The Estimated Cost Of Your Child's Education In Malaysia

All we want, as parents, are what’s best for our children. Providing them with a top-notch education is one way to equip them for their life goals. However, regardless of your income, quality education in Malaysia is expensive. To offer children with the best education possible, parents annually spend huge sums on their kids' education.

Although it's often said that investing in your child's education is a wise move for the future, paying for preschool through university can quickly deplete your resources. Do you have a clue of how much money you'll need to pay for your child's education between public and private schools, local colleges, and international universities? Let's break it down together.

Preschool

Most children in Malaysia begin preschool at age four. However, it is not compulsory. While rates for private preschools might vary based on aspects like the syllabus and amenities, public preschools are offered for free or at a reduced cost.

Let's look at a few private preschools' tuition costs to get a sense of how much they can cost:

Tuition Fees

Remember that although the majority of your educational costs will come from tuition, there will still be additional payments for other factors, such as:

• Uniforms
• Registration
• School excursions

These should be considered when planning your budget to avoid getting overwhelmed when it's the deadline for payments to be made.

Primary and Secondary School

The majority of your child's academic life is spent in primary and secondary school. Malaysians have the option to enrol in either the public or private school system at this pivotal time. The Malaysian government funds public schools, which are free except for miscellaneous costs such as:

• Books
• Tuition classes
• Transportation
• Uniform

Private and international schools have grown in popularity among affluent parents. While international schools follow international curricula like those from the UK and America, private schools adhere to the Malaysian National Curriculum.

Here is an overview of the tuition fees for some of the international schools in Malaysia.

Tuition fees

You'll notice that the annual fees differ significantly between schools. Fees can also change from year to year within a certain school. Compared to a student in Year 11, the fees for a Year 1 student will be lower.

College

Your child will be welcomed with a world of opportunities once they have completed secondary school. However, they must do a pre-university course for one to two years before starting a degree programme. Students can choose from a variety of programmes at this level, including:

• Form Six programme
• A Levels programme
• International Baccalaureate Diploma Program

Here is an insight into the tuition fees for the various colleges' foundation programmes.

Tuition Fees

University

Let's discuss universities as our final stop before your child starts working. Students from Malaysia have a variety of options, including:

• Local public universities
• Private Universities
• International Universities

The most economical options are local public universities, but admissions might be competitive. When it comes to private universities, you can attend affordable local universities or more expensive foreign universities with local campuses.

The most expensive option is to study abroad, which might cost more than a million ringgit due to exchange rates and the increased cost of living abroad. Additionally, a lot of universities abroad charge higher tuition rates for international students.

Another popular and less expensive option is the twinning program, which allows students to study locally and abroad at a partner campus.

Your Children's Education Is A Worthwhile Investment

It's an excellent idea to begin building an education fund as soon as you plan to expand your family, taking inflation into account. Keep in mind that the sooner you start, the more money you can make from compound interest, and there will be more options for you and your child.