Your route to Marine Biologist
The whole way from school to the job, then what each way of taking it costs. Every figure links to where it came from.
Add your form, results and a few preferences and this route shows where you are on it, how your grades compare and which programmes fit. Update your answers
A general route, built from this career's own entry route and figures that apply to most courses. Public tuition is the published fee for the career's field; private and overseas tuition are left out.
The steps
- 1Now
SPM (Biology, Chemistry, Maths)
- 2After SPM
Matrikulasi, Asasi Sains, STPM or Diploma
- 3After SPM
BSc Marine Biology or Marine Science (e.g. UMT, UMS)
- 4Degree
apply on SPA for Pegawai Perikanan G9 (Department of Fisheries, marine parks) or join a research institute, consultancy or NGO; a Master's or PhD is usually needed for research-scientist and lecturer posts. With a fisheries diploma you can enter lower as Penolong Pegawai Perikanan G5.
- 5Career
Marine Biologist
- The steps above are this career's researched entry route.Source: spa.gov.my ↗
- Also used for this route.Source: spa.gov.my ↗
- Also used for this route.Source: umt.edu.my ↗
Programmes on your route
Finding programmes…
Local public, local private or overseas
Matrikulasi, Asasi, STPM or a diploma, then a UPU place on a degree.
Degreemate's sum of the sourced figures below, not a quote from any institution. Fees change each year.
What goes into it
- Degree tuition (Science)RM10,000 – RM12,000
Public university fees for Science: RM1,170 to RM1,300 a semester (tuition and compulsory fees) × 8 semesters, plus RM720 to RM1,200 registration once.
Source: UKM, Buku Syarat Kemasukan Sesi 2026/2027 (10 Feb 2026) ↗Source: USM, Yuran Ijazah Pertama 2026/2027 (Session 2026/2027) ↗ - University hostelRM5,200
USM's published estimate of RM650 a semester × 8 semesters. Other public universities charge similar daily rates; check your own university's.
Source: USM, Yuran Ijazah Pertama 2026/2027 (Session 2026/2027) ↗ - Food, transport and daily costsRM59,000 – RM78,000
UPM's estimate of USD300 to USD400 a month, excluding accommodation, about RM1,226 to RM1,635 at Bank Negara's 5 Oct 2026 rate, × 48 months. It is written for international students; no Malaysian body publishes a local-student figure, and a student eating at a hostel cafeteria may spend less.
Source: UPM, Estimated study and living cost (30 Sep 2024) ↗Source: Bank Negara Malaysia, exchange rates (12:00, middle rate) (5 Oct 2026) ↗
Not included: the pre-university year before the degree, books and travel home.
Entry requirements to plan for
- Each programme's entry requirements are in UPU's e-Panduan.Source: KPT, e-Panduan UPU (entry requirements by programme) ↗
Scholarships and sponsors to check
Leads to check, not offers. Intakes and eligibility change each year.
- PTPTN lends for diploma and degree study at public and private institutions; the amount depends on the course and family income.Source: PTPTN, Pinjaman Pendidikan (retrieved 5 Oct 2026) ↗
Before you decide
- Check that a programme is accredited on MQA's register, and recognised by the career's registering body where there is one, before you enrol.Source: MQA, Malaysian Qualifications Register ↗
Find programmes
If this route doesn't fit
Figures reviewed 7 Oct 2026.