Malta is highly ranked on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
Tertiary education in Malta is provided by three different kinds of institutions:
The University of Malta: This is the largest institution of higher education in the country, and provides certificate courses, Bachelor's degree programs, Master's courses, and Doctoral research opportunities. It provides general education, which means that there is no focus on a narrow range of disciplines.
Private Universities: There are six private Universities in Malta; these are usually branches of internationally well-known universities.
Higher education institutes: These provide specialized practical training. For example, the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology provides vocational courses designed to prepare students for the job market. It maintains strong ties with potential employers from the point of view of providing internships and full-time employment for its students.
Maltese Institutions of higher education offer several short-term certificate and diploma courses. These may be offered at several levels, indicating the level of mastery of a certain subject. For example, students can choose to specialize in digital marketing, business management, or leadership. These are especially popular with middle management executives, who use their certifications from prestigious Universities to strengthen their curriculum vitae and apply for better jobs. The normal duration is 3-6 months, and the different modes are part-time and online.
Two kinds of undergraduate degrees are awarded by different types of higher education institutions in Malta: Bachelor’s and vocational degrees. Bachelor’s degrees are normally completed in 6 semesters, and students can take advantage of the flexible curriculum to take up a wide range of undergraduate courses, from Electrical Engineering to European History, and Communication Therapy to Contemporary Mediterranean Studies. Students are expected to complete 60 credits per year, and the final year is spent on advanced courses and an optional Bachelor’s Thesis.
Although most undergraduate students in Malta work for a few years after their first degrees, Master’s programs are very popular after gaining work experience. Postgraduate programs in Malta are designed to be completed in two years, and involve a thorough grounding in the chosen field of study, followed by exposure to research basics and a wide pool of elective subjects. The Master’s thesis period takes up the final 3-6 months of the degree, and can either entail extensive literature surveys or original research work presented in front of an evaluation committee.
The University of Malta administers most of the Doctoral programs in the country. Research scientists are encouraged to conduct original explorations during the 3 or 4-year duration of their PhD programs. The first year is typically taken up by coursework and training in the basics of research techniques. In the second year, the research direction is finalized, and the remainder of the degree is spent in achieving experimental results, validating them through further tests, analyzing the results, publishing academic papers, and creating a dissertation. The final thesis defense is an important step, and involves a panel of respected external examiners.
The country has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in Malta are-
European Law | International Accounting | Agriculture & Forestry |
Human Resources Management | Forensic Science | Natural Sciences |
Pharmacy | Information Technology | Event Management |
Digital Journalism | Psychology | Chemical Engineering |
Financial Management | Analytical Chemistry | Philosophy |
Education & Teacher Training | Tourism and Events Management | Creative Arts |
Here are some popular cities that have the most universities in Malta.
The Name of the City | No. of Universities |
Msida | 1 |
Paola | 1 |
Valletta | 1 |
Kalkara | 1 |
Victoria | 1 |
Floriana | 1 |
Tuition fees for international students (from outside the European Economic Area) in Malta are fairly high, with the lowest tuition fees (for undergraduate degrees in Arts) being 8,500 Euros per year, and the highest fees exceeding 15,000 Euros per year. A few scholarships are available, but entry to these is competitive and based on academic excellence. The highest tuition fees are usually associated with postgraduate courses in Medical Studies, Dentistry, and Business Administration. Unlike in many Western European countries, the Government of Malta does not subsidize tuition fees for international students.
Low-cost student housing options exist in shared dormitory-style apartments; the rent for these is between 300 and 500 Euros per month. Private accommodation is less costly than in France or Spain, with the highest monthly rents seldom exceeding 800 Euros per month. Other living costs include food (200 to 300 Euros per month), transport, shopping, study materials, and recreation. Overall, the monthly budget for living costs adds up to approximately 800-1000 Euros.
There are also one-time costs to be borne when the student reaches Malta for the first time, including Residence Permit fees, purchasing a health insurance policy valid in the country, and a housing deposit (usually equal to one month’s rent). These usually add up to 500 Euros.
Students from outside the European Union who have an offer of admission from a Maltese Institution of Higher Education to study in the country for a period of more than three months require a long-term student visa to enter the country. This is also known as the Malta National D Type Visa.
Within two weeks of arriving in the country, international students should travel to the nearest Immigration Office for verification of their original documents. At this time, they can pay the fee to obtain their Residence Permit. With this, they can apply for part-time jobs, and travel freely within Malta and the European mainland. A Residence Permit is also required while changing accommodations.