Study In Brunei | Cost Of Living | Student Visa | Admission Requirements | Tuition Fee | List Of Universities

This guide is exclusively for students who wants to study abroad or domestically but basically are interested to study in Brunei.

Brunei is a very small country in South East Asia located in the island of Borneo. It’s almost completely surrounded by Malaysia on one side and the South Sea of Z China on the other. If you want to study in Brunei there are a few things you have to take note of and I will mention them below.

Study In Brunei | Cost Of Living | Student Visa | Admission Requirements | Tuition Fee | List Of Universities

Students coming to Brunei would be treated to one of the most significant modern Islamic architecture. The Kiarong mosque is an architectural masterpiece with 29 golden domes; 190ft tall intricately designed minarets; and beautiful gardens; a true tourist delight in the capital.

Other fields of study that Brunei provides a unique opportunity for is the study of geology and petroleum engineering since petroleum is the main source of wealth of this country.

Cost of living in Brunei
The currency of Brunei is known as the Brunei Dollar. It is currently exchanged for about 0.72 US dollars. This makes it a strong currency and is a reflection of the high standard of living of the country.

The cost of living in the country is dependent on location and lifestyle. However, the small size of the country makes means there isn’t much disparity in living costs between different locations.

Below are the costs of some important items:

Food in modest restaurant – 5.0 S$
Water – 0.69S$ for 0.33 liter bottle
Coke or Pepsi – 1S$/0.33 liter bottle
Milk – 2.46S$/liter
Bread – 1.66S$/500g
Rice – 1.27S$/kg
Eggs – 1.27S$/dozen
Beef – 17.81S$/kg
Oranges – 3.38S$/kg

Transport

  • Monthly pass – 20.00S$
  • One way ticket – S$1 local transport
  • Taxi – 0.55S$/km

Utilities

  • General – 55.00S$/month
  • Mobile prepaid tariff – 0.19S$/month
  • Internet – 90S$/ month

(Source)

University tuition fees

Though most of the universities in Brunei are government-sponsored, international students still have to pay tuition. The tuition varies from one university to the next. Tuition is also affected by course of study and duration of the study.

For instance, undergraduate degree programs cost between $1,426 and $1,782 (us dollars)/per semester in the Brunei Institute of technology. While Masters programs is about $3,200 in the same school.

The University of Brunei, on the other hand, has a tuition fee of 3000B$/year for arts and humanities programs; 9000B$ for engineering courses; and B$40,000 for dentistry for undergraduates.

The tuition fee is not inclusive of fees for other on-campus accommodation and miscellaneous charges.

Visa

All international students coming to Brunei must obtain a visa that allows them to live and study in Brunei. Visas are obtainable in your country’s embassy or consulate. So it is advisable to seek guidance from local embassies or consulates on how to get a study visa and other related issues.

All international students must submit the following before a study visa is issued

  • A valid passport
  • Proof of sufficient funds for at least one year
  • Admission letters from the chosen universities
  • Certified copies of academic qualifications
  • A medical certificate
  • Health insurance for the entire period of study.

Applications and admissions

To be admitted to study in Brunei, it is not enough to have enough funds, one must be a high achiever academically. International students past academic records are scrutinized to make sure they meet the standards required.

Selected students must also pass an entrance exam related to the chosen course of study. Apart from that, a series of interviews might be conducted before final approval is given for admission.

All these is to ensure that only the best and the brightest end up in the universities.

To get the specific admission requirements of each University, visit the university’s website for all the relevant information.

List of Universities in Brunei

  1. University of Brunei Darussalam, Gadong
  2. Brunei Institute of Technology, Gadong
  3. Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University, Gadong
  4. Brunei Polytechnic, Bandar Seri Begawan
  5. Institute of Brunei Technical Education, Bandar Seri Begawan

Extra notes

All universities in Brunei are state-run and rather small compared to other institutions around the world. The implication is that the schools are tightly-knit communities with most staff loyal to the government.

However, that is not much of a problem if one is focused on the acquisition of knowledge. English language is widely spoken and most courses in the universities are taught in English.

(General Source.)