167,000 International Students Contribute RM20 Billion Annually to Malaysia’s Economy, Says EMGS

KUALA NERUS, Aug 23 — The presence of approximately 167,000 international students currently pursuing higher education in Malaysia generates around RM20 billion annually for the national economy through tuition fees and living expenses.

Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) Chief Executive Officer Novie Tajuddin stated that an agency study revealed each foreign student spends an average of RM10,000 per month throughout their stay in the country.

“With 167,000 international students currently in Malaysia, this has an impact of about RM20 billion annually on the national economy. For example, if they study at universities in Terengganu such as Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), the surrounding communities also benefit from the positive social and economic impact,” Novie said.

Speaking at the Malaysian Cultural Discovery Community Immersion programme at Pantai Teluk Ketapang yesterday, Novie elaborated that the presence of foreign students directly stimulates local economic activities, particularly in food, housing, and retail services, alongside benefiting higher education institutions.

He noted that Malaysia is now officially recognized among the world’s 14 leading higher education destinations, reflecting its rising status as a preferred global study destination.

“Previously, only four countries, namely the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada, were often the top choices for international students, but Malaysia is now also on the list. This shows that we have become a competitor in global higher education,” Novie stated.

Foreign student enrollment in Malaysia has expanded by approximately 23 per cent over the past three years. Under the 10-year Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint, the nation aims to host 500,000 international students by 2035.

“We currently have 167,000 international students. Insya-Allah, we are undertaking many initiatives to increase the number, and this is just one of them. We will go to various parts of the world, covering about seven to eight regions, to promote Malaysian higher education,” he added.

According to EMGS, the top five source countries for international students in Malaysia are China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The majority of these enrollments consist of postgraduate students studying across public higher education institutions (IPTAs) and private higher education institutions (IPTS).

–NMT