Malta is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea that welcomes more than one and a half million tourists every year. But if you come to this beautiful country in pursuit of higher education, you won’t be making a mistake either. Being a part of the British Empire for a hundred and fifty years in the past, the country recognizes English as one of its two official languages. The language is spoken by nearly 90 percent of Maltese. As a result, you’ll find a truly English-speaking environment in Maltese universities.
The cost of living in the Southern European country is also significantly lower than in countries like the UK and the US. As for tuition, most Maltese universities charge a lot less than what is charged by universities in those countries. The interesting part about tuition fees at the universities in Malta is that students can apply for a tax refund of up to 70% after graduation if they do get an income in Malta through the “Get Qualified” scheme. This can make the tuition even more affordable for international students since they get their tuition back in the form of tax rebates.
Now, let’s check out a list of cheap universities in Malta below.
Affordable Schools in Malta for International Students
1. Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €4,250/year (Undergraduate and Graduate)
The Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST) is a public higher education institution that offers both vocational and professional education. Founded in 2001, the college is organized into six institutes. Through these institutes, it facilitates 38 bachelor’s programs and 11 master’s programs, in addition to numerous diploma and certificate programs. Its total enrollment stands at about 11,500. The campus is situated in the southeastern Maltese town of Paola.
MCAST has an interesting tuition fee payment where the tuition is not evenly charged across semesters, but different amounts. For example, the institution charges non-EU students a total of €€17,350 over four years of bachelor’s programs, but with different amounts each semester. Do take note of this since it might throw students off.
2. Global College Malta
Established in 2013, Global College Malta (GCM) is a private higher education institution in the SmartCity technology park in Kalkara. Unlike AUM, which follows the American system, GCM follows the British system. The college belongs to the UAE-based Study World Education Holding Group, which operates institutions worldwide. It offers eight bachelor’s programs, five master’s programs, and several diplomas. Some master’s degrees are awarded in partnership with the UK-based University of Chester.
The tuition fee varies by subject and the year that the student is in, but typically for a bachelor’s degree, EU students’ tuition starts from €3,750 per year, while non-EU students’ tuition starts from €4,750 per year (e.g., BA in Management with Psychology). For Master’s, both the EU and non-EU students start with €8,650 per year (e.g., Master of Business Administration).
3. University of Malta
Tracing its origin to the founding of the Collegium Melitense in 1592, the University of Malta (UM) is currently home to about 11,500 students. Of them, around a thousand are international students hailing from 92 different countries. The public university is primarily based in the harbor town of Msida but has satellite campuses in Valletta, Marsaxlokk, and Gozo. Its academic entities include 14 faculties, 18 institutes, 13 centers, and three schools. It ranks among the top 800 universities in the world, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020.
Tuition for non‑EU students varies by program. Some engineering bachelor’s tuition is around €5,400 per year, while many arts/business BAs are around €8,500 per year. Taught master’s typically start around €5,400 per year for MA programs and about €6,700 per year for many MSc programs. Lab‑intensive or specialised fields (e.g., certain science/tech streams) sit toward the higher end, while classroom‑based subjects tend to be cheaper.
4. American University of Malta
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €8,000/year (Undergraduate) | €10,000/year (Master’s) | €8,000/year (Ph.D)
The American University of Malta (AUM) is an American-style liberal arts university established in 2016 in the harbor city of Cospicua. At present, the private university offers 10 undergraduate programs and two graduate programs. The young university has a student population of below 100. This cheap university in Malta is owned by the Jordan-based Sadeen Group, which is primarily known for its ventures in construction, travel, and tourism.
AUM doesn’t charge EU and non-EU students differently. For all students, annual tuition for bachelor’s programs is €8,000 to €9,000, while for master’s programs, the tuition fee is €10,000. The university also offers scholarships in the form of half to full tuition waivers, making the tuition fee even more affordable for international students.
We hope that this article on cheap universities in Malta was helpful! To know more about studying abroad, make sure to check out the Available Programs in Europe for International Students!
