Computer Science & IT Universities in Malta

Below: your real computing options in Malta, what they cost, the English-test rule that catches most African applicants, entry requirements, and an honest note on when a bigger IT hub like Germany may suit you better.

Is Malta a good place to study IT?

Let’s be straight: Malta is not Germany, Ireland or the Netherlands when it comes to IT study. It has one globally ranked university (the University of Malta, QS World 2026 band 741–750) and a small number of other licensed providers. You won’t find dozens of specialised tech universities.

What Malta does offer is genuinely useful for the right student:

• Everything is in English. English is an official language and the medium of instruction at the University of Malta — at both bachelor’s and master’s level. That’s a real advantage over Germany, where most IT bachelor’s degrees are taught in German.
• It’s in the EU and Schengen. An EU degree, Schengen travel, and the euro.
• A real (niche) tech economy. Malta has built genuine sectors in iGaming/online gaming, fintech and digital services — areas where a computing or business-tech degree can lead somewhere. The sector is real but small; we don’t quote a headline figure we can’t source.
• Smaller and safer-feeling. A compact, English-speaking island can be an easier first step abroad than a large country.

If your priority is a deep, world-ranked computer-science ecosystem with strong post-study work routes, a bigger IT hub will serve you better — see our IT universities in Germany guide, where public universities are tuition-free. If you want an all-English, EU degree on a smaller island, Malta is worth a look. For the wider picture, start at our study in Malta hub.

Your computing options in Malta (the honest shortlist)

Malta has no “top 10” of IT universities. Here are the institutions that actually teach computing, drawn from licensed providers only:

Read this carefully. Only the University of Malta holds a global ranking; MCAST and the private colleges are not ranked. The private colleges’ tuition could not be confirmed from their own official pages during our research — treat any private-college fee you see online as unverified until you email the admissions office. For most African applicants, the University of Malta is the primary, best-value and lowest-visa-risk pathway, with MCAST as a more applied, hands-on alternative.

Always pick an MFHEA-licensed institution. Malta has tightened scrutiny of bogus colleges and student-visa abuse, so the safest providers are the public ones (UM, MCAST) or properly licensed private HEIs. See the full landscape on our universities in Malta page.

Programme availability changes each cycle — verify the exact ICT course and level on the institution’s own page before you apply.

What it costs to study IT in Malta

Unlike Germany’s tuition-free public universities, Malta’s public University of Malta does charge non-EU/third-country tuition. These are the official annual fees in Subsidiary Legislation 327.177 — treat as volatile and verify per course:

A realistic first year for a science/ICT bachelor’s at the University of Malta — tuition €10,800 + living ~€14,400 + visa/permit/insurance ~€400 — comes to roughly €25,600, before flights. In Naira that is about ₦40 million at ~₦1,575/€ (FX is volatile — re-check before quoting). A science master’s costs more in tuition.

That is meaningfully cheaper than the UK, but it is not free — which is the single biggest difference from studying IT in Germany. We keep local-currency figures on our study in Malta hub.

Can you study IT in Malta in English?

Yes — fully, at both bachelor’s and master’s level. English is an official language of Malta and the University of Malta’s language of instruction, so effectively all UM computing degrees are taught in English. This is a clear advantage over Germany, where IT bachelor’s degrees are mostly in German.

But there’s a catch most agencies get wrong. Being from an English-speaking African country does not automatically waive the English test. The University of Malta’s nationality-based exemption list covers only named countries (UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Caribbean states, Guyana) — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa are NOT on it.

So most African applicants must submit a standard English test (SELT), unless they hold a specific accepted qualification:

• Bachelor’s: IELTS 6.0 overall (or accepted equivalents such as TOEFL/PTE/Trinity), or UM’s on-campus ISET test.
• Master’s: IELTS 6.5 overall (or accepted equivalents); ISET.
• Qualification-based waiver (any nationality): a UK GCE / GCSE English pass, MATSEC English, or IB English — so students from Cambridge-system schools in Zimbabwe, Zambia or Ghana may qualify without sitting a new test.

Plan to take an English test unless you’re certain you hold an accepted qualification. We check this for every applicant before you book a test you may not need.

How African students apply to study IT in Malta

Malta has no UCAS-style central system — you apply directly to each institution through its own online application portal.

A few things to get right:

1. No APS. Germany’s APS credential check does not apply to Malta. Malta recognises foreign qualifications through MQRIC (within MFHEA), its ENIC-NARIC centre. Recognition carries a small fee — confirm the current amount on the MQRIC page.
2. Credential check. Your WASSCE/NECO (Nigeria/Ghana), KCSE (Kenya), ZIMSEC, NSC (South Africa) or other certificate is assessed for equivalence to UM’s Matriculation Certificate. Many African school certificates don’t meet direct entry, so a Foundation Studies year (non-EU fee ~€6,600/yr) is often the route in for a bachelor’s — verify against your specific certificate.
3. For a master’s, you need a recognised bachelor’s degree (MQF 6) in a relevant field; some computing master’s set a minimum classification.
4. Apply early. UM’s non-EU/visa-applicant deadline for the October intake falls earlier than the general deadline — check the exact date on UM’s dates-and-deadlines page. The student D-visa should be filed well ahead of your course start (allow roughly two months at the visa centre).

We check every document before you submit — see how we help.

The student visa, in brief

Studying IT in Malta for more than 90 days needs a National Long-Stay “D” Visa (mandatory since 1 March 2024 for all third-country nationals), then an e-Residence permit after you arrive. Two points trip students up:

• Proof of funds is two-stage. The entry D-visa asks for ≥75% of the national minimum wage per month (~€746/month); the residence permit asks for €950/month excluding tuition. They differ because they apply at different stages.
• TB chest X-ray is typically required after arrival for students from high-risk TB countries (most African origins), plus an immunisation certificate — confirm the current health requirements with UM and the health authorities.

The D-visa fee is €100; the residence permit is €50. Full mechanics live on our study in Malta hub.

Working while you study — and after

• During study: non-EU students can work up to 20 hours/week, but only after the e-Residence permit is issued. Malta’s minimum wage is modest, so don’t count on part-time work to fund your studies — check the current rate before you rely on it.
• After you graduate: there’s a “Graduate Seeking Employment” residence permit (reported ~12 months) — but it’s restricted to master’s/doctoral (MQF 7/8) graduates, so bachelor’s graduates have a weaker post-study route. On a job offer you move to a Single Permit (combined work + residence).

This matters for IT students: if post-study work is a priority, a master’s in Malta — or a destination with a stronger graduate route — is the safer bet. Germany’s 18-month post-study permit and shortage-occupation Blue Card are more generous; see IT universities in Germany.

Scholarships for IT students in Malta

Be realistic here too. Malta’s flagship government scheme, Endeavour II, requires a permanent residence permit for foreign nationals — so it’s not open to fresh applicants from abroad. The University of Malta’s own scholarships skew toward research degrees (Master by Research / PhD) rather than broad taught-degree awards for international students — check each scheme’s eligibility before counting on it.

For most African applicants studying IT in Malta, the main funding routes are home-country sponsorship or self-funding. If a fully funded route is essential, a destination with stronger inbound scholarships (such as Germany via DAAD) is worth comparing.

How we help

World Study helps African students choose honestly between Malta and bigger IT hubs, prepare a clean University of Malta or MCAST application (with the MQRIC credential check and the right English test), and get the student visa — with real costs and no inflated promises. Our core guidance is free; you only pay if you choose our optional premium visa-and-relocation support.

Talk to a World Study advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see whether Malta or another destination fits your IT plans. Learn more about our services.

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