AFTER ARRIVAL GUIDE
Welcome to Malaysia. Here's Your First-Week Guide
From the airport to your first bank account: EMGS medical screening, accommodation, transport, SIM card, banking and emergency contacts, all in one place, with links you can trust.
This guide lists the trusted websites and apps you need in your first weeks in Malaysia, with a short tip for each. "Official" means a Malaysian government body or government-owned company. "Private" means a licensed private company; UNICE has no business tie with them and lists them only because students use them widely. Prices and rules change, so always check the provider's own page.
Your first 7 days
Do these in order in your first week. Your university and UNICE will guide you at each step.
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Day 1 - at the airport
Pass immigration with your EMGS Visa Approval Letter (VAL). Message UNICE or your agent as soon as you land, and wait for our guidance before leaving the airport.
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Day 1 to 2 - SIM card
Buy a local SIM card with your original passport and keep the receipt.
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Day 1 to 3 - report to your university
Report to your university's international office. They register your arrival with EMGS and tell you which clinic and date to use.
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Within 7 days - medical screening
Complete the EMGS medical screening at an EMGS panel clinic. It is compulsory for your Student Pass.
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Week 1 - accommodation
Settle your accommodation. Sign a written tenancy agreement before paying any deposit.
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Week 1 - transport
Install the Touch 'n Go eWallet app and buy a Touch 'n Go card for trains and buses.
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After your Student Pass - bank account
Open a bank account. The bank will ask to see your Student Pass.
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After your Student Pass - student travel card
Apply online for the MyRapid student concession card (50% off Rapid KL trains and buses).
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Always - keep copies
Keep copies of your passport, VAL and offer letter on your phone and in your email. Never hand your passport to anyone except Immigration, EMGS, your university or a bank officer.
EMGS medical screening
New international students must complete a medical screening at an EMGS panel clinic in Malaysia within 7 days of arrival. Your Student Pass is not issued until it is done.
EMGS - Education Malaysia Global Services
educationmalaysia.gov.my
Official
Track your Student Pass application and read EMGS notices.
EMGS medical screening guide and panel clinic list
visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my
Official
Find an approved clinic near you.
EMGS Connect app
Official
Search "EMGS Connect" on Google Play or the App Store. Used for clinic check-in, facial verification and finding nearby clinics.
💡 Tips
- Follow your university's instructions first; many universities book the clinic for you.
- Bring your original passport, VAL, passport photos and your EMGS application number.
- Register on the EMGS Connect app before the visit if the clinic asks for it.
- The clinic sends your results to EMGS electronically. You do not carry the report yourself.
Accommodation
Check your university hostel first; it is usually the safest start. For a private room or flat, use these rental platforms.
💡 Tips
- Visit the room (or join a live video call) before you pay anything.
- Pay only after you get a written tenancy agreement with the owner's name, the rent, the deposit and the notice period.
- Pay by bank transfer to the name on the agreement, and keep every receipt.
- Choose a place near an LRT/MRT station or your campus bus route.
- Not sure? Send the listing link to UNICE before you pay.
Transport - LRT, MRT, buses and rides
In Kuala Lumpur, LRT, MRT, Monorail and Rapid KL buses all take the same Touch 'n Go card. Students can get 50% off with a MyRapid concession card.
MyRapid (Prasarana)
myrapid.com.my
Official
Routes, fares and the student concession card.
MyRapid concession card (students)
myrapid.com.my
Official
Apply online for 50% off Rapid KL trains and buses.
Touch 'n Go card
touchngo.com.my
Private
Tap-in card for trains, buses, tolls and parking.
💡 Tips
- Buy a Touch 'n Go card at a train station counter or a convenience store, and top it up at stations or in the TNG eWallet app.
- The MyRapid student card is open to foreign students whose course runs more than 6 months; apply online with your university confirmation letter.
- Use only rides booked inside an app. Do not accept rides offered by strangers at the airport or stations.
- Google Maps shows live train and bus routes in the Klang Valley.
SIM card and internet
Since February 2026, Malaysia's regulator MCMC enforces a stricter registration rule for prepaid SIM cards. You need your original passport, and your address in Malaysia is recorded.
MCMC - Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission
mcmc.gov.my
Official
SIM registration rules and complaints about mobile operators.
💡 Tips
- Buy from an official operator store or counter (KLIA and KLIA2 have them) so staff register and test the SIM for you.
- Bring your original passport. A photocopy is not accepted.
- A SIM registered as a tourist may expire after a few months. Once your Student Pass is ready, ask the store to update your registration.
- Top up through the operator's app or at convenience stores.
Banking and eWallet
Banks open accounts for international students who hold a valid Student Pass. Until then, an eWallet registered with your passport covers daily payments.
Touch 'n Go eWallet
touchngo.com.my
Private
QR payments, top-ups, bills and transport.
Bank Negara Malaysia (central bank)
bnm.gov.my
Official
Check whether a bank or money service is licensed.
💡 Tips
- Bring your original passport with the Student Pass, your university's bank letter (ask the international office) and proof of address (tenancy agreement or hostel letter).
- Touch 'n Go eWallet: register with your passport and a live selfie (eKYC).
- Never share your TAC/OTP, PIN or online banking password. Banks never ask for them by phone.
- Got a scam call or lost money? Call the National Scam Response Centre at 997 at once.
Shopping and food delivery
Most daily items can be ordered online and delivered to your room. Compare prices and seller ratings before you pay.
Shopee
shopee.com.my
Private
Bedding, kitchen items and electronics; ShopeeFood is inside the app.
JAKIM halal portal
halal.gov.my
Official
Check whether a food brand or restaurant is halal-certified.
💡 Tips
- Buy from "Mall" or "LazMall" stores, or sellers with high ratings, for genuine products.
- Pay inside the app only. Never pay a seller by direct transfer outside the platform.
- For halal food, look for the official JAKIM halal logo.
Emergency and government contacts
Dial 999 for police, ambulance or fire anywhere in Malaysia. From a mobile phone, 112 also connects to the same 999 centre. Both calls are free.
MERS 999 - police, ambulance, fire, civil defence
malaysia.gov.my
Official
Any emergency. From a mobile phone, 112 also works.
Immigration Department of Malaysia
imi.gov.my
Official
Passes, passport matters and MDAC.
Your country's embassy or high commission
Official
Save its phone number on your first day. Contact it for a lost passport or legal help.
💡 Tips
- Save these numbers in your phone today, before you need them.
- Lost your passport? Report it at the nearest police station, then contact your embassy, your university and UNICE.
- Install the MERS 999 app; in an emergency it sends your location to the 999 centre.
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