BANGI - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) welcomed 4,379 new students for the 2026/2027 academic session, with registration commencing on Sept 19.
Of the total, 2,889 (66 per cent) are female students and 1,490 (34 per cent) are male students, selected from the 86,504 applications received by the university this year.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Sufian Jusoh said the intake, known as "Generation 57" (Gen 57), will carry on the university's legacy and contribute to the nation’s future.
"At UKM, we have a strategic plan known as 'Tekad 57,' aimed at nurturing a generation that will lead Malaysia towards its centenary of independence in 2057.
"If we look at young people, specifically those around the age of 20, they will be 51 years old in 2057. By then, they will not merely be successors, but could become key leaders shaping the nation's direction," he told a press conference on the new student registration here today.
The intake includes 115 international students from various countries, including Indonesia, China, Singapore, Vietnam, Türkiye, India, and Iran, as well as 14 students with disabilities, seven Orang Asli students, and eight sets of twins.
A total of 2,600 students, or 57.42 per cent of the intake, are from B40 families.
Sufian said UKM had also deferred registration fee payments for 29 students from low-income backgrounds pending approval of financial assistance from sources including the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), Public Service Department (JPA) scholarships, private scholarships, and zakat assistance.
He said UKM had received contributions of 15 laptops from Maxis, 10 laptops from KPMG, and 10 tablets from alumni to be distributed to students in need.
In addition, 4,000 copies of the UKM Mufiq Quran were contributed for student use, while through the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YAPIEM), 59 students received RM1,000 each in living allowance, 38 students received tuition fee assistance totalling RM25,080, and seven students received laptop assistance worth RM17,500.
UKM currently provides nine residential colleges comprising 15 blocks, with renovation works costing RM19.07 million, increasing accommodation capacity by 1,634 places.
Sufian also announced the Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, which covers tuition fees, a monthly living allowance of RM800 and an annual accommodation allowance of RM720 throughout the recipient’s study programme.
With a total allocation of RM234,980, the scholarship was awarded to three academically outstanding female students from B40 families.
They are Wan Nur Mahirah Wan Harun, a Bachelor of Economics with Honours student from the Faculty of Economics and Management, who obtained 5As in the 2025 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM); Saw Xin En, a Bachelor of Laws with Honours student from the Faculty of Law, who achieved a perfect 4.00 CGPA in the STPM and is visually impaired; and Nur Natasha Amirah Mohd Helmi, a Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology) with Honours student from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, who obtained a CGPA of 3.33 at Negeri Sembilan Matriculation College. - BERNAMA