How Higher Education Works in Malta: Degrees, Universities and the Academic Year

Institutions that make up Malta's higher education system

Malta's higher education runs through four main bodies: University of Malta (UM) , MCAST, ITS, and Junior College. UM is the country's only full public university, offering programs from certificate level through doctoral degrees, based on its main campus in Msida.

The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) splits into three colleges: Foundation, Technical, and University College. It covers Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF) levels 1 to 6, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework, and focuses on vocational and applied study paths connected to Malta's job market, according to Eurydice .

The Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) trains students for Malta's hospitality and tourism sector and is expanding into full degree programs. Junior College, part of UM, prepares students for university entry through post-secondary study, similar to sixth form or A-level colleges elsewhere in Europe. Most Maltese students who go on to UM pass through Junior College first, taking MATSEC subjects that lead to the Matriculation Certificate, which counts as a local qualification for UM admissions alongside the International Baccalaureate and the European Baccalaureate.

Degree structure under the Bologna system

Malta follows the Bologna three-cycle model used across most of Europe. A bachelor's degree normally takes three years and carries 180 ECTS credits. Some professional fields, including medicine, law, architecture, and engineering, run as longer integrated programs that combine bachelor's and master's level study into a single qualification.

Master's degrees typically need further ECTS credits over one to two years of additional study. Doctoral study (PhD, D.Mus, S.Th.D at UM) runs at least three years full-time, longer part-time, according to the University of Malta fees and funding page .

Academic year and calendar

The main academic year starts in October and runs to June, split into two semesters. UM's primary intake happens every October, with a smaller second intake in February for select courses, according to the university's dates and deadlines page .

Language of instruction

Malta has two official languages, Maltese and English. Nearly all university and college teaching happens in English, so you do not need Maltese to study there. This makes Malta accessible to students from across Europe without added language preparation before you arrive.

How ECTS credits work

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits measure total study workload, not only time in class. One ECTS credit represents around 25 to 30 hours of work, covering lectures, reading, coursework, and exams. A full academic year of study carries 60 ECTS credits, so a three-year bachelor's degree totals 180 credits. Malta uses the same ECTS scale as the rest of the EU, so credits earned at UM or MCAST transfer to universities elsewhere in Europe without extra conversion steps.

Each academic year typically splits into two semesters, with modules assessed through a mix of coursework, assignments, and end-of-semester exams. Full-time bachelor's students normally take a course load each semester that adds up to 60 ECTS credits a year, though the exact split varies by faculty and subject.

Choosing between UM, MCAST, and ITS

Your choice depends on the kind of qualification you want. UM suits academic and research-oriented study across sciences, humanities, law, medicine, and business. MCAST suits students who want a vocational or technical qualification with a direct route into employment, spanning engineering, ICT, agribusiness, and creative arts. ITS suits students focused specifically on hospitality, culinary arts, and tourism management.

All three award qualifications mapped to the MQF, so you move between them, or progress from an MCAST qualification into a UM degree, where the entry requirements match.

How Malta compares within Europe

Malta runs one of the EU's smallest higher education systems by student numbers, but MQF levels line up directly with the EQF, so your qualification transfers cleanly across the EU once you graduate. Class sizes at UM stay small compared with larger European systems, and every major institution sits within easy reach of the capital area, per Eurydice.

Because Malta runs a single main public university, you get one national point of contact for admissions, course information, and student services, instead of dozens of competing institutions to compare. This makes cross-checking requirements and deadlines simpler than in larger European countries with many universities. If you plan to compare Malta against other European study destinations, treat the degree lengths and ECTS structure above as your baseline, since they match the wider Bologna framework used across the continent.