Sarawak’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) has enrolled 4,694 students across the state’s four government-owned universities since it launched earlier this year, with the state government targeting 10,000 recipients by the end of 2026.
Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee shared the figures during a question-and-answer session at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly sitting on 12 May. The numbers cover both new and existing students enrolled before 31 March.
If you’re a Sarawakian student or parent weighing your options for the upcoming June and September intakes, the scheme is still accepting applications, and the government expects the total to grow significantly once those intakes open.
Where Students Are Enrolled
Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS) leads with 2,020 students, followed by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus with 1,959, Curtin University Malaysia with 543, and i-CATS University College with 172.
UTS and Swinburne together account for around 85% of all FTES recipients so far. Both institutions offer STEM, business, and professional degree programmes under the scheme.
Over 1,400 Students Turned It Down
Dr Annuar said 1,433 students chose not to take up the FTES offer. Most were final-year students already bound by scholarship contracts or agreements with existing sponsors.
Accepting FTES would have meant breaking those contracts, which isn’t an option for students on bonded scholarships. Dr Annuar noted that these refusals open up places for other eligible students, so the scheme’s overall reach should still expand.
If you’re currently on a scholarship from Yayasan Sarawak, Sarawak Energy, or another sponsor, keep this in mind. FTES requires that you are not receiving any other scholarship when you accept the offer.
What FTES Covers
The scheme fully covers tuition fees for undergraduate degree programmes at the four participating institutions. The Sarawak government has budgeted RM250 million for FTES this year, which translates to roughly RM30,000 per student per year in tuition fees.
On top of fee waivers, students from lower-income households (per capita income of RM1,500 per month or below) can receive a stipend of up to RM15,000 per year. That breaks down as RM5,000 for accommodation (disbursed through the university’s housing unit) and RM10,000 through S Pay Global (SarawakPay) for daily expenses.
Approved programmes span STEM fields, medicine, law, accounting, finance, and psychology, areas Sarawak has identified as priorities for its workforce development goals and its target of becoming a developed state by 2030.
The Financial Backing Behind The Scheme
Dr Annuar pointed to Sarawak’s fiscal reserves, surplus budgets, and rising GDP as evidence that FTES can be sustained. The state’s GDP reached RM148 billion in 2024, and the Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund (SSWFF), established in 2022 and now valued at RM8.6 billion, adds a further layer of financial backing.
For students and families, the longer-term question is whether FTES will last through the full duration of a three- or four-year degree. The state government has tied the scheme’s funding to Sarawak’s overall revenue growth rather than a one-off allocation, and Dr Annuar told the assembly that FTES is expected to continue in the coming years.Still, the scheme does come with conditions. You need to complete your degree within the stipulated duration: three years means three years. Extensions, failed units, or repeated papers are not covered, and any additional costs from those will come out of your own pocket.
Who Can Apply
FTES is open to all Anak Sarawak (defined by current state policy) pursuing a first undergraduate degree at one of the four state-owned institutions. Both new students and those already enrolled in approved programmes are eligible, as long as they are studying full-time and are not receiving another scholarship.
Applications are submitted through the university after you receive an offer of admission. If you’re preparing for the June or September intake, check directly with your university’s admissions or FTES office for the latest application details.
For students elsewhere in Malaysia considering their options, FTES is specifically for Sarawak’s own institutions. Students under the scheme cannot transfer to campuses outside Sarawak (Curtin Perth, for example) and must complete their studies locally.
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