Kuching has two private universities that award their own degrees, Swinburne Sarawak and UCSI’s Sarawak campus, plus i-CATS, which the Ministry of Higher Education upgraded from university college to full university in October 2026. Every other private institution in the city is a college teaching someone else’s qualification: SEGi, Sunway College Kuching and Limkokwing Borneo, whose status I could not confirm. Curtin and UTS, the two names that crowd this search, are in Miri and Sibu.
I have lived in Kuching since 2016, but I never studied at any of these places. The fees below come from each institution’s published schedule or course listing, checked on 1 November 2026, and the campus detail from what students keep repeating.
University or College? How Malaysia Labels Them
Malaysia sorts private institutions by what they may award. A university or university college holds a Ministry of Higher Education licence to confer its own degrees; a college teaches diplomas, professional qualifications such as ACCA, or a partner university’s degree. Here “university” means the first group and “college” the second.
Every programme should appear on the Malaysian Qualifications Register at www2.mqa.gov.my/mqr, and a new programme sits on the provisional list at www2.mqa.gov.my/pasp until its first cohort reaches final year. Search by programme name, not institution, because a college can be listed while the one degree you want is missing.
How Do Kuching’s Private Universities and Colleges Compare?
Five institutions teach inside Kuching; the two below the divider, Curtin and UTS, are the Sarawak names that fill the rest of the search. Public options such as UNIMAS are left out, and which Kuching universities are public is sorted in the overview. “M” is the Malaysian rate, “I” the international rate; Swinburne and Curtin fees are yearly, the rest are course totals.
| Institution | Type | Owner | Campus | Main programmes | Popular degree fee (M / I) | Intakes | One minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swinburne Sarawak | University | Swinburne, Melbourne | Jalan Simpang Tiga | Engineering, computing, business, design | RM29,000 to 31,000 / RM37,000 to 41,000 | March, September | Parking, fees rising yearly |
| UCSI Sarawak | University | UCSI, Kuala Lumpur | The Isthmus | Hospitality, business, foundation | About RM51,000 to 54,000 (listing) | Three to four a year | Smallest degree list |
| i-CATS | University since October 2026 | Sarawak government | Jalan Stampin Timur | Technology, business, tourism | Not published for 2026 | Not confirmed | Short list, new status |
| SEGi College Sarawak | College | SEGi group | Jalan Bukit Mata | Greenwich degrees, law, diplomas | About RM41,000 (listing) | January, May or June, September | Another university’s degree |
| Sunway College Kuching | College | Sunway Education | Jalan Tun Jugah | ACCA, diplomas | On request | Three a year | No degrees |
| Outside Kuching | |||||||
| Curtin Malaysia | University | Curtin (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd | Miri | Engineering, commerce | RM27,300 / RM38,200 | February, July, October | About 800 km by road |
| UTS | University | Yayasan Sarawak | Sibu | Engineering, built environment | About RM24,000 to 36,000 (Sarawakian) | February, September | Five to six hours’ drive |
What Are the Two Established Private Universities in Kuching?
Swinburne and UCSI have taught degrees in the city for years, and Swinburne is the larger and dearer, UCSI the smaller and more specialised. i-CATS, the third university in the city, gets its own section below because it is state-owned and its status is weeks old.
Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus
Swinburne Sarawak has taught on Jalan Simpang Tiga, about ten minutes from the centre, since 2000. Its graduates receive the same Australian degree scroll as Melbourne, and the scroll does not name the Sarawak campus. Its 2026 undergraduate schedule runs from RM28,320 a year (quantity surveying) to RM41,000 (science) for Malaysians and RM34,040 to RM52,360 for international students. Business and computer science sit at RM28,960 to RM31,120 (M) and RM36,680 to RM40,560 (I), design at RM38,600 (M) and RM48,160 (I), and engineering at RM37,720 to RM40,640 (M) and RM49,880 to RM51,520 (I) (Swinburne 2026 tuition fees, published 19 November 2025). The fees page now shows 2027 indicative figures, about RM29,840 (business) to RM43,800 (science) for Malaysians, so a 2027 applicant should expect a rise (checked 1 November 2026). Intakes are March and September.
The one-year foundation costs RM21,040 in total for Malaysians and RM29,040 for international students, and pathways into engineering, business, design and IT depend on the strand. Engineering entry needs advanced mathematics plus physics or chemistry, which decides whether a school leaver goes straight to a degree or through the foundation first.
Parking is the complaint students repeat most: the car park fills early, double parking is routine and cars left on the road risk fines. The second is the price curve. Students who left mid-degree say the yearly increase outran their study loan, so the 2026 figure is a starting point, not the cost of year three. The third is teaching, a mixed bag: praise for the business and computing lecturers and the labs, and recent complaints about tutors whose English is hard to follow and slow replies from staff.
The hostel holds 478 students and prioritises full-time international and outstation students, so a Kuching student should not plan on a room.
UCSI University Sarawak Campus
UCSI’s Sarawak campus is a branch of UCSI University in Kuala Lumpur. It has stood in the UCSI Hotel precinct at the Isthmus, near the Borneo Convention Centre, since it left Jalan Tun Jugah in 2016. It has just over 500 students, who study Hospitality and Management, Business and Information Science, or a pre-university course, and the hospitality students train in the on-site hotel.
UCSI’s own 2026 fee sheet was not available to me, so these are course-listing figures: roughly RM17,000 to RM22,000 for a foundation or diploma and RM51,000 to RM54,000 for a degree, as totals, not yearly fees. A UCSI University Trust scholarship of up to 100 percent of tuition is advertised for most programmes. Ask the campus office for the current schedule and whether a figure is the Malaysian or international rate.
Alumni of the Sarawak campus describe lecturers who help if you ask, facilities that are acceptable but dated, and openings to enter international competitions. Its accommodation is furnished single and twin rooms in off-campus hostels in a commercial setting. Its degree list is the smallest of the three, so a student who wants engineering or computing is in the wrong building. Its Kuching foundation can lead to engineering, medicine or architecture degrees, but those are taught at UCSI’s campuses in Kuala Lumpur and Seremban, which means leaving the city after year one.
i-CATS: The State-Owned One That Just Became a University
i-CATS on Jalan Stampin Timur i-CATS began as Kolej Teknologi PPKS in 2002, became a university college, and received full university status at a ceremony in the Sarawak legislative assembly on 20 October 2026 (Bernama). The Premier is still to announce the new name, so I use i-CATS throughout.
The campus sits on the former Inti College Sarawak site. A RM400 million campus is planned in phases at Trombol, Matang, with Stampin kept as a city campus. About 30 programmes run today: two foundation, ten diploma, seven bachelor’s, six master’s and five PhD, with bachelor’s in business administration, software engineering, agrotechnology and tourism and hospitality, and two aircraft maintenance degrees slated for September. i-CATS has not published a 2026 fee schedule online, and the last public one took effect on 1 January 2024. Ask the office for a current figure (082-570 888, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, closed weekends, checked October 2026). i-CATS is one of the four free-tuition institutions, with 464 scheme students by 30 September 2026. The minus is a short degree list and a name that probably means little outside Sarawak. With the status only weeks old, programme approvals are still catching up.
Which Colleges in Kuching Teach Another Body’s Qualification?
Three colleges turn up in searches, and only two can be confirmed as taking students.
SEGi College Sarawak
SEGi College Sarawak, on Jalan Bukit Mata, teaches University of Greenwich degrees on a 3+0 basis: all three years are studied in Kuching and Greenwich awards the degree. It also offers a Bachelor of Psychology with SEGi University, a University of London LLB, diplomas from early childhood to law, and a Foundation in Business. Its listing prices put the foundation at RM13,575, Greenwich degrees near RM40,700, psychology at RM42,950 and diplomas at RM30,800 to RM31,950, with a 20 percent rebate for UEC, A-Level or STPM entrants (SEGi Sarawak). The degree belongs to another university, so check the exact award on the MQR and ask how many lecturers are full-time.
Sunway College Kuching
Sunway College Kuching occupies the first floor of Song Plaza on Jalan Tun Jugah, opposite CityOne, and teaches the ACCA Qualification, accounting and business diplomas, a Foundation in Arts and an SKM Level 3 course. It has been an ACCA Platinum Approved Learning Partner since 2010, which is where its reputation sits, though recent students complain of missing lectures and thin support. It publishes no fees (Sunway College Kuching, 082-451221), so ask for the diploma and ACCA prices. It teaches no degrees, so a student who wants a bachelor’s must transfer.
Limkokwing Borneo: Status Unconfirmed
Limkokwing Borneo is the one name I would not pay anything to without a phone call. Listings disagree on its address, the newest student review is about six years old, the parent group’s site names no Borneo campus, and I found no intake or graduation notice from 2024 to 2026. The campus may no longer take students, so search the programme on the MQR and phone 082-248 266.
Which Private Universities in Sarawak Are Not in Kuching?
Curtin and UTS, the private universities that appear in nearly every Sarawak search, are a flight or a long drive from the city, and both sit on the state’s free-tuition list. Riam Institute of Technology in Miri turns up in the same results but is a diploma, SKM and A-Level college, not a university.
Curtin University Malaysia (Miri)
Curtin Malaysia is owned and managed by Curtin (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd at Senadin in Miri, about 800 km from Kuching by road and a one-hour flight. Its 2026 indicative annual fees are RM27,300 (local) and RM38,200 (international) for the Bachelor of Commerce, RM36,300 and RM51,100 for the Bachelor of Engineering, and RM20,800 and RM29,700 for the foundation (Curtin course fees, checked 1 November 2026). Its free-tuition list has 20 programmes, including seven engineering degrees and applied geology. Intakes are February and July, with an October intake promoted for 2026.
Students agree the campus is isolated: a car is close to compulsory for reaching Miri town. The community on campus is tight, but the recurring complaint is slow replies from the housing office. The minus for a Kuching family is distance, because distance means paying for flights and often a second household.
University of Technology Sarawak (Sibu)
UTS has been wholly owned by Yayasan Sarawak since January 2021 and became a full university on 10 November 2021. It had 5,003 students in September 2025. Its main campus is at Sungai Merah in Sibu, and its schools include Built Environment, Engineering and Technology, and Business and Management. Its Sarawakian bachelor’s fees in engineering, quantity surveying and marketing are quoted at about RM24,000 to RM36,000 in total, with a higher structure for non-Sarawakians (UTS). Its intakes are February and September, and a UTS bursary covers up to 80 percent of tuition for Sarawakian B40 and M40 students outside the free-tuition scheme.
The campus gets praise. Its on-campus hostel is described as better than the off-campus options, although the internet struggles at peak times, and eateries are a 10 to 15 minute walk away at Unicity. Recent complaints concern management communication and lecturers leaving. Sibu is a five to six hour drive or a 40-minute flight from Kuching, and the degree list leans technical.
Free Tuition, Scholarships and What the Sticker Price Hides
The Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) pays full tuition for eligible Sarawakians on 64 approved undergraduate courses at four state-linked institutions: UTS, Curtin Malaysia, Swinburne Sarawak and i-CATS. It began in 2026, and 6,246 students had accepted a place by 30 September 2026: 2,802 at Swinburne, 2,031 at UTS, 949 at Curtin and 464 at i-CATS (The Star, 19 October 2026). Curtin’s published conditions are Anak Sarawak status, a first bachelor’s degree, full-time study and no other scholarship or loan. A RM15,000 yearly stipend goes to households at or below RM1,500 per person a month, and extra fees and repeated units are not covered (Curtin FTES page, information current 8 January 2026).
UNIMAS and UiTM sit outside the scheme, and the state has said it has no plans to extend it to federal universities, so a family that misses out looks at how a UNIMAS place works instead or pays the private fees above.
The sticker price leaves out more than families expect. A 6 percent service tax applies to international students’ fees from 1 July 2025 (Curtin), though institutions began collecting it on different dates. Books and accommodation sit outside the tuition figures, and international students add insurance, a hospitalisation deposit, registration and visa stamping. Rent and food come on top, which is why what a month of Kuching living costs belongs in the same spreadsheet as the fee.
What Should International Students Know?
International students need a Student Pass through the Education Malaysia Global Services portal at visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my. A new application costs RM1,080 to RM1,728 depending on the institution type, with a separate RM60 Student Pass fee (EMGS fee calculator), and approval takes four to eight weeks, so apply before booking flights. Each institution sets its own English requirement, and Swinburne runs a 10-week English course for overseas students at RM3,950 per level in 2026. Students travelling with a spouse should check the dependent rules first, and the dependent spouse visa routes are laid out separately.
Hostels vary by campus: Swinburne’s hostel favours international and outstation students, UCSI uses off-campus hostels, and Curtin and UTS have on-campus housing.
Do You Need a Car to Study in Kuching?
Nearly every student account of Swinburne ends at the same point: a car. Most classmates drive, so students without one are told to take a hostel room if one is free or rent within walking distance. The Simpang Tiga and Stampin belt south of the centre puts Swinburne, i-CATS and Sunway College within about two kilometres of each other, which makes which side of town suits your commute an easy question for three of them.
I drive everywhere in Kuching and have never ridden a city bus, so I cannot rate the service from experience. A Sarawak Tribune student column describes a wait of 40 minutes to an hour for the next K10 bus between Kota Samarahan and the city after missing one, which shows how thin the bus timetable gets once you leave the centre.
Which One, Then?
A Sarawakian with FTES should choose by course, not campus: Swinburne for engineering, computing and design in Kuching, Curtin for engineering and applied geology in Miri, UTS for built environment in Sibu, and i-CATS only if the exact degree is on its approved list. The public universities across Sarawak are the subsidised route for anyone outside the scheme.
A Malaysian from outside Sarawak pays the full local rate, roughly RM28,000 to RM41,000 a year at Swinburne and RM27,000 to RM36,000 at Curtin, so the choice comes down to Kuching or Miri for three years. An international student has more to weigh, since Swinburne’s business and computer science degrees sit near RM37,000 to RM41,000 a year and Curtin’s commerce degree at RM38,200, and Swinburne’s course list and facilities are worth reading before applying.
The narrow degree list outlasts all of that. Outside engineering, business, computing, design and hospitality, Kuching’s private sector thins out fast: I could not find a private medicine degree taught inside the city, pharmacy and architecture appear only as thin or dated listings that need checking against the MQA register, and the one law route is SEGi’s University of London LLB, which is another university’s degree. FTES does not change that, because it funds a fixed list of courses at four institutions. A Kuching family wanting medicine or pharmacy will be booking a flight whichever offer letter arrives.