KUALA LUMPUR – International students account for only 12.6 per cent of enrolment across Malaysia's public and private higher education institutions, said the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).
According to the MyMoHES system, as of Dec 31, 2025, Malaysia had 1,264,541 students enrolled in higher education institutions, comprising 159,138 international students and 1,105,403 Malaysians.
In public universities alone, 578,141 of the 634,706 students enrolled, or 91.1 per cent, were Malaysians, while international students accounted for 56,565, or 8.9 per cent.
"The claim is baseless, misleading and fails to reflect the reality of the country's higher education system," the ministry said in a statement on July 5.
MOHE said undergraduate and postgraduate admissions serve different purposes, with undergraduate programmes prioritising Malaysians while international admissions are made on an "over and above" basis after mainstream intake requirements have been met.
At undergraduate level, 502,212 of the 520,105 students enrolled were Malaysians, while international students numbered 17,893, representing just 3.44 per cent.
By comparison, international students made up a larger share of postgraduate enrolment, with 38,672 foreign students and 75,929 Malaysians among a total of 114,601 postgraduate students.
The ministry was responding to claims by Jitra assemblyman Dr Haim Hilman Abdullah that the admission of international students into public universities had reduced opportunities for local students.
The ministry said the figures clearly show that most international students are pursuing postgraduate studies and are therefore not competing with SPM, STPM, matriculation or diploma graduates for undergraduate places.
Addressing claims that international students are displacing Malaysians at the country's five research universities, MOHE said the institutions enrol 186,824 students, including 145,727 Malaysians and 41,097 international students.
Of the international students, 28,135, or 68.5 per cent, are enrolled in postgraduate programmes, while the remaining 12,962 undergraduate students were admitted through an open "over and above" pathway after the main UPUOnline quota had been filled.
The ministry said the presence of international students is essential to strengthening research universities, which focus on research, innovation, academic publications and international collaboration.
It added that international students pay full tuition fees without government subsidies, contribute to university finances, support research and academic collaboration, and enhance the global standing of Malaysian universities.
Malaysia currently hosts 32,549 students from China, with MOHE attributing the country's appeal to its internationally recognised higher education system, affordable tuition and living costs, peaceful environment, multicultural society and widespread use of English.
"Malaysia will continue implementing the internationalisation agenda strategically and responsibly without ever sacrificing the rights, opportunities and future of Malaysian students," the ministry said, stressing that the welfare and access to higher education for local students remain the government's top priority.
