The Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is the only university found in Kota Kinabalu. UMS is a public tertiary educational institution established in 1994. It is the 9th university in Malaysia and stands in a 999-acre plot of land at Sepanggar Bay. The university is divided into the schools of social sciences, psychology and social work, science and technology, engineering and information technology, food science and nutrition, international tropical forestry, business and economics, education and social development, art studies, medicine, and sustainable agriculture. UMS encourages the application of international students in the university by providing various support services. These include assistance in the university and student-visa applications, administrative advices, and a full orientation of the university and its facilities. Communication will often not pose as a problem as English is used as a second language in Malaysia.

Kota Kinabalu also has private colleges, of which includes the INTI College Saba at Putatan Point, Kinabalu Commercial College at Wisma Sabah, Informatics College along Jalan Datuk Salleh Sulong, AMC School Of Business at the 2nd floor of the Karamunsing Complex, Kinabalu College at the 2nd floor of the Bornion Center, and TAR College along Jalan Tuaran.