Malaysia
Fully funded master’s in Malaysia
Malaysia has two named, fully-funded master’s scholarships open to Bangladeshis — MTCP (Bangladesh is explicitly eligible) and the Malaysia International Scholarship (via the Commonwealth route) — both covering tuition plus a living allowance. Beyond these, full funding comes through supervisor-tied research-assistant schemes such as University of Malaya’s UMSS.
3 verified scholarships
Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) Scholarship
Malaysia · Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM/IIUM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) +10
FundsFull tuition fees for the whole sponsorship period, paid directly to the university · Monthly living allowance paid to the scholar's Malaysian bank account (RM3,500.00/month per the official 2025 guidelines; the 2026 guidelines state a monthly allowance is paid but do not restate the amount) · One-time economy-class flight ticket from the student's nearest international airport to Malaysia at the start, and a return ticket home on completion
Deadline Closing soon 2026-06-12 Cycle 2026-2027 Key facts - Degree
- Taught & research
Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) Scholarship
Malaysia · Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM/IIUM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) +10
FundsFull tuition fees for the whole sponsorship period, paid directly to the university · Monthly living allowance paid to the scholar's Malaysian bank account (RM3,500.00/month per the official 2025 guidelines; the 2026 guidelines state a monthly allowance is paid but do not restate the amount) · One-time economy-class flight ticket from the student's nearest international airport to Malaysia at the start, and a return ticket home on completion
- Degree
- Taught & research
- Full tuition fees for the whole sponsorship period, paid directly to the university
- Monthly living allowance paid to the scholar's Malaysian bank account (RM3,500.00/month per the official 2025 guidelines; the 2026 guidelines state a monthly allowance is paid but do not restate the amount)
- One-time economy-class flight ticket from the student's nearest international airport to Malaysia at the start, and a return ticket home on completion
- Genuinely fully funded: covers full tuition + a monthly living allowance + return airfare. The official 2025 guidelines stated the monthly allowance as RM3,500.00; the 2026 guidelines confirm a monthly allowance is paid but do not restate the figure.
- Bangladesh is explicitly eligible: it appears as #10 on the official 'List of Countries Eligible to Apply for the MTCP Scholarship'.
- Master's degree ONLY (no undergraduate or PhD). Prioritises first-time master's applicants. Full-time, in-person study in Malaysia is mandatory (no remote study).
- Two-step process: you must FIRST secure a place at a supported Malaysian public/government-linked university and upload a valid Full Offer Letter (a Conditional Offer/proof of application is accepted at submission if the full offer is pending). A supervisor's supporting letter does NOT count as the offer letter.
- Age limit: not more than 45 years old at the time of application.
- Minimum academic standard: Second Class Upper (Honours) or CGPA 3.0 (or equivalent) at undergraduate level.
- English requirement: IELTS minimum total 6.0 or TOEFL iBT minimum 60 — WAIVED if a previous degree used English as the medium of instruction (official letter required).
- Return-home expectation: scholars are expected to return to their home country after graduation to contribute to its development; this is a development-cooperation scholarship.
- Does NOT cover university application fees, registration fees, or visa application/medical-exam costs — these are the applicant's responsibility.
- Sponsorship duration: 24 months for coursework master's; 36 months for mixed-mode or research master's. Not applicable to Nursing, Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy courses.
- No paid employment allowed during the scholarship without written approval from the host university and the MTCP Secretariat.
- Copy of passport information page as evidence of nationality (minimum 12 months validity)
- Copy of undergraduate academic transcript, plus an official document from the alma mater describing the university's grading system if CGPA/marks are not shown
- Proof of English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/TOEFL iBT/PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online/CEQ/CIEP-ELS), or an official letter from the previous institution declaring English as the medium of instruction
- Curriculum Vitae
- Medical Report (downloaded from the MTCP scholarship website; valid within 6 months of application)
- Letter of Recommendation from two (2) referees (MTCP template; must carry the recommender's official stamp + signature)
- Valid Full Offer Letter from a supported Malaysian university for the September/October 2026 intake (a Conditional Offer Letter / proof of application may be uploaded if the Full Offer Letter is not yet available)
- Stipend
- RM3,500/month (per official 2025 guidelines; 2026 guidelines confirm a monthly allowance without restating the amount)
- Duration
- 24 months (coursework) or 36 months (mixed-mode / research)
- App. fee
- No MTCP application fee. University application fees are borne by the applicant and are not covered by the scholarship.
- Age limit
- Not more than 45 years old at the time of application
- Universities
- Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM/IIUM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Multimedia University (MMU), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL)
- Intake
- September/October 2026
- Eligible nationalities
- Open to nationals of MTCP recipient (developing) countries. Bangladesh is explicitly listed (#10) on the official MTCP eligible-countries list.
- Language
- IELTS minimum total 6.0 or TOEFL iBT minimum 60; waived if a previous degree was taught in English (official medium-of-instruction letter required).
- Min GPA
- Second Class Upper (Honours) / CGPA 3.0 or equivalent at undergraduate level
- Funding covers
- tuition · monthly living allowance · return airfare
- Supervisor first
- Not required
- Two-step process
- Admission, then scholarship
- Bond / service
- No formal bond, but scholars are expected to return to their home country on completion to contribute to its development.
- Interview stage
- Yes
- Post-study work
- Scholarship is for study only; scholars are expected to return home after graduation (no stay-back entitlement attached to the award).
- Opens
- 2026-05-04
- Results by
- 2026-07-06
- Timeline notes
- Official MTCP Scholarship 2026 guidelines: applications open 4 May 2026 until 12 June 2026 for the September/October 2026 intake (academic year 2026/2027). Only shortlisted applicants are notified for the online interview by 6 July 2026; if not contacted for interview by that date the application is considered unsuccessful.
- MTCP Scholarship — official application page (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia) accessed 2026-06-17
- Application Guidelines for MTCP Scholarship 2026 (official PDF) accessed 2026-06-17
- Application Guidelines for MTCP Scholarship 2025 (official PDF — states RM3,500/month allowance) accessed 2026-06-17
- MTCP Scholarship 2026/2027 FAQ (official PDF — two-step offer letter rule, interview by 6 July 2026, 24/36-month durations, return-home expectation) accessed 2026-06-17
- List of Countries Eligible to Apply for the MTCP Scholarship (official PDF — Bangladesh listed #10) accessed 2026-06-17
- List of Universities Supported by the MTCP Scholarship (official PDF) accessed 2026-06-17
Visit official page Verified 2026-06-17
Universiti Malaya Scholarship Scheme (UMSS) — Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · Universiti Malaya (UM)
FundsMonthly stipend of at least RM1,000.00 (the exact amount is set by, and paid from, the supervisor's research grant; can be higher) · Tuition fee waiver for full-research-program students, on a sliding scale tied to the stipend: 100% waiver when the grant-paid stipend is RM1,000–2,000/month (80% at RM2,001–2,500, 60% at RM2,501–3,000, 40% at RM3,001–3,500, 20% at RM3,501–4,000, 0% at RM4,001+) · GRA appointment can run up to 3 years, subject to the grant's active period and sufficient stipend allocation
Deadline See dates Rolling / per semester Cycle Per-semester (ongoing) Key facts - Degree
- Research
Universiti Malaya Scholarship Scheme (UMSS) — Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · Universiti Malaya (UM)
FundsMonthly stipend of at least RM1,000.00 (the exact amount is set by, and paid from, the supervisor's research grant; can be higher) · Tuition fee waiver for full-research-program students, on a sliding scale tied to the stipend: 100% waiver when the grant-paid stipend is RM1,000–2,000/month (80% at RM2,001–2,500, 60% at RM2,501–3,000, 40% at RM3,001–3,500, 20% at RM3,501–4,000, 0% at RM4,001+) · GRA appointment can run up to 3 years, subject to the grant's active period and sufficient stipend allocation
- Degree
- Research
- Monthly stipend of at least RM1,000.00 (the exact amount is set by, and paid from, the supervisor's research grant; can be higher)
- Tuition fee waiver for full-research-program students, on a sliding scale tied to the stipend: 100% waiver when the grant-paid stipend is RM1,000–2,000/month (80% at RM2,001–2,500, 60% at RM2,501–3,000, 40% at RM3,001–3,500, 20% at RM3,501–4,000, 0% at RM4,001+)
- GRA appointment can run up to 3 years, subject to the grant's active period and sufficient stipend allocation
- This is NOT a centrally-awarded scholarship — it is a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) appointment funded from an individual supervisor's (Principal Investigator's) research grant. You MUST secure a UM supervisor with an active, sufficiently-funded grant willing to appoint you; without that there is no award.
- Open to non-Malaysian (international) students, so Bangladeshi citizens are eligible — both the GRA stipend and the tuition-fee-waiver criteria explicitly state 'Malaysian and non-Malaysian'.
- Fully funded only for FULL-RESEARCH master's students: the 100% tuition fee waiver applies to full-research-program students with a stipend of RM1,000–2,000/month. The GRA stipend itself is also open to coursework and mixed-mode students, but the tuition waiver is for full-research students.
- International Student fee is NOT waived (along with thesis-submission, examination and graduation fees) — budget for these even with a full tuition waiver.
- Clawback/bond-like condition: if the UMSS agreement is breached/terminated, or you withdraw from the programme, you must repay RM20,000 (Master's) to UM.
- Cannot also hold other sponsorship: applicants must not be sponsored or receiving financial support from any federal/state/statutory body or other organization.
- Minimum stipend RM1,000/month; the precise figure and duration are dictated by the funding agency / research grant, and the PI is responsible for ensuring the grant can sustain the stipend.
- UM does not award direct scholarships to Master's/PhD students outside this GRA-based scheme — funding for postgraduates runs through UMSS / Graduate Research Assistant appointments.
- Tuition waiver eligibility also requires being within the 'Graduate on Time' window (Master's: semester 5 and below) and a GRA appointment of at least 4 months in the semester of application.
- UM offer/admission letter for the Master's programme (applicant must be a registered/RE or Active student in the MAYA system)
- Application through the Research Assistant Recruitment System (RARS)
- Letter of Declaration for UMSS completed by the Principal Investigator (supervisor) and uploaded to RARS
- For international students: a copy of validated student Visa and Pass (stipend is paid only while the visa/pass is valid)
- Stamped UMSS agreement (two copies, stamped by Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri/LHDN) on acceptance
- Stipend
- Minimum RM1,000/month (set by and paid from the supervisor's research grant)
- Duration
- Up to 3 years (subject to grant active period and stipend allocation)
- App. fee
- No scheme application fee (applied via the RARS system); standard UM postgraduate admission and international-student fees still apply.
- Universities
- Universiti Malaya (UM)
- Eligible nationalities
- Open to Malaysian and non-Malaysian (international) Master's/Doctorate students; Bangladeshi citizens are eligible.
- Funding covers
- tuition (full-research students, sliding-scale waiver) · monthly stipend
- Supervisor first
- Required before applying
- Two-step process
- Admission, then scholarship
- Bond / service
- RM20,000 (Master's) repayable to UM if the UMSS agreement is breached/terminated or the awardee withdraws from the programme.
- Renewal
- Maintain KPIs, submit a research progress report each semester, no unapproved programme/field change or deferment; appointment ends on graduation or final thesis submission (Master's: max 10 semesters).
- Timeline notes
- Not a once-a-year national scholarship: UMSS is applied for per semester through the RARS system once you have a UM admission offer and a supervisor with an active research grant. There is no single national deadline; timing depends on the grant and the semester of application.
- Universiti Malaya Scholarship Scheme (UMSS) — official UM Research page accessed 2026-06-17
- Guideline for Universiti Malaya Scholarship Scheme (UMSS) — official PDF (eligibility for Malaysian & non-Malaysian, RM1,000 minimum stipend, tuition fee waiver sliding scale, RM20,000 Master's clawback) accessed 2026-06-17
- Universiti Malaya Academic Services — Financial Aid for Postgraduate (UM does not offer direct Master's/PhD scholarships; funding is via GRA/UMSS) accessed 2026-06-17
Visit official page Verified 2026-06-17
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS)
Malaysia · Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) +10
FundsTuition fees for the entire sponsorship period, paid directly to the university by MOHE · Monthly living allowance of RM1,500.00 per month (disbursed every four months on submission of the scholar's progress report to MOHE)
Deadline Closed 2026-04-03 Cycle 2026-2027 Key facts - Duration
- 24 to 36 months for Master's
- Degree
- Taught & research
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS)
Malaysia · Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) +10
FundsTuition fees for the entire sponsorship period, paid directly to the university by MOHE · Monthly living allowance of RM1,500.00 per month (disbursed every four months on submission of the scholar's progress report to MOHE)
- Duration
- 24 to 36 months for Master's
- Degree
- Taught & research
- Tuition fees for the entire sponsorship period, paid directly to the university by MOHE
- Monthly living allowance of RM1,500.00 per month (disbursed every four months on submission of the scholar's progress report to MOHE)
- Fully funded but modest: covers full tuition + a RM1,500/month living allowance. The allowance is paid in arrears every 4 months against a progress report — budget for upfront living costs before the first disbursement.
- Bangladesh-eligible via the Commonwealth route: the official MIS 2026 recipient-countries list includes 'Commonwealth countries (CPA regions of Africa, Asia, ...)'. Bangladesh is a Commonwealth member whose Parliament is in the CPA (Commonwealth Parliamentary Association) Asia Region, so Bangladeshi citizens qualify. (Bangladesh is NOT in the separately named country list, only via the Commonwealth/CPA-Asia inclusion — confirm with MOHE if in doubt.)
- Covers Master's and PhD (full-time only). For Master's by Research and PhD, a written research proposal of at least 1,000 words is mandatory.
- Age limit: not more than 40 years old at application for Master's (45 for PhD).
- Minimum academic standard: CGPA 3.00 / Second Class Upper (Honours) or higher at bachelor's level for Master's applicants.
- English requirement: IELTS band 6.0+ OR TOEFL PBT 550+ (or equivalent) — waived if a previous degree was taught in English (official declaration required).
- A prior university admission letter is NOT mandatory to apply (it is required only if you already have admission/are enrolled), unlike MTCP where a university offer letter is required up front.
- No living-allowance top-ups beyond RM1,500/month and no airfare/insurance are guaranteed in the official benefits list (only tuition + the RM1,500 monthly allowance are stated).
- Priority fields include education, arts & humanities, social sciences, business/law, natural sciences, ICT, engineering, agriculture and health/welfare; excludes medicine, nursing and pharmacy.
- No paid employment during the scholarship without written approval from the host university.
- Certified copy of the passport as evidence of nationality (minimum 6 months validity)
- Certified copy of academic transcript(s) of undergraduate studies (with a certified document describing the institution's grading system if CGPA/marks are not shown)
- Certified copy of English proficiency test result (IELTS / TOEFL), or an official letter from the previous institution declaring English as the medium of instruction
- Letter of Recommendation from two (2) referees
- Admission letter to a Malaysian university (if already enrolled in postgraduate studies or admission has been secured)
- Curriculum Vitae
- Research proposal of at least 1,000 words (Master's by Research and PhD applicants only)
- Stipend
- RM1,500/month (paid in arrears every 4 months against a progress report)
- Age limit
- Not more than 40 years old at application for Master's (45 for PhD)
- Universities
- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM/IIUM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Multimedia University (MMU), INCEIF University
- Intake
- 2026/2027 academic session
- Eligible nationalities
- Open to ASEAN nationals, Commonwealth countries (CPA regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands & Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americas & Atlantic, India and the Pacific), and a named list of additional countries. Bangladesh qualifies as a Commonwealth member in the CPA Asia Region.
- Language
- IELTS band 6.0+ or TOEFL PBT 550+ (or equivalent); waived if a previous degree was taught in English (official declaration required).
- Min GPA
- CGPA 3.00 / Second Class Upper (Honours) or higher at bachelor's level (Master's applicants)
- Funding covers
- tuition · monthly living allowance
- Supervisor first
- Not required
- Two-step process
- No
- Interview stage
- No
- Opens
- 2026-03-04
- Timeline notes
- MIS 2026/2027 cycle: applications open 4 March 2026 and close 3 April 2026 (per official MIS guidelines and the USM news announcement). MIS is currently OPEN for the 2026 cycle; it is not suspended. Note: in some past years MIS did not run an open cycle, so always confirm on the MOHE portal.
- Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) — official MOHE application portal accessed 2026-06-17
- Guidelines for the Application of Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) 2026 (official MOHE PDF — recipient countries incl. Commonwealth/CPA Asia, benefits RM1,500/month + tuition, eligibility, documents) accessed 2026-06-17
- USM official news — MIS 2026/2027 now open (4 March 2026 to 3 April 2026) accessed 2026-06-17
- Commonwealth Parliamentary Association — Bangladesh is a member of the CPA Asia Region accessed 2026-06-17
Visit official page Verified 2026-06-17