According to the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Charles Hay, Malaysia sent 19,000 students last year to the UK for further studies. It is the most popular country for Malaysians who study abroad.
However, studying in the UK is a distant dream for most because of the expense, but there are many scholarships available.
More than 17,000 Malaysians have had the opportunity to study in the UK under the Chevening Scholarship, first awarded in Malaysia in 1984.
This year, 38 Malaysians will pursue postgraduate studies there under its auspices.
The Malaysian government also offers scholarships to study in the UK, and loans and sponsorships are also available from the private sector.
Here are a few of these scholarships.
1. Albukhary Undergraduate Scholarships
The Albukhary Undergraduate Scholarships are offered by the Al-Bukhary Foundation, set up by Malaysian businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist Syed Mokhtar Albukhary.
This scholarship is awarded based on academic merit and financial need.
Students who can apply are those who are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate course in the Department of Economics, School of Engineering or Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick.
The scholarship amount is up to £20,000.
2. Maybank Foundation
The Maybank Group Scholarship Programme offers students of accounting, finance, management, human resources, law or business, scholarships to study in the UK.
So far, there have been over 2,000 Maybank scholars. The programme also guarantees an internship and employment opportunities upon graduation.
The scholarship is worth up to RM9,000 per year.
3. Bank Negara Malaysia
Through the Bank Negara Malaysia scholarship, the central bank promotes the development of Malaysian talent mainly in the financial sector.
This prestigious, competitive scholarship sponsors students in the fields of economics, accounting, finance, actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, data science, law and computer science.
The scholarship covers tuition fees, housing and allowances.
4. Petroliam Nasional Bhd
The Petronas Education Sponsorship Programme has given more than 5,000 students the opportunity to pursue higher education in the UK, in addition to the thousands it has sponsored locally.
Students with an excellent academic performance and who display leadership qualities can apply for scholarships to study in selected fields.
The scholarships generally cover tuition fees, housing and allowances.
5. Permodalan Nasional Bhd
PNB is the country’s largest fund management company, which owns the largest unit trust management company, Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd.
Through its scholarships, PNB aims to create the next generation of high-calibre professionals by providing deserving young people access to top-quality education.
Those with excellent academic results can apply for scholarships to pursue tertiary education in public universities and selected private universities in Malaysia, or top universities in the UK.
The scholarship amounts can vary, covering tuition fees, housing and allowances.
6. Yayasan Sime Darby
Yayasan Sime Darby, set up by the local conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd, has helped more than 4,000 students to pursue tertiary education in local and foreign institutions.
The Sime Darby Scholarships are generally awarded to those studying finance, accounting, economics, engineering, actuarial studies or computer science.
The scholarships for those studying abroad cover tuition fees, board and lodging, a computer allowance, shipping allowance and flight tickets at the beginning and end of the studies.
7. Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA)
MARA is a government agency formed to aid, train and guide Bumiputera in the areas of business and industry. MARA has long helped students finance their education, including for overseas study.
It recently announced that it is sending 715 students to study abroad this year, with 404 of them headed to the UK. Its scholarships cover tuition fees, housing and allowances.
It is hoped this list will help students find the right scholarship to realise their dream of studying in the UK.
For more details about the criteria, application dates and other information, visit afterschool.my.
Afterschool.my provides information on higher education including courses, institutions, scholarships, careers as well as other higher education related topics in Malaysia.