Malaysia's only APEX university
In 2008 the government selected USM as the sole participant in the Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX), a fast-track route to world-class status — and it remains the only university with that designation.
PenangUniversiti Sains Malaysia
A public research university in Penang
A public research university on the island of Penang in northern Malaysia. Strong in engineering, health sciences and the basic sciences — and Penang costs less to live in than Kuala Lumpur, with a good deal more history to it.
- Founded
- 1969
- Students
- about 30,000
- Main campus
- 416.6 ha at Minden
- Academic schools
- 26 across three campuses
Overview
Outside the capital, at a lower cost of living
If you're open to studying outside Kuala Lumpur, Penang is an excellent choice: a genuine university city, cheaper to live in, with its own international airport. The hop to KL is short and cheap.
28 programmes listed on this page
Programmes
Programmes on offer
Programme names appear in English exactly as the university awards them — and as they'll appear on your offer letter and certificate.
* Programme availability changes between intakes. Contact us to confirm the course you're interested in and current start dates.
Highlights
Why USM?
The country's second-oldest university
Established in 1969 as Universiti Pulau Pinang, it moved in 1971 to the present Minden campus, roughly ten kilometres from George Town.
Three specialised campuses
The main Penang campus has seventeen schools, the Engineering Campus at Nibong Tebal six, and the Health Campus at Kubang Kerian in Kelantan three — medicine, dentistry and health sciences.
A designated research university
Designated a Research Intensive University by the Ministry of Higher Education in 2007, USM runs seventeen dedicated research centres.
Next step
Is USM the right fit? Let's check together.
We'll review your grades, the entry requirements and current fees — and tell you plainly if another university suits you better.
