Malta – This small southern European country is best known as a popular tourist destination, but if you’d like to stay longer than a two-week holiday, why not choose to study in Malta? Malta is a beautiful island known for its magnificent cathedrals and stunning beaches, it is so much more than a vacation destination. It boasts some of the world’s most respected universities, making it a popular choice for international students who wish to study abroad.
Not only is it an English-speaking country (Maltese and English are the nation’s official languages), students from all over the world live on the island, making it highly diverse and welcoming. English-speaking students are able to communicate with the locals easily and navigate the island efficiently. This island offers quite a unique experience ranging from vast entertainment to its amazing scenery.
One of the world’s smallest and most densely populated countries, Malta is a group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea to the south of Italy. Life in Malta is unique and special in all terms. The three largest of these, Malta Island, Gozo and Comino – are inhabited, with a total resident population of roughly 420,000.
A member of the European Union since 2004, the country enjoys close ties with other European countries. There are both public and private institutions in Malta, some offer traditional courses, and others are specialist and offer courses such as tourism. Some of the most prestigious universities are the University of Malta, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST). The university system is similar to that of other European countries, as is the academic year.
Why study in Malta
Every year hundreds of international students migrate to Malta for their further studies. One of the main reasons students get attracted to this small nation is because of its excellent standard of education. Here we have combined some of the reasons for choosing Malta as your study abroad destination:
The Employment Training Corporation (ETC) holds courses for adults in Malta. The courses like business, hospitality and entrepreneurship skills, as well as basic literacy classes and specific professional training.
Courses are taught both during the day and in the evening, and there is a special Night Institute for Further Education that offers various vocational courses for adults at night.
The ETC was established in 1990 by the Maltese government to serve as a public employment service. It provides a service for employers to recruit employees and for jobseekers to apply for the different positions available. These services are provided both online through the ETC web portal, and through various centres around the island. ETC offers various training opportunities, ranging from basic skills to more technical and advanced courses.
Malta established its Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF) in 2007 and the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) is the local competent authority to recognise qualifications and accredit courses against the Malta Qualifications Framework.
The Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF) assists in making the Maltese qualifications system easier to understand and review, and more transparent at a national and international level. The Malta Qualifications Framework is also a referencing tool that helps to describe and compare both national and foreign qualifications to promote quality, transparency and mobility of qualifications in all types of education.It is mainly referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) as well as to other non-European qualifications frameworks.
If you become a permanent resident in Malta you will need to pay 15 per cent tax on the income you bring into the country. Thanks to double tax treaties with various countries, you will probably not need to pay any tax to your country of origin. Once you’ve become a permanent resident, of course you don’t need to necessarily live on the island all the time and can come and go as you wish.
Depending on where you are emigrating from you can apply for one of two types of residency: the Ordinary Residence or the Permanent Residence. The difference between the two ultimately boils down to how much you are taxed.
Ordinary Residence applies to people coming to Malta from the EU. The tax you pay is worked out by taking from 0 to 35 per cent of your income, minus a tax-credit, depending on how much you earn and marital status.
Permanent Residence is open to everyone, no matter what your country of origin is. If you’re not from the EU then this is what you need to apply for. You can also apply for this scheme if you are from the EU, but we recommend always consulting a lawyer to see which scheme is more suited to you. You will need to renew your ordinary residence permit every five years, while permanent residence permits are renewable every year.
In July 2013, the Maltese Government introduced a new residency program. This offers special tax status to third country nationals (except for EEA and Swiss nationals) in Malta. To apply for this program you need to satisfy certain criteria such as buying or renting property in Malta or Gozo and paying a minimum annual tax liability on foreign income received in Malta.
The University of Malta is the highest teaching institution in Malta. It is publicly funded and is open to all those who have the requisite qualifications. The University’s structures are in line with the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area. Conscious of its public role, the University strives to create courses which are relevant and timely in response to the needs of the country. The supreme governing bodies of the University are the Council and the Senate. Malta government offers a lot of money to the international student. There are varieties of sources which students can obtain.
Many international students want to study in Malta, but due to lack of funds, they drop the idea. If you are among them, let us tell you that there are plenty of scholarships available in Malta for international students. Here we have listed a few of them:
Malta uses the Euro (€) as its currency.
Your tuition fees will depend on where you are from, what course you choose to study and what institution you choose. If you are a student from within the EU/EEA, you will not pay tuition fees for full-time bachelor degree courses. If you are an EU/EEA student and wish to study a postgraduate degree, you will pay the same tuition fee as Maltese students. If you are from any other country, you will be required to pay tuition fees. On average, you should expect your fees to be between €1,000 and €6,000 per year.
Living expenses in Malta are similar to other European countries. If you choose to live in a bigger city then you will have higher costs than smaller cities and towns. On average, you should budget for between €500 and €1,000 per month. This accounts for accommodation, groceries and travel.
Another cost that you will need to consider is health insurance. If you are an EHIC card holder, you will be able to access the same healthcare as Maltese citizens, at the same price. If you are not an EHIC card holder, you will need health insurance. If you already have an insurance policy, you need to ensure that it will be valid in Malta. If you do not have insurance, you will need to purchase a policy that is valid for the duration of your studies.
There are both types of universities in Malta, public and private universities. Public/ government universities charge lower tuition fees than private universities. The actual tuition fees vary wildly depending on the university and course you choose. On average tuition fee can be from 2,000 to 9000 EUR. For the accommodation and other basic living expenses, On average you can expect to pay as low as EUR 300 per month.
Do I need to clear the IELTS?
Generally, there is thought that international students would need to submit their IELTS score for admission to the universities of Malta. Students see this as a big barrier in their study abroad in Malta. But the good news is you can also study in Malta without IELTS.
With the help of Medium of Instruction letter (MOI), you can take admission in your desired courses without IELTS. A Medium of Instruction letter is a document that confirms the language of instruction used throughout your last degree or education programme is English.
Here are the 5 top universities that do not have a mandatory TOEFL/IELTS requirement.
What is the process of getting a study visa for Malta?
Call our Experts or simply fill Quick Enquiry form on our website to know complete process, start to end.
How to start the process of getting admission in Malta College?
You simply need to fill assessment form on our website & upload your relevant documents. We will immediately process your application very smoothly, once it is approved after internal review by our expert team.
How to choose the best college in Malta?
Our expert team will guide you best courses & colleges based on your suitability & affordability.
What are their fees?
Every College has different fee structure based on courses & duration, call our experts or fill enquiry form on our website immediately to know more.
Can I get an education Loan?
Yes you can avail form any bank of your choice; our team will assist you once you register with us.
How to obtain an Offer Letter from any college in Malta?
Please get in touch with our experts with all the required documents, and we’ll do all the process.
How will I get a study visa from the Malta embassy?
Once your offer letter is received, we will book your appointment in Malta Embassy for an interview; your visa will be stamped in 7 working days.
What are the eligibility criteria?
You need to be 10th Pass at least and fill assessment form on our website.
Will I get permission to work part time?
Yes, you will get TRP card (Temporary Resident Permit) in 2 months, this allows you to work in Malta.
What are my future prospects if I study in Malta?
You can easily get a good a job in Malta or relocate yourself to any European country for work such as Italy/ Germany/ France. You can also apply to any western country of your choice for example USA / Canada/ UK/ AUS/ NZ etc.
Malta is your Gateway to the world!
What if my visa is rejected from some other country?
No problem, you can still apply for Malta Study Visa
Can I travel to other European countries?
Yes once your Malta visa is stamped you can travel to entire Europe & Schengen countries easily.
How can I find accommodation in Malta?
Our team will assist you, once you registered with us and apply for admission.
Will you help me in preparing for my Visa interview?
Yes most definitely, we will ensure smooth visa processing for you.