Sunway University is a private university located in Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia, in the suburbs outside Kuala Lumpur. The university is small-to-mid sized, with an approximate undergraduate enrollment of 8,000. Admissions look to be somewhat selective, with an acceptance rate is about ~ 60-70%. Business, Hospitality, Arts, and Health Sciences are among the most popular majors. Sunway has attained world ranks: in Times Higher Education 2025 ranks in the 401-500 band for world ranking; in QS World University Rankings 2026 ~410. Median salaries for Sunway graduates ten years after graduation or equivalent are around $30,100.
Monash University is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the Clayton suburb (with multiple campuses nationally and internationally). It is a large institution; total student load is about 78,230 (which includes undergraduates, postgraduates, research, etc.); undergraduates are ~ 55,885. Admissions are competitive; precise acceptance rates vary by faculty and international/domestic status, but generally more selective than many smaller private universities. Popular fields of study are Business, Engineering, Medicine, Social Sciences, and Arts. Monash's graduation/completion rates are high; median graduate salaries are also fairly high. For instance, Monash indicates that full-time employed undergraduate graduates have median graduate salary around AUD 73,000 in recent reports.
| Monash University | Sunway University | |
|---|---|---|
| ranking (overall) | # 36 QS World University 2026 # 58 Times Higher Education 2026 # 37 QS World University 2025 | # 301 Times Higher Education 2026 # 410 QS World University 2026 # 401 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 59 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 40 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 47 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 251 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 701 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -124 PG Programs -90 Doctorate Programs -15 | UG Programs -3 PG Programs -4 Doctorate Programs -2 |
| Acceptance Rate | 40.0 % | 60.0 % |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 32660 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 22494 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 73440 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 39100 [For UG Program] |
| placement (average package) | Graduate Employability rankings: #66, | The degree and average salary are as follows: bachelor of science: $20,000 Other degree: $56,000 |
| application requirements | Minimum age of applicant- 17, course codes and names are mandatory while applying | Submit transcripts of all previous education completed Submit resume Submit English language proficiency test scores |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Monash University Malaysia | NA |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 59 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 78 for Engineering by QS World University 2025 | # 251 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 |
| exam scores | IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 58/90TOEFL - 79/120 | IELTS - 6.0/9TOEFL - 80/120 |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Monash University | Sunway University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1958 | 2004 |
| Location Facts | Located in the suburbs of Clayton, the main and largest campus is surrounded by scientific research facilities like CSIRO, and Australian Synchrotron, a variety of student bars, retail outlets, and restaurants surround the campus. | Sunway University is a private university in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It has a 10 hectare (24 acre) campus comprising academic and residential blocks adjacent to the Sunway Lagoon theme park. |
| Library | Total 4.7 million items, | The TUN Hussein ONN Sunway library provides various resources to the students like databases, journals, online newspapers, e-books etc. |
| Campus Life | Over 70 food vendors across the campus, | Student LIFE department aims to provide a supportive, friendly and challenging environment outside of the classroom for academic success The Sports Council provides opportunities for interested students to lead in the area of sports, and they are entrusted with:Organising sporting events (such as inter-varsity tournaments and leagues),Networking with sports clubs on campus to enhance the quality of activities on offer, Organising sports clinics on a variety of subjects. There are different sports facilities like gym, basketball court, tennis court, table tennis, badminton etc. Other services include career and welfare services, student leadership and engagement etc. |
| Famous Alumni | David Williamson (Playwrite) Nick Cave (musician), Peter Carey (Brooker winner novelist), Boediono (former vice president-Indonesia), Robert Doyle (former lord mayor of Melbourne), Peter Costello (former member of Australian house of representatives), Annika Smethurst (journalist) | Noor Meelofa (actress, television presenter), Izara Aishah (actress and model), Liyana Jasmay (actress, singer, producer), Liza Hanim (singer) |
| City Life | Cheap student shopping, | Petaling Jaya is an urban and developed city in the state of Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, next to Shah Alam. It is an urban city and easily accessible to schools, offices, shopping outlets and malls, housing areas, public transportation and much more. The population of the city is the second highest, next to Kuala Lumpur. A person moving to Petaling Jaya, must know a few basic phrases of the local language, Bahasa Malaysia, as not many citizens speak English fluently here. Since it often rains here, they must be prepared for humid weather and cloudy skies. An interest in trying different types of cuisines is recommended. Petaling Jaya has plenty of job opportunities, easy access public transportations, and a variety of foods. Furthermore, the cost of expenses living is almost affordable by many. |
| Weather |
Sunway University vs Monash University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Monash University widely surpasses Sunway University internationally. Sunway is ~ 410 in QS 2026, and in the 401-500 range in Times Higher Education 2025. Monash is top 50-100 globally in most rankings, and a well-established international leader. Monash particularly stands out in Engineering, Medicine, Social Sciences, and more general research fields. Sunway's strengths are regionally stronger and in practice-based fields such as Hospitality, Business, Arts, and Health Sciences; its reputation and growth are enhancing, particularly in field rankings such as Business & Economics.
General Information
Monash has a much bigger student community compared to Sunway, both undergraduate and overall. Monash has several campuses in Australia (and overseas) and an extensive set of undergraduate and graduate courses. Sunway has a smaller campus set-up, fewer courses comparatively, although with international collaborations and dual degrees to augment its profile. Monash also has big research facilities and personnel, global alumni network; Sunway's size is small but contemporary and industry-focused.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Sunway does not have officially published recent acceptance rate in some sources; ~ 60-70% is cited by some sources. Monash does not have a straightforward overall acceptance rate released to the public in most documents; it is selective admissions, particularly for competitive faculties (Medicine etc.), and necessary credentials are high scores, English proficiency, etc.
Research Impact & Facilities
Monash's research output, infrastructure, laboratories, international collaborations, professional schools (medicine, engineering, science) are high-strength. Monash publishes median graduate salary and employment data showing high employability of graduates. Sunway is research-active, though on a smaller scale, but in progress: awards, mentions, subject rankings, new biomedical research programs, etc., are features of its improvement.
Cost & Financial Aid
Exhaustive cost / tuition comparison for international students: Monash is overall pricier, particularly for international students, with higher tuition + living expenses. Sunway usually charges lower tuition in Malaysia, with scholarships, merit discounts, etc. But exact verified numbers (tuition, net price, financial aid) aren't always made public in comparable detail.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Monash alumni are revealed to be quite high in median income; e.g. undergraduate full-time employed alumni at Monash have recent-year median earnings AUD 73,000. Sunway's long-term median earnings data (e.g. after 10 years from graduation) isn't well established in the available sources I accessed. Monash's alumni network is extensive and international, providing its graduates with greater global exposure; Sunway enjoys strong regional/alumni pull within Malaysia / ASEAN markets.


















