Cost of Studying in Malta from Sri Lanka — The EU's cheapest English-medium degree · Updated 2026-05-22
Malta is the cheapest gateway to an EU degree — and English is co-official.
University of Malta non-EU tuition starts at €1,080/year for most Bachelor's programmes — the lowest in the entire EU. Every course is in English. Add 18–22°C year-round weather and 30% lower living costs than Dublin or Amsterdam.
Realistic Year 1 total
LKR 5M – 9M / year
LKR figures use an indicative rate of EUR 1 ≈ LKR 340. Identity Malta requires €11,200/year in proof of funds for the student residence permit.
verified100% free for students. Universities pay us, not you. How?
Consultations are in person only, at any of our three offices · What to expect
Rather see branches first? See our three offices.
schedule Last reviewed:
Where your money actually goes
Forget the headline number for a moment. Studying in Malta has four cost buckets — and three of them are negotiable.
University
Tuition
Negotiable via scholarship choice, university choice and level of study. The biggest single number on the page.
Your control
Living costs
Rent, food, transport. Choosing a smaller city can save the equivalent of a year's tuition over a 3-year degree.
Fixed
One-time pre-departure
Visa, tests, flights, initial deposits. Same for everyone — plan with buffer; don't be surprised.
Government / required
Health & admin
Health insurance, residency cards, mandatory deposits. Not negotiable — but the cheapest provider can save a lot.
What you pay the university
Ranges below cover every Malta institution Lanka Scholar partners with. The lower end is regional / public universities; the upper end is elite institutions. Your tuition is set by where you apply — and how aggressively you target scholarships.
| Study Level | LKR (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's — University of Malta (per year) | LKR 370k – 740k |
| Bachelor's — specialised (medicine, dentistry) | LKR 3.5M – 5.1M |
| Master's — University of Malta (per year) | LKR 1.8M – 3.7M |
| Master's — private licensed providers (per year) | LKR 2.7M – 5.1M |
| PhD positions (per year, if self-funded) | LKR 400k – 1M |
Your single biggest variable
City choice is the lever Sri Lankan families most often underuse. Over a 3-year degree, choosing a smaller city instead of the capital can save the equivalent of a full year's tuition — for the same Malta qualification.
Sliema / St Julian's (expat-heavy)
€900 – €1,200 / month
LKR 305k – 410k / month
Msida (University of Malta campus)
€700 – €900 / month
LKR 240k – 305k / month
Valletta / Mosta / Gozo
€600 – €850 / month
LKR 205k – 290k / month
Smaller villages (Birzebbuga, Marsaxlokk)
€500 – €700 / month
LKR 170k – 240k / month
Before you fly
The costs that hit in the 3 months before departure. Most Sri Lankan families underestimate this stack — plan with buffer.
For the full visa fee breakdown, see our Malta student visa guide .
One-Time Pre-Departure Costs
Four ways to bring the number down
The headline figure is the starting line, not the finish line. Every Sri Lankan student who lands in Malta has pulled at least two of these levers.
University of Malta tuition is genuinely low
Most non-EU Bachelor's at the University of Malta run €1,080–€2,180/year — well below any other EU public university. Master's start at €5,400/year.
savings Saves LKR 3M+ / year vs. Ireland/NetherlandsOff-campus housing in Msida or Gzira
Living near the University of Malta campus (Msida, Gzira) costs 30–40% less than tourist-heavy Sliema or St Julian's. Same bus connections to campus.
savings Saves LKR 500k+ / yeariGaming and finance internships pay well
Malta hosts 300+ iGaming companies and a strong fintech sector. Part-time and internship roles pay €8–€12/hour — well above hospitality.
savings Earns LKR 1.5M+ / yearEU mobility unlocks bigger job markets
Your Maltese degree opens 27 EU country job markets without further visa friction. Sri Lankan graduates routinely move to Germany or Ireland for graduate roles.
savings Adds 27 EU country job marketsWhat this looks like for students like yours
Anonymised budgets from Sri Lankan students we placed in Malta recently. Names changed; figures real.
Iresh — BSc Computer Science, University of Malta
Msida (campus area)
Funding
Self-funded
Year 1 total
LKR 5M (net of part-time work)
Kavinda — MD (Medicine), University of Malta
Msida (Medical campus)
Funding
Self-funded
Year 1 total
LKR 8.5M
Rashmi — Master's in iGaming Management, GIG Malta
St Julian's
Funding
Self-funded
Year 1 total
LKR 7M
How we keep these numbers honest
Four things you should know before you trust this page.
Exchange rate stated
All LKR figures use the rate noted in the hero. Live rates fluctuate; we update this page quarterly. Last verified: 2026-05-22.
Universities pay us — never you
Lanka Scholar earns a commission from universities when you enrol. You pay tuition and fees directly to the institutions. There is no service fee, registration fee, or agent fee from us.
Ranges, not promises
Tuition and living costs vary by university and city. We've given the realistic middle 80% — not the cheapest possible or most expensive.
Consultations at any of our three offices
Rajagiriya head office plus branches in Jaffna and Matara. Every consultation is face to face — book a day and time that suits you.
How scholarships change this math
University of Malta offers internal merit scholarships for international students at 10–50% of tuition. The Malta Government Scholarship Scheme (MGSS) funds postgraduate research for talented international applicants. Erasmus Mundus partnerships include Maltese universities — fully funded for top applicants.
See Malta scholarships open to Sri Lankans arrow_forwardQuestions Sri Lankan families actually ask about Malta costs
Don't see your question? Book a free office visit and ask a Malta counsellor face to face.
-
Is the Maltese MD really an alternative to Sri Lankan medical training? expand_more
Yes — the University of Malta MD is a 5-year EU-recognised medical degree taught entirely in English. Cheaper than UK/Ireland medical schools and articulates into the EU registration system. Strongly competitive admissions. -
Can I work during studies? expand_more
Yes — after the first 90 days of study you can apply for an employment licence from Jobsplus and work up to 20 hours/week. Most students earn €5–€12/hour in hospitality and €8–€12/hour in iGaming. -
How does EU work mobility actually help? expand_more
Your Maltese degree is EU-recognised, which means after graduation you can apply for jobs anywhere in the EU's 27 member states. Many Sri Lankan graduates use Malta as a stepping stone to Germany, Ireland or the Netherlands. -
Is Malta really cheaper than Cyprus or Hungary? expand_more
For English-medium EU degrees, yes — Malta's University of Malta is the lowest-tuition EU public university for non-EU students. Cyprus is comparable but private; Hungary is cheap but limited English-medium options. -
What is the language situation? expand_more
Maltese and English are co-official. Every university course runs in English. 88% of Maltese speak English fluently. Maltese is useful for daily life with older residents but not required.
More on Malta
Study in Malta
Universities, courses, intakes, post-study work — the full destination overview.
Destination Guide arrow_forward verified_userMalta Student Visa Guide
National D Visa + Identity Malta eResidence — eligibility, documents, processing time, fees and how to avoid common rejections.
Visa Guide arrow_forward menu_bookMalta Courses
Filter our curated catalogue by level and field of study — every course shows tuition in LKR.
Browse Courses arrow_forward calculateCost Calculator
Build your own Year-1 budget in LKR — pick a programme and city and see the total instantly.
Calculate Your Budget arrow_forwardMore on Malta costs and funding
Budgeting, proof of funds, scholarships and part-time work realities.
Get your Malta budget worked out, face to face
Book a visit to any of our three offices and bring your results, target intake and rough monthly budget. A Malta counsellor works through it with you — universities you can realistically aim for, scholarships to target, total LKR by month. Free. No commitment.
Book your free office visit event_available- check_circle Free for students — universities pay us, not you
- check_circle Consultations are face to face — no phone or online sessions
- check_circle Rajagiriya, Jaffna or Matara — pick your branch
Book your office visit
verified100% free for students. Universities pay us, not you. How?
Every consultation happens face to face with a counsellor. We don't do phone or online consultations — pick a branch, day and time that suits you.
- location_on Rajagiriya (head office) 8th Floor, Jana Jaya City Mall, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
- location_on Jaffna 158 Hospital Road, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
- location_on Matara No. 474 New Tangalle Road, Matara, Sri Lanka
schedule Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM · Sat: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
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