BA (Hons) International Relations at Nottingham MY: Fees

The direct answer: what the degree costs

The BA (Hons) International Relations at the University of Nottingham Malaysia is published at RM 129,900 total for the full course. The course runs 3 years, the intake is September, and the award is a University of Nottingham (UK) degree — the same degree certificate as the UK campus, not a separate Malaysian qualification (nottingham.edu.my).

That RM 129,900 is a total figure for the programme, not a yearly one. When a counsellor or an agent quotes you a yearly number for this course, ask them where it came from. The published figure on the institution page is a course total, and confusing the two is how families end up planning with the wrong budget.

The campus is in Semenyih, Selangor.

Nottingham Malaysia fees at a glance

Here is how International Relations sits against the other Nottingham Malaysia programmes in our dataset. All figures are as published on the official institution pages.

Two things worth noticing. International Relations is the lowest-priced bachelor's in this list. And if you need the Foundation year first, the RM 38,000 is a separate cost that sits before the RM 129,900 — they are two separate published figures and we are not adding them for you. Write both down on one page and do the sum yourself with your family.

There are no scholarship amounts for this programme in our dataset. Do not plan on a fee reduction until you have it in writing from the university. Check the official site for what is currently offered.

Living costs on top of tuition

Tuition is the number families fixate on. Living cost over three years is the number that catches them out.

Our cost-of-living dataset does not carry a Semenyih line, so treat the Klang Valley ranges below as reference points and confirm the actual rent on the university's own accommodation page before you commit.

Malaysia overall runs RM 1,500–2,500 a month, which is far below London, Sydney or Toronto. The single most reliable published quote we hold is APU's: residence RM 1,120–1,390 a month, total student budget RM 1,500–3,000 a month, broken into food RM 600–1,200, transport RM 100–300, utilities RM 50–150.

The catch: campuses outside central KL usually mean weaker rail and heavier reliance on Grab or a campus shuttle. Ask the accommodation office what the shuttle timetable actually is before you assume transport is a small line in your budget.

Use the Master Reckoner to line up course fee, living range and English requirement for this course side by side, and see the Malaysia hub for how branch campuses compare with private universities.

Funds and documents for the Student Pass

There is no single statutory minimum funds figure published by EMGS or Immigration. What our funds planner holds are published Year-1 cost lines plus a living baseline:

Quote these separately in your file. Do not merge them into one headline number, and do not assume the RM 50,000 planning line replaces the RM 129,900 published course total — they are different things doing different jobs. If you are bringing family, the planner applies multipliers of 1.5 for a spouse, 1.8 for spouse plus one child and 2.1 for spouse plus two children. Always confirm the exact figure requested with the institution and EMGS at application time.

Documents you will be asked for

• Offer letter — conditional or unconditional, from an EMGS-approved institution.
• Passport — valid at least 12–18 months beyond the intended study period. This is the one Nepali applicants get wrong most often. Check the expiry date today.
• Academic transcripts and certificates — attested copies of the qualification used for admission.
• English proficiency proof — IELTS/TOEFL/PTE, or an institution English-medium/waiver letter.
• Financial proof — bank statements, fixed deposits, or a sponsor/scholarship letter covering tuition plus living for at least one year.
• eVAL (electronic Visa Approval Letter) — issued after EMGS approval, needed before the visa step.
• Single Entry Visa (SEV) — for Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh nationals, applied for through the official eVISA portal using the eVAL, before you travel.
• Health/medical clearance — pre-departure medical, plus a mandatory post-arrival medical within 7 days of landing.
• Insurance — health cover for the study period, usually bundled into the EMGS fee quote.
• Passport photos — to EMGS/Immigration specification; confirm current requirements with the university.

Budget 3–4 months end to end for Student Pass approval via EMGS once you hold the offer letter. Start the moment you accept. Document and financial verification tends to be more thorough for Nepali, Indian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi applicants, and that is where the weeks disappear.

English requirements — and the honest caveat

Our dataset does not carry a Nottingham Malaysia–specific English requirement. Confirm the exact score for BA (Hons) International Relations on nottingham.edu.my before you book a test slot.

What we can tell you is the general Malaysian benchmark. For a bachelor's degree the default sits at IELTS 6.0, with some programmes at 6.5. Alternatives commonly accepted at level-equivalent scores include TOEFL iBT, PTE, MUET and often Duolingo, but that is programme by programme. A waiver based on English-medium instruction plus a strong Class 12 or O-Level English result is frequently accepted, and the institution decides.

The safe planning target for admission and the Student Pass is IELTS 6.0–6.5 for a bachelor's. Below that, most institutions run an in-house intensive English programme, roughly 10 weeks per level, and these are EMGS-recognised for the Student Pass. A humanities degree like International Relations is reading- and essay-heavy; scraping in at the minimum band is not the same as coping in Year 1.

Working during and after the degree

Part-time work is permitted up to 20 hours a week during scheduled breaks and holidays only — not during term — subject to Student Pass conditions and university approval. Plan your budget on the assumption that term-time earnings are zero.

Malaysia does not offer a broad open post-study work visa of the kind Australia, New Zealand or Canada run. Staying on to work means an employer sponsors an Employment Pass after a job offer. From 1 June 2026 the EP salary floors make this harder for fresh graduates, because many entry-level roles pay below the threshold. Treat Nottingham Malaysia as a cost-effective route to a UK-branded degree and a stepping stone — not as a stay-and-work destination.

Common questions

Is the Nottingham Malaysia degree the same as the UK one?

Yes. Branch campuses such as Nottingham, Monash, Heriot-Watt, Reading, UOW and Swinburne award the same parent-university degree, under the same accreditation, as the home campus. The certificate does not say "Malaysia". This is different from a private Malaysian university, which awards its own MQA-accredited degree.

Is it cheaper than doing the same degree in the UK?

Usually yes, and often by a wide margin. A UK-branded degree taken at Nottingham, Reading or Heriot-Watt in Malaysia typically costs a fraction of the same degree on the UK campus, and living costs in Malaysia are far below London. Compare the published RM 129,900 total against the UK campus fee for the same course before deciding.

Can I transfer to the UK campus partway through?

Some branch campuses run 2+1, 2+2 or full campus-transfer routes, and these carry a WAM or GPA condition to qualify. We do not hold a confirmed transfer route or grade threshold for this specific course in our data. Ask the university admissions team directly, in writing, before you enrol on that basis.

Can my spouse come with me and work?

Dependent Passes exist for the spouse and children of some categories, and eligibility is policy-dependent. Dependants cannot work without their own authorisation. Verify current Immigration rules before you plan around it.

Official sources

• University of Nottingham Malaysia — https://www.nottingham.edu.my (all programme fees and course details above)

More destination guides are on the blog, and the Malaysia hub covers branch campuses, private universities and the EMGS process in full.