Program Overview

Program Overview

The SLAB/SLAI/MARA Fellow 2026 program is an initiative by the Ministry of Higher Education to increase the number of qualified academic staff with PhD degrees in public universities, aiming to establish Malaysia as a regional hub for higher education.

Program Description

The program is designed to identify eligible candidates to pursue PhD studies, either locally or abroad, to meet the urgent need for teaching staff in various disciplines. The program offers scholarships for PhD studies, with priority given to universities in Singapore, Taiwan, China, South Korea, and the United States.

Scholarship Offer

The scholarship offer includes:

• PhD studies at a local or foreign university
• Studies abroad, with the option to choose a university outside of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, provided it is ranked among the top 50 universities worldwide by QS World University Rankings
• Priority given to universities in Singapore, Taiwan, China, South Korea, and the United States

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the program, candidates must:

• Be a Malaysian citizen
• Not exceed 43 years of age for PhD studies
• Hold a First-Class Bachelor's degree
• Have a good command of Malay and English languages
• Not have any existing bond or contract with other parties
• Not be receiving any other form of sponsorship
• Not have failed in any previous PhD program

Application Requirements

Candidates must submit their applications with the following documents:

• Official offer letter from the university
• Proof of language proficiency
• Academic transcripts
• Other relevant documents

Contract and Bond

Successful candidates will be required to sign a contract with Universiti Malaya and the Ministry of Higher Education, with a bond period dependent on the duration of the study.

Allowances and Benefits

Candidates are eligible to receive allowances and benefits offered by the Ministry of Higher Education and Universiti Malaya.

Important Notes

• Applications are open throughout the year, with the start date of studies subject to the availability of slots by the Ministry of Higher Education.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview.
• Candidates who do not receive any response from Universiti Malaya within six months from the date of application may consider their application unsuccessful.
• Universiti Malaya reserves the right to cancel any application or offer without prior notice if any false information is found in the documents submitted.