UNITAR International University

About UNITAR International University

UNITAR International University, branded UNITAR for short, is a Malaysian private university headquartered at Tierra Crest, Jalan SS6/3, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. The main campus occupies a 15-storey building of around 280,000 square feet in the central Kelana Jaya commercial district, served by the LRT Kelana Jaya line and a short drive from the LDP and NKVE. The institutional website is unitar.my. Around 8,000 students study at UNITAR nationwide, spread across the main campus, the UNITAR University College Kuala Lumpur (UUCKL) at Wisma Hong Leong on Jalan Perak, eight regional centres, and two resource centres serving northern Malaysia.

The institution was founded in 1997 as Southeast Asia’s first virtual university under the original UNITAR brand. After two decades of restructuring, the current UNITAR International University identity was adopted on 18 October 2012, following the acquisition of the institution by Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (EKUINAS), a Government of Malaysia-linked private equity firm. The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer is Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ir Dr Sahol Hamid bin Abu Bakar, the former UiTM Vice-Chancellor, while the CEO of UNITAR Education Group is Dato’ Puvan Balachandran. UNITAR runs 60 academic programmes from Foundation through Doctorate level, with 82 programme entries on the Malaysian Qualifications Agency register once individual specialisations are counted separately.

UNITAR sits in a distinctive niche. It is not a research university and does not appear in the QS World University Rankings. Its prestige play is the QS 5-Star Rating for Online Learning, awarded as the first institution in Asia to receive that rating, and its operational play is geographic reach. Eight regional university centres in Alor Setar, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuching, and Melaka serve working adults and rural school-leavers who cannot relocate to the Klang Valley. Combined with the UNIEC Virtual fully online track, this footprint is broader than most peers in the national directory of private universities in Malaysia. UNITAR holds Berdaya Maju (Viable) status under the current SETARA framework, the lower of the two main bands, and graduate employability stands at 76 percent according to the most recent MOHE Tracer Study, a useful sector-comparable figure even if internal marketing collateral sometimes cites a higher 98 percent number from a different sample.

EKUINAS Ownership and the UMTECH-to-UNITAR Rebrand

The corporate history of UNITAR International University runs across three distinct eras and is worth tracing carefully because online sources frequently confuse the timeline. The wider UNITAR Education Group was founded in 1991 as UNITAR College, a private college operator. In 1997, the group launched the virtual university model under the UNITAR brand, becoming Southeast Asia’s first virtual university and predating Open University Malaysia by five years. That virtual university operated for over a decade before the current legal entity was formed.

In 2011, the operations were spun out of UNIRAZAK’s Pintar Campus in Petaling Jaya and constituted as a separate university entity under the name University of Management and Technology, abbreviated UMTECH. The UMTECH identity lasted only about eighteen months. On 22 May 2012, Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (EKUINAS), a Government of Malaysia-owned private equity company, acquired the majority stake in the institution through its acquisition vehicle Nilam Suria Sdn Bhd, alongside a small group of private investors. On 18 October 2012, EKUINAS rebranded UMTECH as UNITAR International University, the name still in use today. The corporate registered name remains tied to Nilam Suria Sdn Bhd in EKUINAS portfolio disclosures.

EKUINAS ownership matters for prospective students for two reasons. EKUINAS is a sovereign-linked investor with a stated mandate to develop Bumiputera-owned enterprises and create jobs in Malaysia, which shapes UNITAR’s pricing strategy toward affordability and its scholarship architecture toward B40 and M40 households. The EKUINAS investment horizon is patient capital rather than short-term private equity flipping, which has allowed UNITAR to invest in regional centres and online platforms without quarterly pressure on tuition revenue. EKUINAS ownership is sometimes confused online with KUOK Group, Khazanah Nasional, or Sapura connections, none of which apply.

The word International in UNITAR International University refers to the curriculum mix, the QS Online Learning recognition, and the aspiration to attract students from neighbouring ASEAN markets, rather than to a high international student headcount on campus. The vast majority of UNITAR’s roughly 8,000 students are Malaysian, and the regional centre network reaches small towns rather than international hubs. Students choosing between UNITAR and a more demographically international option such as INTI International University should weigh that distinction against fees and delivery model.

Programs at UNITAR

UNITAR International University runs 60 academic programmes across four faculties plus the UNITAR Graduate School, with 82 programme entries on the MQA register once specialisations are counted. The active mix breaks down into 6 Foundation programmes, 23 Diplomas, 32 Bachelor’s degrees, 16 Master’s programmes, and 5 Doctorates. Programmes are delivered through the UNIEC framework in three modes: residential face-to-face at the Kelana Jaya main campus, fully online via UNIEC Virtual, or blended UNIEC Profiling pathways. Most programmes are available in all three modes, giving working adults a wider choice than at conventional residential universities.

The Faculty of Business runs the largest programme cluster, covering Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Accounting, Bachelor of Finance, Bachelor of Management, Bachelor of Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Tourism Management, and Bachelor of Logistics Management. Postgraduate options include the MBA, MBA in Leadership, Master of Management, Master of Science in Hospitality Management, Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), PhD in Business Administration, and PhD in Management. The faculty also runs Diplomas in Accounting, Business Administration, Hotel Management, Logistics, Tourism, Culinary Arts, and Pastry Arts, with Foundation in Commerce and Foundation in Management as feeder programmes.

The Faculty of Education and Humanities anchors UNITAR’s education credentials and is one of the largest providers of Bachelor of Education (Honours) in TESL, Counselling, and Early Childhood Education in the private sector. The Master of Education runs in five specialisations including TESL, Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Psychology, and Counselling. The PhD in Education caps the cluster, with the Postgraduate Diploma in Education feeding teacher upskilling. The Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Diploma in Psychology are popular feeder programmes for in-service educators.

The Faculty of AI and Frontier Technology, formerly the School of Information Technology, reflects UNITAR’s pivot toward digital workforce demand. The Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Software Engineering, Bachelor of Computer Security, and Bachelor of Information Technology cover undergraduate study. The Master of Information Technology and Master of Computer Science cover postgraduate study, capped by the PhD in Information Technology. The faculty also runs Diplomas in IT and Computer Science, with Foundation in IT as a feeder. The renaming to AI and Frontier Technology in 2025 reflects the addition of AI engineering, machine learning, and frontier security electives across the existing programmes.

The School of Media, Art and Design, branded SMArD, is UNITAR’s creative cluster and one of its strongest niche differentiators. SMArD runs Bachelor of Animation Design, Bachelor of Game Art, Bachelor of Fashion Design with Marketing, Bachelor of Interior Design, and Bachelor of Graphic Design, plus the Diploma in Animation, Diploma in Fashion Design, Diploma in Interior Design, and Diploma in Children Performing Arts. The cluster runs full studio facilities at Tierra Crest and partners with industry studios for portfolio reviews. The UNITAR Graduate School coordinates postgraduate enrolment and supervision across all four faculties, including the DBA, PhD in IT, PhD in Education, PhD in Business Administration, and PhD in Management.

Fees at UNITAR

UNITAR fee structures are quoted as full-programme totals for the conventional residential pathway, with separate online rates for the UNIEC Virtual track. The figures below reflect 2026 published rates and apply to Malaysian students, with international fees varying slightly upward and EPF withdrawal eligibility confirmed for Master’s and Doctoral programmes.

Programme Level	Fee (RM, full programme)
Foundation in Arts	from 7,125
Foundation in Management	8,340
Foundation (online)	up to 11,050
Diploma (Psychology, Early Childhood Education)	from 20,960
Diploma (other)	up to 32,400
Bachelor (residential)	40,500 to 60,600
Bachelor of Education (Honours)	43,020
Bachelor (online)	from 41,400
Master (MBA, MEd specialisations)	15,100 to 24,600
PhD and Professional Doctorate	30,140 to 40,950

Foundation tuition starts at RM 7,125 for Foundation in Arts and runs up to RM 11,050 for fully online Foundation tracks, with Foundation in Management at RM 8,340. Diploma tuition starts at RM 20,960 for Diploma in Psychology and Diploma in Early Childhood Education, rising toward RM 32,400 for studio-heavy programmes such as Diploma in Animation and Diploma in Interior Design. Bachelor’s degrees range from RM 40,500 for standard Business and IT programmes through RM 43,020 for Bachelor of Education (Honours) up to RM 60,600 for studio-intensive SMArD programmes including Bachelor of Animation Design and Bachelor of Game Art. Online Bachelor’s tracks save around RM 1,500 to RM 3,000 across most programmes.

Master’s tuition ranges from RM 15,100 for the standard MBA up to RM 24,600 for specialised MEd tracks and the MSc in Hospitality Management. The MBA is among the more affordable in the Klang Valley private university market, sitting below comparable residential MBAs at INTI International University and well below the Sunway University MBA. Doctoral tuition ranges from RM 30,140 for the standard PhD pathway up to RM 40,950 for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), with the PhD in Education, PhD in Information Technology, PhD in Business Administration, and PhD in Management priced inside the same band.

UNITAR scholarship architecture is built around the EKUINAS social mandate. The I-Future Scholarship gives up to 100 percent fee waiver for Foundation and Diploma students with a minimum of 1A in SPM or IGCSE, with auto-approval for Malaysian applicants. The tiered SPM scheme runs at 7A for 100 percent waiver, 4A for 20 percent, and 1A for 10 percent. The B40 Special Bursary awards RM 8,610 for Bachelor’s and RM 4,630 for Diploma applicants from low-income households. The M40 Online Rebate adds RM 3,000 for middle-income online learners. Sports Scholarships of up to 100 percent are available for national-level athletes. PTPTN financing covers up to 100 percent of Bachelor’s tuition for eligible Malaysian students.

UNIEC Blended Learning Framework at UNITAR

The UNIEC framework, short for UNITAR Education Core, is the academic delivery model that distinguishes UNITAR from both pure residential universities and pure ODL providers like Open University Malaysia. UNIEC is a three-track blended learning framework: UNIEC Face for face-to-face residential classes at the Kelana Jaya main campus or a regional centre, UNIEC Virtual for fully online study via the institutional learning platform, and UNIEC Profiling for customised pathways that combine residential, online, and credit transfer components based on the learner’s prior experience and work commitments.

The framework reflects UNITAR’s heritage as Southeast Asia’s first virtual university. When the institution launched in 1997, online learning was largely text-based with email tutor support. The current UNIEC Virtual platform is a full Learning Management System with recorded video lectures, live online tutorials, mobile-friendly content, and integrated assessment. Most UNIEC Virtual programmes follow the same syllabus and award the same scroll as the residential equivalent, with the only practical difference being the delivery mode and a typical RM 1,500 to RM 3,000 fee saving. End-of-semester examinations for online programmes are sat in person at the nearest regional centre or main campus, mirroring the model used by Open University Malaysia (OUM).

UNIEC Profiling is the most distinctive of the three tracks. It allows working adults with prior diploma or work experience to enter degree programmes through APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning) and to mix residential and online study across semesters based on their schedule. A learner might attend Saturday face-to-face seminars during a slow period at work and switch to fully online study during a busy quarter, then return to face-to-face for the final semester. This flexibility is rare among Malaysian private universities and is one of the operational reasons UNITAR continues to attract working professionals across the country.

For school-leavers and full-time residential students, the UNIEC Face track at the Kelana Jaya main campus delivers a conventional residential university experience. Classes run Monday through Friday at Tierra Crest, with the standard mix of lectures, tutorials, lab sessions for IT and SMArD students, and on-campus assessment. The 280,000 square foot 15-storey building houses lecture halls, computer laboratories, design studios, a library, food and beverage outlets, and student services. Compared with a sprawling parkland residential campus, the Tierra Crest footprint is compact and urban, closer to a city-centre university than a suburban one.

UNITAR Regional Centres Across Malaysia

The regional centre network is the second feature that separates UNITAR from peer private universities. Eight regional centres operate across Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia: Alor Setar (Kedah), Ipoh (Perak), Johor Bahru (Johor), Kota Bharu (Kelantan), Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), Kuching (Sarawak), and Melaka. Two resource centres in Sungai Petani and Butterworth extend coverage in the northern Peninsular corridor, and UNITAR University College Kuala Lumpur (UUCKL) at Wisma Hong Leong, 18 Jalan Perak, 50450 Kuala Lumpur operates as a separate UUCKL campus distinct from the main UNITAR campus.

The regional centre operating model is built around the UNIEC Profiling pathway. Each centre runs Saturday and Sunday face-to-face seminars for working adults enrolled in UNIEC Profiling or UNIEC Virtual programmes, with weekday administrative coverage for student services, library access, and computer lab use. End-of-semester examinations for online learners across the region are sat at the nearest centre, removing the cost of travelling to the Kelana Jaya main campus. Selected centres also run conventional weekday residential programmes for school-leavers, particularly in Johor Bahru and Kuching.

For students in East Malaysia, the regional centres in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching are particularly important because residential private university coverage in Sabah and Sarawak is thinner than in the Klang Valley. A learner in interior Sabah can enrol in a UNITAR Bachelor of Business Administration via UNIEC Virtual and attend weekend seminars at Kota Kinabalu rather than relocating to Selangor. The same model applies to learners in Sarawak attending Kuching, the east coast attending Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu, and the northern corridor attending Alor Setar or Ipoh.

UUCKL is a related but distinct entity. UNITAR University College Kuala Lumpur was originally founded in 2006 as KLMUC (Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College) and rebranded under the UNITAR Education Group umbrella. UUCKL operates from Wisma Hong Leong on Jalan Perak and runs its own programmes under university college status, separate from the main UNITAR International University campus. Prospective students should confirm whether their target programme is offered at Tierra Crest, at a regional centre, or at UUCKL, because the awarding entity differs.

Admissions at UNITAR

UNITAR International University runs six intakes per year: January, March, May, July, September, and October, with special intakes available for selected programmes including the MBA and PhD pathways. The frequent intake calendar is unusual in the Malaysian private university sector and reflects UNITAR’s working-adult focus, where waiting six months for the next September intake is often impractical. Applications are accepted online through unitar.my, by walk-in to the Tierra Crest main campus or any regional centre, and through authorised education agents.

Foundation programme entry requires a minimum of 5 SPM credits including English, with specific subject credits for IT, Business, and Management foundations. Diploma entry requires 3 SPM credits or equivalent SKM Level 3 in a relevant field. Bachelor’s degree entry requires STPM with at least 2 principal passes, A-Levels with 2 passes, UEC with 5B grades, a UNITAR Foundation pass, or a relevant Diploma with the prescribed CGPA. APEL.A entry is available for adults aged 21 and above without conventional academic certificates, with a portfolio of work experience assessed by the institution. The full APEL framework is recognised across the Faculty of Business, Faculty of Education and Humanities, and Faculty of AI and Frontier Technology.

Master’s entry typically requires a Bachelor’s degree with CGPA 2.50 or above, with conditional entry for Bachelor’s holders below CGPA 2.50 with relevant work experience. The MBA accepts Bachelor’s holders from any discipline, with two years of work experience preferred but not mandatory. PhD and DBA entry requires a Master’s degree with research training, plus a research proposal and supervisor identification. International applicants from non-English-medium institutions need IELTS 5.5 (6.0 for Education programmes) or equivalent.

The fastest path through UNITAR for school-leavers is Foundation followed by Bachelor’s, taking four years from SPM to scroll. Diploma holders enter directly into Year 2 of a Bachelor’s via credit transfer, typically saving twelve months. Working adults can enter via APEL.A without SPM provided the work experience portfolio meets MQA criteria. PTPTN financing applications are processed through the UNITAR Bursary Office for eligible Malaysian students, with most full-time Bachelor’s tuition covered.

UNITAR in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya

The main UNITAR International University campus is at Tierra Crest, Jalan SS6/3, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, in the heart of the Kelana Jaya commercial district. The 15-storey building of around 280,000 square feet is one of the more compact university campuses in the Klang Valley, designed as a vertical urban campus rather than a sprawling parkland site. Within Petaling Jaya, the Kelana Jaya area is a major commercial hub, home to Paradigm Mall, Kelana Jaya LRT station, and a dense cluster of corporate offices including those that employ many UNITAR adult learners.

Transport access is one of the campus’s strongest attributes for working adults and online learners visiting for examinations. The Kelana Jaya LRT terminus on the Kelana Jaya Line is a short walk from Tierra Crest, giving direct rail access to KL Sentral, KLCC, and the Bandar Tun Razak corridor. Road access is via the LDP (Damansara-Puchong Expressway), the NKVE, and the Sprint Highway, with multiple car park options inside Tierra Crest and at adjacent commercial buildings. The location is central enough to draw working adults from across the Klang Valley for evening and Saturday classes without the parking constraints of a Bukit Bintang or Bangsar address.

For prospective students choosing between UNITAR and other Selangor-based private universities, the Kelana Jaya location places UNITAR in the same catchment as Sunway, Subang Jaya, and Damansara. Students prioritising a residential parkland campus with extensive sports facilities should evaluate Sunway University in Bandar Sunway. Students prioritising flexible delivery for working adults will find UNITAR competitive against Open University Malaysia (OUM), with UNITAR offering more residential face-to-face options through UNIEC Face and OUM offering deeper Learning Centre coverage in smaller towns.

The UNITAR catchment links into a broader cluster of private universities in Selangor that together serve the bulk of Klang Valley higher education demand. The practical takeaway is that UNITAR delivers a teaching-led private university experience at lower cost than the residential mid-tier, with Southeast Asia’s longest-running virtual university heritage, an EKUINAS-backed corporate parent, and the broadest regional centre network of any Malaysian private university. The choice comes down to programme fit, delivery mode preference, and fee tolerance, all of which UNITAR has structured to minimise barriers for Malaysian learners outside the Klang Valley elite.