian government. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship.
Malaysia scholarships at a glance
Both Malaysia scholarships for Pakistani students are funded by the Government of Malaysia and cover full tuition plus a monthly living allowance for postgraduate study, with all figures below taken from the official Malaysian government sources and verified on 12 June 2026.
Scholarships covered
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) and the MTCP Scholarship
Funded by
Government of Malaysia. MIS through the Ministry of Higher Education; MTCP through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Study levels
MIS for Master’s and PhD; MTCP for Master’s only
Open to Pakistani citizens
Yes, on both routes
What MIS pays
Full tuition plus RM 1,500 per month
What MTCP pays
Full tuition, RM 3,500 per month and a return economy air ticket
Age limit
MIS up to 40 for Master’s and up to 45 for PhD; MTCP up to 45. All measured at the date of application
English requirement
IELTS 6.0, or an accepted TOEFL score, or a previous degree taught in English
How you apply
Directly to the Malaysian government online. No agent and no HEC nomination step
Application window
Once a year, with dates announced on the official portals. The MIS 2026/2027 round ran 4 March to 3 April 2026
Fields not funded
Medicine (MBBS), nursing and pharmacy are excluded by both schemes
Last verified
12 June 2026
The two government routes Pakistani students actually use
Pakistani students reach a fully funded postgraduate place in Malaysia through one of two government scholarships, the Malaysia International Scholarship for Master’s and PhD study, and the MTCP Scholarship for a Master’s. Both are funded by the Government of Malaysia and both pay tuition direct to the university.
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS)
The Malaysia International Scholarship funds Master’s and PhD study and is run by Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education. It pays your full tuition for the sponsorship period direct to the university, plus a living allowance of RM 1,500 a month released every four months against your progress report. MIS is tenable at 24 listed institutions, 20 public universities including Universiti Malaya, USM, UPM, UKM and UTM, and 4 private universities including UTP, UNITEN, MMU and INCEIF. You apply yourself through the Ministry’s online system. Pakistan qualifies as a recipient country, so your nationality is not a barrier.
MTCP Scholarship
The MTCP Scholarship funds a full-time Master’s only and is run by Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme, in place since 1980. It pays full tuition direct to your host university, an allowance of RM 3,500 a month, and a return economy-class air ticket. Award length runs 24 to 36 months and covers coursework, mixed-mode or research Master’s study. Pakistan is a listed MTCP recipient country. You apply yourself through the MTCP online system, and a full offer letter from a Malaysian university for the September or October intake is part of a complete MTCP application
Who can apply from Pakistan
A Pakistani citizen qualifies for both Malaysia scholarships by meeting the academic grade, the English requirement and the age limit set by the Malaysian government, and by holding or securing admission to a listed Malaysian university. The criteria below are taken from the official guidelines and apply per route.
Pakistani citizens are eligible on both routes. Pakistan counts as a recipient country for the Malaysia International Scholarship through the Commonwealth listing, and Pakistan is a named recipient country for the MTCP Scholarship. Your passport must be valid for at least six months when you apply for MIS.
For an MIS Master’s, you need a CGPA of 3.00, or a Second Class Upper (Honours), at bachelor’s level. For an MIS PhD, you need a CGPA of 3.00 or excellent results at Master’s level in a field related to your intended PhD. For an MTCP Master’s, you need a minimum Second Class Upper (Honours) or CGPA 3.00 at undergraduate level. Research-mode applicants submit a research proposal of at least 1,000 words.
MIS accepts an IELTS band 6.0, or a TOEFL paper-based score of 550 or its equivalent, or a previous degree taught in English confirmed by an official declaration from that university. MTCP accepts an IELTS overall 6.0, or a TOEFL iBT of 60, or a previous degree taught in English. If your last degree was taught in English, you may apply without sitting IELTS, using the medium-of-instruction route.
There is no sending partner, no HEC nomination, and no embassy track for either scholarship. You apply directly to the Malaysian government online, to the MIS portal or the MTCP portal. Securing your university admission is your own responsibility. The practical order is to apply to a listed Malaysian university, then apply directly to the government scholarship portal, attaching your offer or admission letter where you have it.
Both schemes fund postgraduate study across priority areas such as engineering, information and communication technology, natural sciences, agriculture, business, Islamic finance, social sciences and education. Both schemes exclude medicine, nursing and pharmacy. A Pakistani student cannot use MIS or MTCP to fund an MBBS or a clinical medical degree.
For MIS, you must be no older than 40 at the date of application for a Master’s, and no older than 45 for a PhD. For MTCP, you must be no older than 45 at the date of application. Where you are close to a limit, confirm the current rule on the official portal before you apply.
The Malaysia rule that decides whether this scholarship fits you
Choosing the wrong field is the fastest way to waste a Malaysia scholarship application, because neither MIS nor MTCP funds medicine, nursing or pharmacy. Malaysia funds postgraduate study in a defined set of priority fields, and your subject decides your eligibility before your grades do.
The Malaysia International Scholarship lists priority study areas that include education, arts and humanities, social sciences and information, business and law, natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, information and communication technologies, engineering and construction, and agriculture and veterinary science. Health and welfare is on the list, but the official guidelines remove medicine, nursing and pharmacy from it. MTCP follows the same logic and steers funding toward strategic fields that support Malaysia’s development, again with medicine, nursing and clinical pharmacy excluded.
For a Pakistani family arriving here from the MBBS side of our site, the consequence is direct. If your child wants a funded MBBS, Malaysia’s government scholarships are not the route, and our MBBS in China pages are the better starting point. If you are a graduate aiming at a funded Master’s or PhD in engineering, ICT, public health policy, business, Islamic finance or the sciences, Malaysia is a strong and affordable option, and these two scholarships are built for you.
Documents you will need
A Malaysia scholarship application from Pakistan stands or falls on a complete document set, and both MIS and MTCP ask for certified academic and identity records in English. The checklist below lists only what the official guidelines confirm you submit, not who can apply, which is covered under eligibility.
Every applicant uploads the same core set, with two items that depend on your chosen programme and one extra item for PhD applicants. Prepare clear scans before the window opens so a slow upload near the deadline does not cost you.
⚫ Certified passport copy, valid for at least six months at the time of application
⚫ Certified academic transcripts, your bachelor’s transcript, plus your Master’s transcript if you are applying for a PhD
⚫ Grading-system letter from your university where your transcript does not show CGPA, marks or percentile, so the assessor can read your results
⚫ English proof, your IELTS or TOEFL result, or an official letter from your previous university declaring English as the medium of instruction
⚫ Two recommendation letters from referees who know your academic or professional work
⚫ Curriculum vitae, setting out your education, work and any research or publications
⚫ Research proposal of at least 1,000 words, for Master’s-by-research and PhD applicants only
⚫ University offer or admission letter, where you already hold one. For MTCP, a full offer letter for the September or October intake forms part of a complete application
⚫ Certified English translations of any document that is not already in English
What each scholarship pays for
Both Malaysia scholarships pay your full tuition direct to the university and add a monthly living allowance, with MTCP also covering a return air ticket, so your main out-of-pocket costs are travel for MIS, plus visa, medical and insurance on both routes.
Covered (paid to you as salary):
MIS, tuition: full tuition for the sponsorship period, paid direct to the university
MIS, living allowance: RM 1,500 per month, released every four months against your progress report
MTCP, tuition: full tuition, paid direct to your host university
MTCP, living allowance: RM 3,500 per month
MTCP, travel: one return economy-class air ticket
Not covered:
MIS travel: the official 2026 guidelines list only tuition and the RM 1,500 allowance, so plan and pay for your own flights to Malaysia
Visa and medical exam: you arrange and pay for your entry visa and the required medical examination on both routes. The scholarship offer does not guarantee a visa
Health insurance: budget for your own cover unless your university confirms otherwise
Day-to-day extras: books, local travel and personal costs beyond the monthly allowance
Malaysia funds these scholarships in ringgit. As a rough guide for budgeting only, RM 1,500 is in the region of PKR 95,000 to 100,000 a month and RM 3,500 is in the region of PKR 220,000 to 235,000 a month, at mid-2026 rates. Treat this as indicative, since the rupee-to-ringgit rate moves. Confirm a current figure before you rely on it, and WhatsApp MTZ Islamabad or Lahore if you want help budgeting your year in Malaysia.
MTZ does not award or guarantee any Malaysia scholarship. Selection is decided by the Malaysian government, and the funding above is paid by the Malaysian government on its own terms.
How to apply from Pakistan
You apply for a Malaysia scholarship directly to the Malaysian government online, with no agent and no HEC nomination in between, so the work is yours to secure a university place and submit a clean application before the annual deadline.
Applying for MIS
step-1 →
Pick a Master’s or PhD programme at one of the 24 MIS-listed institutions that matches your field and, for research study, a supervisor.
step-2 →
Apply to that university for admission. Confirming admission is your responsibility, and an offer or admission letter strengthens your scholarship file.
step-3 →
Assemble the certified set from the documents block, in English, with translations where needed.
step-4 →
Submit the application on the Ministry of Higher Education online system and upload every document as required.
step-5
MIS opens one window a year. The 2026/2027 round ran 4 March to 3 April 2026. Dates shift each year, so MTZ confirms the live dates with you before you apply.
Applying for MTCP
step-1 →
get a Master’s offer. Apply to a Malaysian university supported by MTCP and obtain a full offer letter for the September or October intake.
step-2 →
check the recipient-country list. Confirm Pakistan is listed for the current MTCP cycle, which it has been in recent rounds.
step-3 →
prepare your documents. Use the same certified document set, adding your full offer letter and the MTCP medical report form.
step-4 →
apply on the MTCP portal. Register and submit on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs MTCP online system.
step-5
watch the annual window. MTCP runs one window a year, usually around the middle of the year. The official portal posts the live dates, and MTZ confirms them with you so you do not miss the cycle.
How MTZ helps you apply
MTZ works as your preparation and application support for both Malaysia scholarships, taking you from a free eligibility check through to a submitted application and a student visa, while the funding decision stays entirely with the Malaysian government.
We read your degree, grades, English status and target field against the MIS and MTCP criteria, and tell you honestly which route fits, or whether neither does. If medicine, nursing or pharmacy is your subject, we say so up front rather than take you through a doomed application.
We help you shortlist programmes at the MIS-listed and MTCP-supported universities that match your field and, for research degrees, point you toward suitable supervisors and departments.
We help you assemble the certified document set, sharpen your CV, structure your research proposal where one is needed, and line up referees, so your file is complete before you open the portal.
We guide you through the MIS or MTCP online system step by step, check every upload, and keep you to the annual window with the live dates confirmed.
After an offer, we help you prepare the Malaysian student pass and visa file, including the medical examination, since the scholarship offer itself does not grant a visa.
Start with the free scholarship eligibility assessment:
What these scholarships do not promise
MTZ does not award, fund or guarantee any Malaysia scholarship, and no consultant can, because both MIS and MTCP are decided by the Malaysian government on merit. Knowing the real limits before you apply protects your time and your money.
Read these limits before you apply.
No guarantee of selection. Both scholarships are competitive and government-decided. A complete, strong application improves your chances, and nothing makes selection certain.
No funded medicine. Neither scheme funds MBBS, clinical medicine, nursing or pharmacy. If that is your field, Malaysia’s government scholarships are not your route.
You secure your own admission. The scholarship does not place you in a university. You apply for admission yourself, and MTZ helps you do it well.
The offer is not a visa. A scholarship offer does not guarantee a Malaysian visa. You apply for the visa and pass the medical examination separately.
Annual windows, firm deadlines. Each scheme opens once a year for a short window. Miss it and you wait for the next cycle.
MTZ does not collect or decide your funding. All scholarship money is paid by the Malaysian government direct to the university and to you, on the government’s terms.
MIS or MTCP: which route fits you
The simplest way to choose between Malaysia’s two scholarships is by your study level and what each one pays, since MIS funds both Master’s and PhD while MTCP funds only a Master’s but adds a higher allowance and an air ticket.
| Feature | Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) | MTCP Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Study level | Master’s and PhD | Master’s only |
| Run by | Ministry of Higher Education | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Tuition | Full, paid to the university | Full, paid to the university |
| Monthly allowance | RM 1,500 | RM 3,500 |
| Air ticket | Not covered | Return economy ticket |
| Award length | Programme duration | 24 to 36 months |
| Age limit | 40 for Master’s, 45 for PhD | 45 |
| English | IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550, or English-medium degree | IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 60, or English-medium degree |
| Funds medicine, nursing, pharmacy | No | No |
| Best for | A funded PhD, or a Master’s with PhD ambitions | A funded Master’s with the highest monthly support |
For a broader picture of every funded country option, see the MTZ global scholarships hub:
Questions Pakistani families ask about Malaysia scholarships
The questions below answer what Pakistani students and parents ask most about funding a Master’s or PhD in Malaysia, each one answered first in a single line, then explained. Every answer is drawn from the official Malaysian government sources verified on 12 June 2026.
Yes. Pakistani citizens qualify for two fully funded Malaysian government scholarships, the Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) for Master’s and PhD study, and the MTCP Scholarship for a Master’s. Both pay full tuition and a monthly allowance, and Pakistan is an eligible country on each.
MIS funds Master’s and PhD study and pays RM 1,500 a month, while MTCP funds a Master’s only and pays RM 3,500 a month plus a return air ticket. MIS is run by the Ministry of Higher Education and MTCP by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A PhD applicant uses MIS; a Master’s applicant can weigh both.
Yes, if your previous degree was taught in English. Both MIS and MTCP accept an official medium-of-instruction letter from your university in place of IELTS or TOEFL. If your degree was not in English, you provide an IELTS band 6.0 or an accepted TOEFL score instead.
No. Both schemes exclude medicine, nursing and pharmacy. A Pakistani student cannot fund an MBBS or a clinical medical degree through MIS or MTCP. If a funded medical degree is your goal, our MBBS in China pages are the better starting point.
You apply directly to the Malaysian government online, with no agent and no HEC nomination step. Apply to a listed Malaysian university for admission, then submit your scholarship application on the MIS portal or the MTCP portal, attaching your offer or admission letter where you have one.
Securing admission is your responsibility, and an offer letter strengthens your file on both routes. For MIS, an admission letter helps where you hold one. For MTCP, a full offer letter for the September or October intake forms part of a complete application.
For an MIS or MTCP Master’s, you need a CGPA of 3.00 or a Second Class Upper (Honours) at bachelor’s level. For an MIS PhD, you need a CGPA of 3.00 or excellent results at Master’s level in a related field. Research-mode applicants also submit a proposal of at least 1,000 words.
Yes, and the Malaysian government publishes it. For MIS, you must be no older than 40 at application for a Master’s and no older than 45 for a PhD. For MTCP, you must be no older than 45 at application. Where you are near a limit, confirm the current rule on the official portal.
Each scheme opens once a year for a short window with dates posted on the official portals. The MIS 2026/2027 round ran 4 March to 3 April 2026, and MTCP usually opens around the middle of the year. Dates shift annually, so MTZ confirms the live window with you before you apply.
Both pay full tuition direct to the university plus a monthly allowance, and MTCP adds a return air ticket. You pay your own visa and medical exam on both routes, your own flights on MIS, and your own health insurance and personal costs. The scholarship offer does not guarantee a visa.
MIS lists 24 institutions, 20 public universities including Universiti Malaya, USM, UPM, UKM and UTM, and 4 private universities including UTP, UNITEN, MMU and INCEIF. MTCP supports a list of Malaysian universities published on its official portal. You choose a programme at a listed institution that matches your field.
No. MTZ does not award, fund or guarantee any Malaysia scholarship. Selection is decided by the Malaysian government on merit. MTZ assesses your eligibility honestly, helps you build a strong application, and supports your visa once you are selected.
Start your Malaysia scholarship application
Send MTZ your degree, grades and target field, and we will tell you honestly whether MIS, MTCP or neither fits, then help you build the application. The scholarship decision stays with the Malaysian government, and your eligibility check with us is free.
Author: Mubbashir Qureshi, CEO, MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd. 25+ years personal experience guiding Pakistani students into study abroad and international education. MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd is SECP registered and ISO 9001:2015 certified, with offices in Islamabad and Lahore. This page was last verified against official Malaysian government sources on 12 June 2026.
