Malaysia comes up so often with Korean parents for more than the fees. A large part of it is that there is a route for one parent to reside alongside the child. The younger the child, the more decisive that condition is.

The two visas move as a set

Attending an international school requires the student's own Student Pass. The age from which it can be issued follows the immigration authority's rules, and generally starts from a certain age upwards. Schools often handle the process on the family's behalf.

Since a minor cannot live alone, a guardian visa comes with it. There are three key conditions.

• Only a direct parent may apply. Grandparents and other relatives are not eligible in principle.
• As a rule it is issued to one parent per family. For both parents to reside, another route has to be found.
• Application is made to the immigration authority after the student pass has been issued. The order cannot be changed.

Not knowing the order derails the timetable

This is where the commonest mistake arises. Because the order runs school offer, then student pass, then guardian visa, preparation has to be counted backwards from the start of term.

The guardian visa documents include three months of recent bank statements and insurance cover. Proof of funds is read as a flow over several months rather than "the money there today", so starting to prepare after you have decided is too late. Accounts need to be in order several months in advance at least.

The weight of only one parent going

One parent accompanying the child means, in practice, the family living apart. Several things need calculating before deciding.

• Living costs for the parent who stays and for the one who goes arise in duplicate.
• The accompanying parent is generally restricted from working locally. Income concentrates on one side.
• Return flights and the frequency of visits become a fixed annual cost.
• The longer it goes on, the greater the effect on family relationships and siblings' schooling.

Even where fees are lower than in Korea, adding these items often reverses the total. How to calculate the cost is set out as a table in the fees article in International Schools.

What to look at when choosing an area

The Kuala Lumpur area offers a wide choice of schools with the senior ones concentrated there, at the price of higher costs and living expenses. Other areas such as Johor cost less and offer good access to Singapore, but with fewer options.

Either way, what to check is the same: the journey time to school, the medical facilities available to the guardian, the size of the Korean community, and flight options when you need to travel back or move.

In summary

If you are considering Malaysia, the thing to look at before the fee table is the visa structure. Student pass first, guardian visa second, one direct parent as a rule, and three months of bank statements plus insurance required. Settle those three and the timetable and budget follow automatically.