Over 5,500 new students begin their journey at the University of Malta

Monday, 5 October 2026 - Today, Malta’s leading institution of tertiary education, the University of Malta, opens its doors to over 5,500 new students, as it kicks off the KSU Freshers’ Week 2026; marking this fresh chapter with a week of celebrations, activities and opportunities to connect with the University community.

Over 2,500 students will be following undergraduate courses, while more than 2,200 students will be reading for a postgraduate degree.

In addition, around 350 Erasmus+ students will be joining the University and another 500 Visiting students will be following Micro-credentials.

Over 1,100 new students will be joining Junior College, bringing the total number of JC students to 2,100+.

A memorable Opening Ceremony at Sir Temi Zammit Hall saw Rector Prof. Frank Bezzina deliver his first welcome address of his term as Rector to the incoming cohort of students, followed by a welcome speech from KSU President Nick Muscat.

Read the Rector’s speech online.

With this year’s motto, ‘Building Tomorrow through Knowledge, Purpose and Community,’ Prof. Bezzina’s address focused on the University’s role as the country’s intellectual powerhouse; rising to new challenges and helping to shape the answers.

Fulfilling this role, he said, also requires a degree of introspection: what kind of community does the University want to be for the people who walk through our doors? One true measure of success is whether graduates leave with greater knowledge and confidence, a deeper curiosity, and a genuine sense of responsibility. ”You can already see that ambition turning into reality across our campus”, Prof. Bezzina said, citing a number of projects actualising thanks to secured funding that is now in place.

Mr Muscat’s speech emphasised on how “one of the most important chapters of our lives” is a process of figuring things out as we go along, hoping that once students leave the place, they take with them far more than the memories of lectures, deadlines and their degree. “University should be somewhere your ideas are challenged, teach you how to think for yourself and get involved in causes that matter”.

After the Opening Ceremony, Prof. Bezzina and Mr Muscat, together with Malta’s Minister for Education and Sport, Hon. Dr Byron Camilleri, headed to the UM stand, officially kicking off the KSU Freshers’ Week celebrations.

Throughout the week, at the University’s vibrant Msida campus, students can check out dozens of stands packed with freebies, games and giveaways. It’s also an unmissable opportunity to discover student organisations, find out more about the services available on campus and meet other members of the UM community.

The week will also see a number of familiar faces visiting campus, including dignitaries from both sides of the political spectrum.

Some detailed facts and figures for this academic year
New students, new courses and total number of students

International students

For the academic year 2026/2027, approximately 2,000 international students representing 130 different countries will be pursuing studies at the University of Malta.

Total number of students

This year, more than 13,000 students are pursuing their studies at the University of Malta across a diverse range of 931 courses, reflecting the wide breadth of academic opportunities available at the University.

New courses

The University offers students an increasingly large and diverse choice of courses with different areas of study. New courses and areas of study for this year include:

New Postgraduate Courses

Master of Science in Financial Regulation and Compliance (including a Top-up degree)
Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Professional Practice

New Undergraduate Courses

Lectures for new students will commence on Thursday 8 October 2026, whereas continuing students started their first semester on Monday 28 September 2026.