Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Malaysia's engineering-led public research university, on a 2,400-acre forested campus in Johor Bahru with a campus in Kuala Lumpur.
- Students
- 32,004
- 23,891 undergraduates
- International
- 15%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 10.1:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- MYR 45,788
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1972
About UTM
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) traces its roots to a technical school that opened in Kuala Lumpur in 1904. It became Institut Teknologi Kebangsaan in March 1972 and was renamed Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1975. In 1985 it moved its main campus to 2,400 acres of land in Skudai, Johor, near Johor Bahru and the border with Singapore, and it also runs a campus in Kuala Lumpur. At the end of 2025 it had 32,004 students, including 23,891 undergraduates and 4,852 international students.
UTM's identity is engineering and technology. Its 13 faculties include separate faculties of civil, electrical, mechanical, and chemical and energy engineering, plus computing, artificial intelligence, built environment and surveying, science, management, education and social sciences. It also includes the Azman Hashim International Business School and the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT). In the 2026 QS subject rankings, UTM places in the global top 100 for Electrical and Electronic, Chemical, Civil and Structural, and Mineral and Mining Engineering.
For international students the appeal is a respected engineering degree at modest cost: total tuition for a four-year engineering degree is listed at RM75,000, and UTM estimates on-campus living costs at RM1,000–1,500 a month. It suits students who want a large, residential, science-and-engineering campus and are comfortable living on a leafy suburban site rather than in a city centre.
Kerana Tuhan untuk Manusia
“In the Name of God for Mankind” — university motto
Why students choose UTM
UTM ranks in the QS global top 100 for Electrical and Electronic, Chemical, Civil and Structural, and Mineral and Mining Engineering (QS subject rankings 2026).
Tuition is low by international standards: RM75,000 in total for a four-year engineering degree and RM71,000 for computing.
MJIIT offers Japanese-style engineering degrees such as Electronic Systems Engineering and Mechanical Precision Engineering.
The Johor campus houses more than 12,000 students in 10 residential colleges, with hostel rooms from RM360 a month.
Admissions
September 2027 intake (international undergraduates)
Selectivity
UTM does not publish an acceptance rate. International admission is by minimum subject grades set for each country and programme group, plus English proficiency and, for some programmes, an interview.
Typical entry requirements
| GCE A Level / International A Level | Engineering: grade B or above in Mathematics and Physics plus Chemistry or Biology for Electrical Engineering; grade C or above for other engineering programmes; plus faculty-specific requirements |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma / IBCP | Electrical Engineering: 5 or above in Mathematics and Physics plus Chemistry or Biology; other engineering: 4 or above; Computer Science: 5 or above in Mathematics and above 4 in two related subjects; Science and Social Science: 4 or above in three relevant subjects |
| National school-leaving certificates | Country-specific minimums, e.g. at least 80% in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry or Biology for engineering (Afghanistan), at least 70% (China), at least 8/10 or 80% (Indonesia) |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 46 All programmes except TESL: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 46, PTE Academic 51, MUET Band 4.0, Cambridge English 160, or ELS CIEP Level 108. TESL needs IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79. Results are valid for two years. Applicants from international schools, A Level or IB are exempt. Applicants who fall short can take UTM's Intensive English Programme or the ELS CIEP. |
Deadlines
- International undergraduate, Phase 1 (September 2026 intake) Non-binding Passed15 May 2026
Application window 1 April – 15 May 2026; previous cycle's dates.
- International undergraduate, Phase 2 (September 2026 intake) Non-binding Passed17 July 2026
Application window 23 June – 17 July 2026; previous cycle's dates.
These are the September 2026 intake dates. On 29 September 2026, UTM had not yet published September 2027 application windows; expect a similar two-phase pattern between April and July 2027. From Session 2026/2027, UTM no longer offers the Bridging Programme, so international applicants must meet direct-entry requirements.
How to apply
Apply online through UTM's SMARt application system during the published application windows. You need a senior high school certificate or equivalent that meets the country and programme requirements, plus proof of English proficiency. Architecture and Industrial Design applicants also attend an interview. Admitted students complete a health assessment and a student pass (visa) process, and pay a refundable Personal Bond set by the Malaysian Immigration Department.
What admissions looks for
- Minimum grades in the subjects UTM specifies for your programme group, usually mathematics and physics plus chemistry or biology for engineering.
- Proof of English proficiency at the required band, or an exemption through an international school, A Level or IB.
- For Architecture and Industrial Design, a successful UTM interview.
- Meeting any faculty-specific requirements on top of the country-level minimums.
Tips for applying to UTM
- 1 Look up your own country on UTM's entry requirements page: the thresholds differ by curriculum and programme group, and Electrical Engineering asks for more than other engineering programmes.
- 2 Applications come in phases (in 2026, April to mid-May and late June to mid-July), so watch for the September 2027 windows from spring 2027.
- 3 The Bridging Programme is gone from 2026/27, so if your grades are borderline, consider the one-year UTM Foundation Programme run by UTMSPACE.
- 4 If you studied at an international school or took A Levels or the IB, you are exempt from UTM's English test requirement.
- 5 Budget for more than tuition: there is a registration fee, a service fee and a refundable Personal Bond set by immigration authorities.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in MYR
UTM's scholarship page mainly lists postgraduate and Malaysian state funding, such as UTM ASCEND PhD scholarships, Yayasan Pelajaran Johor and the government's MTCP scholarship for postgraduates from developing countries. It does not advertise a general merit scholarship for international undergraduates, so most international students should plan to be self-funded or sponsored.
- RM6,152
- Registration fee (normal semester)
- RM1,075
- Service fee (normal semester)
- RM360 (double) to RM1,200 (executive single) per month
- Hostel rent, Johor campus
Academics
Academic calendar: Two normal semesters a year plus short semesters; the main intake is in September
Chemical Engineering
First in Malaysia and in the global top 100 for Chemical Engineering in the 2026 QS subject rankings, according to UTM.
Electrical Engineering
In the QS global top 100 for Electrical and Electronic Engineering, with higher entry grades (A Level B or IB 5 in Mathematics and Physics) than other engineering programmes.
Civil Engineering
First in Malaysia and in the global top 100 for Civil and Structural Engineering (QS subject rankings 2026).
Bachelor of Architecture
UTM is first in Malaysia for Architecture/Built Environment in QS 2026; entry includes an interview.
Artificial Intelligence
Offered by a dedicated Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, with total tuition of RM54,788 (RM58,508 including three short semesters).
MJIIT Electronic Systems Engineering
Taught at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, with total tuition of RM75,000.
Research
- In the 2026 QS subject rankings, UTM places in the global top 100 for Electrical and Electronic, Chemical, Civil and Structural, and Mineral and Mining Engineering.
- The Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) runs funded research projects in areas such as environmental engineering, biotechnology and chemical process engineering.
- UTM has more than 1,470 academics with PhDs and over 4,400 PhD students (December 2025).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Civil Engineering
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering
- Faculty of Computing
- Faculty of Artificial Intelligence
- Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Management
- Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT)
Student life
Most of UTM's life happens on the large, green Skudai campus in Johor, where faculty buildings are spread across wooded grounds. The Johor campus provides on-campus housing for more than 12,000 students in 10 residential colleges, such as Kolej Tun Dr. Ismail and Kolej Perdana, plus 301 family units for students with spouses and children. Each college has a cafeteria, multipurpose hall, minimart, laundry and sports facilities. With 4,852 international students and many Malaysian ethnic groups, campus food and culture are varied.
- Ten residential colleges on the Johor campus, each with its own cafeteria, hall, minimart and sports facilities.
- 4,852 international students and 248,247 alumni in 102 countries (December 2025).
- 301 family housing units for students who bring a spouse and children.
- A second campus in central Kuala Lumpur, with its own residences such as Kolej Kediaman Siswajaya.
Housing. On-campus hostels in Johor cost RM360 to RM1,200 a month depending on room type, and family apartments RM480 to RM1,100.
Location
The main campus is in Skudai, Iskandar Puteri, on the edge of Johor Bahru in southern Peninsular Malaysia, a short drive from the causeway to Singapore. The campus is large and green, and UTM estimates living costs at RM1,000–1,500 a month. UTM also has a campus in Kuala Lumpur with its own residences.
Nearest airport: Senai International Airport (JHB)
Notable alumni
- WK Wee Ka SiongFormer Malaysian Minister of Transport; BEng and PhD from UTM
- AM Annuar MusaFormer Malaysian Minister of Communications and Multimedia; bachelor's in Town and Country Planning from UTM
- AS Acryl Sani Abdullah SaniFormer Inspector-General of the Royal Malaysia Police; BEng from UTM
- AB Azam BakiChief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission since 2020; diploma in electrical engineering from UTM
- GK Ganesh Kumar BangahEntrepreneur who founded MOL Global and Commerce.Asia; studied telecommunication engineering at UTM
- MS Melvin SiaActor, singer and model; studied architecture at UTM
Frequently asked questions
How much does UTM cost for international students?
Total tuition for the whole degree ranges from about RM45,788 (Management/Marketing, three years) to RM76,000 (some MJIIT programmes); a four-year engineering degree is RM75,000. On-campus living is estimated at RM1,000–1,500 a month.
What IELTS score does UTM require?
IELTS 5.5 (or TOEFL iBT 46, PTE 51) for all programmes except TESL, which needs IELTS 6.5. Students from international schools, A Level or IB are exempt.
When can international students apply to UTM?
For the September 2026 intake, applications ran in two phases: 1 April – 15 May and 23 June – 17 July 2026, through UTM's SMARt system. Dates for September 2027 had not been published by late September 2026.
Does UTM require an interview?
Only for the Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science Industrial Design. Other programmes admit on grades and English proficiency.
Does UTM still offer a bridging programme?
No. From Session 2026/2027, UTM no longer offers its Bridging Programme to international undergraduates, so applicants need to meet direct-entry requirements.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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