Photo: Mahani Mohamad, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
QS World Ranked Public university Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
Public university in Terengganu, on Malaysia's east coast, with its own teaching hospital.
- Established
- 1980
- Location
- Kuala Nerus
- Institution
- Public university
- Programmes
- 12
- Ranking
- QS World University Rankings 2026: 1401+
- Accreditation
- Public university; programmes listed on the MQA Malaysian Qualifications Register
Rankings & recognition
About Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) began as Kolej Ugama Sultan Zainal Abidin (KUSZA), which opened on 1 January 1980 at Batu Burok, Terengganu. KUSZA was upgraded to university status as Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM). On 14 May 2010 it was renamed Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, after Sultan Zainal Abidin III, the 11th Sultan of Terengganu.
UniSZA is in Terengganu, on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The main campus is the Gong Badak Campus in Kuala Nerus. The university also runs a Medical Campus in Kuala Terengganu and a campus in Besut. It has a satellite office, UniSZA@Putrajaya, at IOI Resort City, Putrajaya, run by its Centre for Knowledge Transfer and Continuing Education (P2P).
UniSZA offers foundation, diploma, bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes. Fields include Islamic studies, medicine, health sciences, pharmacy, law, business, computing, design and food technology. The university runs its own teaching hospital. It also offers the English Language International Course (ELITE) for international students who hold a conditional offer but have not yet met the English requirement.
Why choose UniSZA?
- A public (government) university
- Runs its own teaching hospital, Hospital Pengajar Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (HPUniSZA)
- Ranked 1401+ in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and 1001-1200 in the THE World University Rankings 2026
- Wide range of fields, including medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, law, business, computing and Islamic studies
- The ELITE English course for international students who have a conditional offer
- The International Centre helps international students with their student visa
Campus facilities
What student life at UniSZA looks like.
Courses & fees
Exact tuition in MYR + BDT — browse by subject, then level.
Law & Social Science
4 coursesBusiness
4 coursesComputing & IT
2 coursesOther
1 courseHealth Sciences
1 courseLocation — Kuala Nerus
UniSZA — frequently asked questions
Yes. Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) is a public (government) university. Its programmes are listed on the Malaysian Qualifications Register of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
No. UniSZA's campuses are in Terengganu, on Malaysia's east coast. The main campus is the Gong Badak Campus in Kuala Nerus, and there is also a Medical Campus in Kuala Terengganu and a campus in Besut. Near Kuala Lumpur, UniSZA runs a satellite office, UniSZA@Putrajaya, at IOI Resort City, Putrajaya.
UniSZA runs the English Language International Course (ELITE) for international students who have a conditional offer but have not yet met the English entry requirement. ELITE students are full-time UniSZA students, and the university arranges their student visa. A placement test decides how many sessions you need.
Yes. The UniSZA Residential College can house up to 5,000 students at a time.
UniSZA's International Centre handles all visa matters for international students and their dependants. It provides checklists for the Visa Approval Letter (VAL) application.
Ready to study at UniSZA?
Free application, exact fees in BDT, EMGS visa support and offer-letter guidance — all through GAC.