Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) was officially incorporated on December 24, 1992. It has nearly 6,000 students and over 1,450 staff. The university has eight faculties: Applied & Creative Arts, Cognitive Sciences & Human Development, Computer Science & Information Technology, Economics & Business, Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences, Resource Science & Technology, as well as Social Sciences.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak has a current enrolment of about 4,000 full-time (80 per cent residential) and 800 part-time students. UiTM Sarawak offers 26 programmes ranging from certificate to PhD level, through full-time, off-campus and e-PJJ (distance learning).

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus was opened in November 2001. It is home to the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, which comprises five academic departments: Department of Crop Science, Department of Forestry Science, Department of Social Science, Department of Basic Science and Engineering, as well as Department of Animal Science and Fishery. The faculty offers qualifications from Diploma to PhD level.

Universiti Utara Malaysia offers three programmes at its off campus branches in Kuching and Sibu: Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours (BBA - Hons), Bachelor of Public Management with Honours (BPM- Hons), and Bachelor of Communications with Honours (BComm - Hons).

Curtin University Sarawak is the first offshore campus of Curtin University, Perth, Australia and the first foreign university campus to be set up in East Malaysia. Operations began in 1999 and today the university offers courses for foundation and continuing studies, undergraduate degrees and postgraduate studies up to PhD level. It has a student population of around 3,000. Every aspect of the academic programmes, including course materials and examinations, delivered at the Sarawak Campus are identical to the programmes offered in Perth.

Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus is the sole international branch campus of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. It opened in 2000 and is a partnership between Swinburne Australia and the Sarawak government. With over 3,000 students, the university offers undergraduate degrees in engineering, science, commerce, computing and design. Also offered are postgraduate research programs at PhD and masters levels in these disciplines as well as one-year foundation programmes. The courses are identical to those offered by Swinburne's home campus in Melbourne and parchments are awarded by Swinburne Australia.

Other private tertiary institutions in alphabetical order as listed by the Malaysian Qualifications Register are Cosmopoint International College of Technology, Fajar International College, FTMS International College, i-Systems College, Institut Eksekutif, Institut Teknologi Maklumat Nusantara (NIIT Kuching), International College Of Advanced Technology Sarawak (ICATS), INTI College Sarawak, Kolej IBS, Kolej Laila Taib, Kolej Pendidikan Perdana (Pusat Luar Kuching), Limkokwing Borneo, Methodist Pilley Institute, Pusat Teknologi Dan Pengurusan Lanjutan (PTPL) Sarawak, Riam Institute of Technology, SEDAMAI College, SEGi College Sarawak, Sunway College Kuching, Twintech College Sarawak Branch, and UCSI University Sarawak Campus.