Malaysia occupies a distinguished position on the map of study destinations for Saudi students, and at the heart of this destination the University of Putra Malaysia (UPM) stands out as one of the most venerable Malaysian universities and the most attractive to Arab students.
It combines a firmly established academic standing, a comfortable Islamic environment, and reasonable costs unmatched by many Western or even Gulf universities.
In this guide prepared by the Future Way team based on direct experience in guiding Saudi students toward the universities of Malaysia, you will find everything you need to know about UPM: from its international ranking and most prominent specializations, to the study and living costs, the admission requirements, and how to equate its degree in the Kingdom.
An overview of the University of Putra Malaysia UPM
- Establishment: it was founded in 1931 under the name “the School of Agriculture,” before transforming into a comprehensive university and taking its current name in 1997.
- Location and area: its main campus is located in the city of Serdang on the outskirts of the capital Kuala Lumpur, and it extends over an area of more than 1,200 hectares, making it among the largest campuses in Asia.
- Students and specializations: the university today comprises more than 60,000 students from various parts of the world, among them about 7,000 international students representing more than 70 nationalities, and it offers its programs through 16 specialized faculties.
The global QS Ranking of the University of Putra Malaysia
UPM tops the Malaysian university scene with a striking steadiness in the international rankings:
| Ranking | Position |
| QS World Ranking 2025 | Among the world’s best 150 universities |
| QS Asia ranking | Among the best 30 Asian universities |
| Shanghai Academic ranking ARWU | Among the world’s best 500 |
| Times Higher Education ranking THE | Among the world’s best 300 |
(And in the subject rankings, UPM shines specifically in the fields of agriculture, where it enters among the world’s best 50 universities, in addition to its excellence in environmental science, veterinary medicine, and engineering).
The international accreditations of the University of Putra Malaysia
UPM holds a wide spectrum of prestigious international accreditations that lend its certificates a real added value:
- AACSB accreditation for the Faculty of Business Administration: one of the finest global accreditations in this field, held by only 5% of business schools around the world.
- The Malaysian MQA accreditation: for all programs, and it is the official body on which the Saudi equivalency relies.
- Membership of the ASEAN University Network (AUN): for regional academic cooperation.
- Specialized accreditations: from professional bodies in engineering, veterinary medicine, and agriculture.
Why do Saudi students choose the University of Putra Malaysia?
The education quality at UPM
UPM follows an educational methodology that blends the classical academic and the practical, applied research orientation.
- The Faculty of Agriculture has farms and field research laboratories whose area exceeds hundreds of hectares.
- The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has an integrated veterinary hospital for clinical training.
This applied dimension makes UPM graduates competitive in the labor market, and the university produces hundreds of peer-reviewed research papers annually.
The reasonable costs compared with the alternatives
The financial difference between UPM and the Western universities is astonishing:
- Studying engineering costs ($3,000 – 5,000) per year, compared with ($20,000 – 40,000) at British or American universities.
- Living costs are lower by about 60% — 70% compared with London, Sydney, or Toronto.
- University housing is available at subsidized prices.
The Islamic environment: the greatest comfort factor
Malaysia is a Muslim country par excellence, which makes the psychological and social adaptation of Saudi students much easier:
- There are multiple mosques inside the campus in which all the prayers are held.
- Halal food is the rule in the university restaurants and the surrounding restaurants.
- Social life harmonizes with Islamic values (such as the atmospheres of the blessed month of Ramadan).
The distinguished specializations at the University of Putra Malaysia
Agricultural engineering and food science: the strongest specialization globally
The Faculty of Agriculture is among the oldest agriculture faculties in Southeast Asia and the most research-productive (among the world’s best 50). The available specializations:
- Agricultural engineering and biosystems.
- Food science and technology (rising demand in the Gulf market).
- Sustainable agriculture and horticulture.
- Soil science and water resources.
A highlight from Future Way: with the Saudi focus on food security within Vision 2030, the graduates of this specialization have become in an excellent competitive position in the Saudi market.
Veterinary medicine: an integrated faculty with a training hospital
It is classified among the best veterinary medicine faculties in Asia (a 5-year study).
- Field training at the university’s farms.
- International research partnerships.
- International recognition that allows applying to the veterinary bodies in many countries (including Saudi Arabia).
Business administration: the AACSB accreditation opens the doors
This accreditation makes the academic degrees (bachelor’s or master’s) equivalent to degrees from prestigious European and American universities.
- The programs: a bachelor’s in business administration (4 years), a master’s (MBA) fully in English, a master’s in economics, a doctorate.
Computer science and software engineering
Updated programs that keep pace with the digital market:
- Bachelor’s in computer science.
- Software engineering.
- Artificial intelligence and data science.
- Information and network security.
Admission requirements at UPM for Saudi students
The required GPAs for admission
UPM adopts a flexible system:
- For the bachelor’s: a GPA of no less than 70% as a minimum. The competitive specializations (such as veterinary medicine and computer science) may require 80% — 85%. (The subjects of mathematics and science are important for the engineering specializations).
- For postgraduate studies: a cumulative bachelor’s GPA of no less than 2.75 out of 4 (about very good). And the approval of an academic supervisor for the doctorate.
The IELTS or TOEFL certificate: the language requirement
The language of study is English for the international programs. The requirements:
| Program | IELTS | TOEFL iBT |
| The bachelor’s | 5.5 — 6.0 | 60 — 78 |
| The master’s by coursework | 6.0 | 78 |
| The master’s by research and the doctorate | 6.0 — 6.5 | 78 — 90 |
(UPM accepts students without a certificate by enrolling them in an English language preparatory program for one semester).
The required documents for admission to UPM
| Document | Details |
| The passport | Valid for no less than a year |
| The high school certificate | Attested and translated into English |
| The school transcript | The intermediate and secondary stages |
| The English language certificate | IELTS or TOEFL or their equivalent |
| Personal photos | With a white background (4 photos) |
| A letter of intent | For postgraduate studies especially |
| Two academic recommendations | For postgraduate studies |
| The bachelor’s certificate | For those wishing for postgraduate studies |
The Future Way team provides a complete review of the admission file and customized guidance.
The tuition costs at UPM for Saudi students 2026
The tuition fees at the University of Putra Malaysia
(The figures are estimates in US dollars)
The bachelor’s stage (annual fees):
- Engineering: 4,500 — 6,500
- Agriculture and food sciences: 4,000 — 5,500
- Veterinary medicine: 5,500 — 7,000
- Business administration and economics: 3,500 — 5,000
- Computer science and information technology: 4,000 — 5,500
- Humanities and social sciences: 3,000 — 4,500
The postgraduate stage (annual fees):
- Master’s by coursework: 4,000 — 6,000
- Master’s by research: 3,500 — 5,000
- Doctorate (PhD): 4,000 — 6,000
- MBA: 6,000 — 9,000 (for the full program)
Student housing at UPM
- Inside the campus (subsidized): a shared room ($80-130) | a single room ($150-220) | independent apartments ($250-400).
- Outside the campus: furnished apartments between ($250-450) surrounded by services and the university’s transport.
Living cost in Kuala Lumpur and Serdang
It is considered very competitive compared with the rest of Asia (Serdang is less expensive than Kuala Lumpur by about 15-20%):
| Item | Monthly cost (dollars) |
| Housing (outside the campus) | 250 — 450 |
| Food and daily meals | 150 — 280 |
| Transport | 30 — 60 |
| Communications and internet | 20 — 35 |
| Books and study supplies | 30 — 60 |
| Entertainment and social activities | 80 — 180 |
| Estimated total | 560 — 1,065 |
Life in Malaysia for Saudi students
The large Saudi and Gulf community in Malaysia
A rooted Gulf student community exists in the cities of Malaysia (especially Kuala Lumpur and Serdang).
- Saudi and Gulf student associations active with periodic meetings.
- Preferred residential districts in which suitable services for Arabs are available.
- Offices and institutions serving the Arab communities.
Mosques and halal food: a rare advantage in study destinations
- Mosques: a large university mosque inside the campus, and hundreds of mosques in the surroundings.
- Halal food: every restaurant is subject to oversight, the Arab restaurants are widespread, and even the major markets (Giant, Tesco) provide certified (halal) products.
- The spiritual aspect: the mosque imam and religious guide service is available at the university to support international students.
Equating the University of Putra Malaysia degree in Saudi Arabia
UPM is among the smoothest Asian universities in the certificate equivalency path because of: the institutional accreditation (MQA), the QS rankings, and the successful equivalency precedent of hundreds of Saudi graduates.
The equivalency path step by step:
- In Malaysia (after graduation): documentation from (the Malaysian Ministry of Education ⟸ the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ⟸ the Saudi Embassy in Kuala Lumpur).
- In Saudi Arabia: a certified translation into Arabic ⟸ the attestation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ⟸ submitting the application via the “Ifad” portal or the Ministry of Education platforms.
(The expected timeline: 3 — 6 months).
From Future Way’s experience: the most common mistake is neglecting the documentation in Malaysia before returning, or choosing a program not accredited by MQA.
Frequently asked questions about studying at the University of Putra Malaysia for Saudis
1. How much does studying at the University of Putra Malaysia cost?
The annual tuition fees for international students range between 3,000 and 7,000 dollars depending on the specialization, and to them are added living costs ranging between 560 and 1,100 dollars per month. By comparing the total with the Western destinations similar in ranking, the student and their family save between 50% and 70% of the total costs.
2. Is UPM recognized in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, the University of Putra Malaysia is recognized and eligible for equivalency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It obtained the MQA accreditation and a QS ranking among the world’s best 150 universities, which makes it qualified according to the standards of the Saudi Ministry of Education. And hundreds of Saudi students have succeeded in equating their certificates from it.
3. What are the best specializations at the University of Putra Malaysia?
Agriculture and food sciences top the list of the strongest specializations globally at UPM (among the world’s best 50), followed by veterinary medicine and environmental engineering. On the administrative side, the Faculty of Business holds the prestigious AACSB accreditation. As for Saudi students specifically, engineering, computer science, and business administration are the most in-demand.
4. How many Saudi students are there at UPM?
UPM does not disclose precise figures by nationality, but the Saudi and Gulf community is among the most present and organized communities at the university and in Kuala Lumpur generally. The Arab student associations estimate the number of Saudi students in Malaysia as a whole at thousands distributed across various universities.
5. How is life in Malaysia for Saudis?
Life in Malaysia is very comfortable for the Saudi student; Malaysia is a Muslim country in all the details of its daily life, halal food is available everywhere, and mosques are densely spread. The climate is hot and humid, similar to parts of the Kingdom, the costs are low, and the large Arab community facilitates quick adaptation.
Is the University of Putra Malaysia your next choice?
If you are looking for a university with a genuine global ranking in a comfortable Islamic environment at competitive costs, then the University of Putra Malaysia UPM represents an equation whose elements rarely combine in one place. It is not the ideal choice for everyone; those seeking a university in the list of the world’s best 50 or a European environment specifically will find more suitable options. But for those balancing quality, cost, and psychological and social comfort, UPM remains at the forefront of the choices.
At Future Way, we help you evaluate your university choices with complete objectivity and guide you toward the university and specialization that aligns with your ambitions, capabilities, and long-term professional goals.
Contact us today via futurewaytr.com and start your academic journey on the right foundations.
