Quotas For Local Students In Public University Remain | CENTRE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE (CQA)

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Quotas for Local Students in Public University Remain

There will be no compromise on the quotas allocated for local students in public universities, even as these institutions welcome foreign students, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

In dismissing allegations that there is an influx of foreign student enrolment in public universities, particularly from China, Zambry said they continued to prioritise Malaysians, as determined by the Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) centralised admission system.

"We have never compromised the quotas allocated for local students. Public universities exist, first and foremost, to serve the children of Malaysia". Zambry said while Malaysia currently hosts international students from over 150 countries, their enrolment was in line with the government’s internationalisation policy and does not affect the intake of local students.

Zambry further denied that public universities were reducing local student placements in favour of international enrolments for financial reasons."The government has set clear intake targets and fee structures."Public universities are not permitted to reduce local quotas to accommodate foreign students for profit."That is against policy," he said.

Insap’s research shows that the percentage of increase in intake of foreign students rose much faster than the rate of increase for students under UPU.

According to Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap), the number of Malaysian students enrolling in public universities saw a modest increase from 2018 to 2024.

Enrolment grew from 172,719 students in 2018 to 191,450 students in 2024.

This represents a total increase of 10.8%, which corresponds to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just 1.73% per year – a relatively slow rate of growth.

In contrast, the enrolment of non-Malaysian students during the same period saw a significant rise, from 10,003 students in 2018 to 19,731 students in 2024.

This considerable jump reflects a total increase of 97.3%, with a CAGR of 11.99% per year.

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Date of Input: 27/08/2025 | Updated: 27/08/2025 | aidawati

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There will be no compromise on the quotas allocated for local students in public universities, even as these institutions welcome foreign students, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir. In dismissing allegations that there is an influx of foreign student enrolment in public universities, particularly from China, Zambry said they continued to prioritise Malaysians, as determined by the Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) centralised admission system. "We have never compromised the quotas allocated for local students. Public universities exist, first and foremost, to serve the children of Malaysia". Zambry said while Malaysia currently hosts international students from over 150 countries, their enrolment was in line with the government’s internationalisation policy and does not affect the intake of local students. Zambry further denied that public universities were reducing local student placements in favour of international enrolments for financial reasons."The government has set clear intake targets and fee structures."Public universities are not permitted to reduce local quotas to accommodate foreign students for profit."That is against policy," he said. Insap’s research shows that the percentage of increase in intake of foreign students rose much faster than the rate of increase for students under UPU. According to Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap), the number of Malaysian students enrolling in public universities saw a modest increase from 2018 to 2024. Enrolment grew from 172,719 students in 2018 to 191,450 students in 2024. This represents a total increase of 10.8%, which corresponds to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just 1.73% per year – a relatively slow rate of growth. In contrast, the enrolment of non-Malaysian students during the same period saw a significant rise, from 10,003 students in 2018 to 19,731 students in 2024. This considerable jump reflects a total increase of 97.3%, with a CAGR of 11.99% per year.

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