UOW Malaysia Software Engineering (Hons) Fees: RM 102,710

The straight answer

The Bachelor in Software Engineering (Hons) at University of Wollongong Malaysia is listed at RM 102,710 total for international students for the full 3-year degree (uow.edu.my). Intakes are January, June and September, and the campus is in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

That figure is a course total, not a yearly fee. When a counsellor or a bank officer asks "how much per year", do not guess — ask UOW Malaysia for the semester-by-semester payment schedule in writing, because that schedule is what your family will actually pay against, and it is what you will need when you build your financial documents.

One thing to check before you commit: this programme is listed as a UOW Australia-linked degree. The Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) at the same campus is listed separately as a dual award (UOW Malaysia + UOW Australia). Students often assume every UOW Malaysia computing degree carries the same award structure. Get the award wording confirmed on your offer letter before you pay a deposit.

UOW Malaysia fees by programme

All figures below are the published international-student totals for the stated duration (uow.edu.my).

Two notes that matter for planning:

• If your Class 12 results do not meet direct-entry requirements, you enter through the Foundation first. That is a separate fee on top of the degree fee — do not treat RM 102,710 as your whole education budget if a Foundation year is in your plan.
• The Master's fees are quoted for the minimum period. A research degree that runs long can cost more than the quoted minimum. Ask what happens to fees after the minimum period before you enrol.

Use the Master Reckoner to line UOW Malaysia up against other Malaysian computing degrees on cost, entry and English in one view.

Living costs around Glenmarie

UOW Malaysia is in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, in the Petaling Jaya belt of the Klang Valley. These are market ranges for that area, not a university quote — confirm current rents on the institution's accommodation page.

The most reliable published breakdown in the market comes from APU in Kuala Lumpur: a total student budget of RM 1,500–3,000 per month, made up of food RM 600–1,200, transport RM 100–300 and utilities RM 50–150. Malaysia overall sits at roughly RM 1,500–2,500 per month, far below Sydney, London or Toronto.

The Glenmarie catch is transport. Rail coverage depends on your exact address, so a cheap room that needs a daily Grab ride can cost more overall than a slightly dearer room near a station. Work out the commute before you sign a tenancy.

Funds and documents for the Student Pass

There is no single statutory minimum funds figure published by EMGS or Immigration. What follows is a planning model built from published Year-1 costs plus a living baseline — always confirm the exact figure requested with UOW Malaysia and EMGS at application time.

Do not sum these into one headline number and present it as "the requirement". Show your bank statements covering tuition plus living for at least one year, and match the tuition line to the actual UOW Malaysia payment schedule on your offer letter.

The document set EMGS expects:

• Offer letter from an EMGS-approved institution (conditional or unconditional)
• Passport valid at least 12–18 months beyond the intended study period
• Attested academic transcripts and certificates
• English proficiency proof, 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
• Single Entry Visa, applied for by Nepali nationals through the official eVISA portal using the eVAL, before travelling
• Pre-departure medical, plus the mandatory post-arrival medical within 7 days of landing
• Health insurance for the study period, usually bundled into the EMGS quote
• Passport photos to EMGS/Immigration specification

The two that trip Nepali applicants most often: a passport with too little validity left, and financial documents that do not clearly cover a full year. Fix both before submission, not after a query.

Entry, English and timing

UOW Malaysia's English requirement is not listed in our dataset, so ask the university directly and get it in writing. As a planning benchmark across Malaysian institutions, Bachelor entry typically sits at IELTS 6.0, with some programmes at 6.5, and the safe target for admission and visa at Bachelor level is IELTS 6.0–6.5. Alternatives such as TOEFL iBT, PTE and MUET are accepted at level-equivalent scores, and Duolingo is often accepted — verify per programme.

If you land below target, most Malaysian institutions run an in-house intensive English programme, roughly 10 weeks per level, and these are EMGS-recognised for the Student Pass. English-medium instruction plus a strong Class 12 English result is frequently accepted as a waiver, but the institution decides — never assume it.

On timing: budget 3–4 months end to end for Student Pass approval through EMGS once you hold the offer letter. Start the moment you accept. Document and financial verification tends to be more thorough for Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh applicants, so a January intake application begun in November is already late.

What happens after the degree

Be clear with your family about this. Malaysia does not offer a broad open post-study work visa of the kind Australia, New Zealand or Canada offer. Staying on to work means an employer sponsors an Employment Pass after a job offer, and from 1 June 2026 the Employment Pass salary floors make this harder for fresh graduates, because many entry-level jobs pay below the threshold.

During the course, international students may work up to 20 hours per week during scheduled breaks and holidays only — not during term — subject to Student Pass conditions and university approval.

Treat Malaysia as a cost-effective route to a foreign-linked degree and a stepping stone, not as an easy stay-and-work destination. More on the destination as a whole on the Malaysia hub.

Common questions

Is the RM 102,710 fee per year or for the whole degree?

It is the published total for the full 3-year Bachelor in Software Engineering (Hons) for international students. It is not an annual figure. Ask UOW Malaysia for the semester payment schedule so you know what is due and when.

Does the Software Engineering degree give a dual award like Computer Science?

The Bachelor in Software Engineering (Hons) is listed as a UOW Australia-linked degree. The Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons), at RM 110,090 total, is listed as a dual award from UOW Malaysia and UOW Australia. If the dual award matters to you, confirm the exact award wording on your offer letter in writing.

How much should a Nepali family budget for living costs in Glenmarie?

Market ranges for the Petaling Jaya / Glenmarie area are RM 180–300 for a shared room, RM 300–500 for a studio, and a monthly budget of RM 1,700–2,600. Malaysia overall sits at roughly RM 1,500–2,500 per month. Confirm rents on the university's accommodation page before you fix a budget.

When should we start the visa process for a January intake?

Budget 3–4 months end to end for EMGS Student Pass approval after the offer letter is issued. Begin immediately on acceptance. Verification is typically more thorough for South Asian applicants, so leaving it to the last two months is the most common self-inflicted delay.

Official sources

• University of Wollongong Malaysia — programmes and fees: https://www.uow.edu.my

Figures on this page are published institutional and planning figures reproduced as supplied. Always reconfirm fees, English requirements and funds expectations directly with UOW Malaysia and EMGS at the time you apply. More country guides in the blog.