Malta · Master's
University of Malta
MSc Artificial Intelligence
University of Malta
Course Overview
University of Malta's MSc Artificial Intelligence is delivered through the Department of AI within the Faculty of ICT — one of the established standalone AI departments in Europe. The 90-ECTS programme runs over three semesters (18 months) and combines taught modules with a substantial dissertation in semester three. Core modules cover machine learning, deep learning, knowledge representation and reasoning, natural language processing, computer vision, intelligent agents, and AI ethics. Teaching is in English at the Msida campus.
Sri Lankan applicants from CS / SE / IT / Mathematics first-class or upper-second Bachelor's backgrounds (Moratuwa CSE / IT, Colombo UCSC, SLIIT, NSBM, NIBM, IIT) treat this MSc as a route into European AI engineering roles. The Maltese AI / iGaming analytics scene actively hires graduates: Betsson, Tipico, Kindred, LeoVegas, and HSBC Malta's model-validation teams. The 6-month post-study residence permit plus the EU Blue Card threshold (~€26,000/yr in 2025 — among the lowest in the EU) makes Malta a realistic long-term EU pathway. Returnees route into senior ML / data science / AI engineering roles at WSO2, IFS R&D, Virtusa, MillenniumIT, Sysco LABS, and Big Four advisory practices.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a closely related quantitative discipline at Sri Lankan first / upper-second class equivalent.
- check_circle Strong programming foundations (Python, Java, C++, or similar), discrete mathematics, linear algebra, probability, and statistics.
- check_circle Sri Lankan applicants from Moratuwa (CSE / IT), Colombo UCSC, SLIIT, NSBM, NIBM, IIT, or KDU with relevant transcript content are competitive.
- check_circle Motivation letter (max 1 page), CV, two academic references, and transcripts.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 6.5 Overall (no band below 6.0).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall.
- check_circle Cambridge English: C1 Advanced.
- check_circle Maltese language not required — teaching is 100% in English.
- check_circle Waived if your Bachelor's degree was taught entirely in English (Sri Lankan applicants from English-medium degrees qualify with an MOI letter).
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (€) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year, non-EU) | €13,000 | Rs. 4,485,000 |
| Living Expenses in Msida/Valletta (12 months) | €11,000 | Rs. 3,795,000 |
| Health Insurance, Visa & Residence Permit | €700 | Rs. 241,500 |
| Books, GPU Cloud Compute & Conference Travel | €1,000 | Rs. 345,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | €25,700 | Rs. 8,866,500 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
MSc AI graduates qualify for Malta's 6-month post-study job-search residence permit, with conversion to a Single Permit at a qualifying offer. Malta's EU Blue Card threshold (~€26,000/yr in 2025) is among the lowest in the EU, so qualifying AI / data roles open the Blue Card directly. Major Malta employers: Betsson, Tipico, Kindred, LeoVegas (iGaming ML, fraud detection, risk analytics); HSBC Malta, Bank of Valletta (model validation, AML); growing AI start-ups in St Julian's and Sliema; plus EU-wide remote opportunities. Median starting AI / data graduate salary €30,000-€40,000. Sri Lankan returnees route into senior ML engineering, data science, and AI consulting roles at WSO2, IFS R&D, Virtusa, MillenniumIT, Sysco LABS, Dialog Axiata, and Big Four Colombo advisory teams.
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ඔබට සුදුසු විශ්වවිද්යාලයක් තේරීම, අයදුම්පත් යොමු කිරීම, SOP සකස් කිරීම සහ වීසා ලබා ගැනීම ඇතුළු සෑම පියවරකදීම, ඔබ වෙනුවෙන් සියලුම වගකීම් විශ්වාසවන්තව අප භාර ගනිමු.