In Malaysia, there are a variety of reasons why the country draws around 80,000 international students yearly in recent times. Many quality institutes of higher education have set up campuses in Malaysia. And this has attracted many foreign students to further their design studies there.

Living life overseas as an international student is an unforgettable experience. Often, students make a lot of new friends during their time away from home. The more adventurous ones may have seen professional working conditions for themselves – usually through course-related internships or volunteer assignments. And of course, everyone learns to enjoy Malaysian lifestyle and culture.

Affordable lifestyle and education

One of the biggest perks to living in Malaysia is education at affordable rates. Living comfortably in Malaysia is not expensive either. In the World Cost of Living Rankings 2010/2011, Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur – KL, ranks 138 out of 214 countries. This means that it is one of the most affordable cities in Asia Pacific. Kuala Lumpur is the ideal place for first-time students who want to explore living overseas in Asia.

Lifestyle aside, Malaysia is also capable of providing quality education. Design students can gain exposure from various competitions. And also have the chance to work with international design-related companies during their holidays or internships.

With Malaysia’s variety of international schools, there is sure to be one suitable for you. The best schools usually offer a few business modules to complement your design knowledge. So look out for them.

Want to study design in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but have no idea what courses to take yet? Consider these three popular courses:

1) Fashion Design

Take this course if you:
– Want to bring to life your own fashion collection.
– Want to develop your talent in setting fashion trends.
– Have an eye for fabric quality, cutting, and finishing.
– Like to use your creativity to make people look fabulous with what they wear.

Pick a school that will teach you fashion theory, sewing applications, trend spotting, pattern-making, and designing with digital software.

Opportunities after graduation:

Malaysia has many affordable apparel manufacturers. So this is the perfect place to study if you want to set up a boutique right after graduation. While studying, you can build your contact list of suppliers.

If you plan on working for someone else, there are many international fashion companies you can join too!

2) Graphic Design

Take this course if you:
– Want a versatile design degree that allows you to switch genres easily.
– Like playing with colors, textures, images and typefaces to create art.
– Like being hands-on with various computer design software.
– Have a critical eye for visual arts and want to perfect your craft.

Pick a school that teaches you digital illustration, rendering, design theory, and 3D techniques.

Opportunities after graduation:

Aim for a 4as agency in Malaysia if you could. Working for one will look good on your resume. And it will also increase your future employability. If advertising or branding is not your cup of tea, you can choose to go into fields like book publishing, magazines, or packaging design.

3) Interior Design

Take this course if you:
– Like decorating homes.
– Like conceptualizing furnishings for public places.
– Want to have detailed knowledge on various material properties.
– Want to know how to custom-make your own cool furniture pieces.
Pick a school that teaches you drawing in 2D and 3D software, building technology and construction, interior design theory, and designing interiors for places like homes, shops or offices.

Opportunities after graduation:

Land space is widely available and affordable in Malaysia. Clients of interior designers can include home owners, company bosses, and even government bodies who want to set up new spaces.

Hopefully, these are all good reasons enough for you to consider Malaysia as your next study abroad destination.

Author Bio: Donald Pang is the International Admissions Director of Raffles Education Corporation. Study design abroad at Raffles International College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Raffles Education Corporation is a network of international design colleges with 38 schools located in 13 other countries across the Asia Pacific region.

Category: Education
Keywords: graphic designer courses,fashion designer courses,interior designer courses,raffles design institute