Applying for the Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) involves more than filling out one online form. There is a document-endorsement step routed through your home country’s government that catches a lot of first-time applicants off guard. Here is the full process broken down so nothing gets missed.
Before You Start: What You Need Ready
Before you even open the application portal, have these ready or in progress:
- A valid passport with a minimum 6 months validity
- Academic transcripts certified
- English proficiency proof IELTS or TOEFL or an MOI letter
- Two people lined up to write recommendation letters
- A CV
- A research proposal draft if you are applying for Master’s by Research or PhD
- Contact details for your home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or relevant agency you will need this for endorsement
Step-by-Step Application Process
Step 1: Create Your MIS Online Application Account
Go to the official portal at biasiswa.mohe.gov.my/INTER and register using your passport number or national identification number, along with a password and email address. This becomes your login for the entire application.
Step 2: Fill Out the Application Form
Log in and complete every section of the online form carefully. Double-check all entered information for accuracy before moving forward. Errors here can complicate later verification steps. Once you are confident everything is correct, you will typically print the completed application form.
Step 3: Prepare and Print Required Forms
Download and print the Endorsement Form, Recommendation Letter template and Medical Report form where required. Attach your printed application form together with your supporting documents: academic transcript, CV, medical report, admission letter if you have one research proposal, English proficiency certificate and your two recommendation letters.
- Check detailed guide on MIS Scholarship Documents Required
Step 4: Get Your Documents Endorsed
This is the step most guides gloss over. Complete your two Letters of Recommendation, Endorsement Form, and Medical Report, then bring your printed application form together with these documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the relevant government agency responsible for MIS in your home country, to obtain official endorsement. Build extra time into your timeline for this. It depends on a government office’s schedule, not yours.
Step 5: Scan and Upload All Documents
Once endorsed, scan every document (transcripts, passport, English proficiency proof, recommendation letters, endorsement form, CV, research proposal, medical report where applicable) and save each as a PDF. Log back into the MIS Online Application system and attach all of them.
Step 6: Submit Your Application
Review everything one final time, then click Submit. The application is processed fully online at this stage. You don’t need to mail or courier anything, since the endorsement step already covered the physical paperwork requirement.
Step 7: Await Shortlisting and Interview
If shortlisted, you’ll be notified and invited to an interview as part of the final selection process. Keep your printed application form and original certificates on hand. You may be asked to bring them to the interview for verification.
Step 8: Receive Your Offer and Secure University Admission
If awarded, you’ll receive an official MIS offer letter. This is where an important rule kicks in, covered next.
Important: You Don’t Need University Admission to Apply
This surprises a lot of applicants: you’re allowed to apply for MIS without having already secured a place at a Malaysian university. MIS and university admission are two separate processes, applied for independently.
However, once you’re awarded MIS, you’re required to gain admission to a university within 90 days of your MIS offer letter being issued. Failing to do so results in your MIS offer being withdrawn without further notice. If you don’t already have an offer letter from a university, it’s worth starting that application in parallel with your MIS application rather than waiting for a scholarship decision first, so you’re not racing the 90-day clock from a standing start.
How MIS Selects Candidates
Based on official selection criteria, applications are evaluated on:
- Outstanding academic and co-curricular achievement: your full academic record and any relevant extracurricular or professional accomplishments
- Quality of your research proposal and its potential contribution to advancing technology or human well-being with a stated preference for research topics relevant to Malaysia
- English communication skills like writing, reading, and overall communication ability in English
This means your research proposal is not just a formality if you are applying for Master’s by Research or PhD. It’s a genuine scoring factor, and tying your topic to a Malaysia-relevant angle where honestly applicable can work in your favor.
