The following is a list of notable alumni and faculty of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Government and politics
Head of state and governors
TYT Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, Governor of Malacca (2020-Incumbent) and Chief Minister of Malacca (1999-2013).
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Hon. Justin Valentin, Education Minister of Seychelles (2020-Incumbent). Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Human Rights & Justice Minister of Indonesia (2004-2007). YB Teresa Kok Suh Sim, Member of Parliament for Seputeh & Minister of Primary Industries Malaysia (2018-2020). YB Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh, Member of Parliament for Besut (2013-2022), Minister of Higher Education Malaysia (2013-2018) & Menteri Besar of Terengganu (2004-2008). YB Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Deputy Minister of Finance (2020-2022) & Member of Parliament for Kudat (2004-2022). YB Datuk Seri Dr. Ronald Kiandee, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries (2020-2022) & Member of Parliament for Beluran. YB Datuk Awang Hashim, Deputy Minister of Human Resources (2020 - 2022) & Member of Parliament for Pendang. Dato’ Seri Idris Jala, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (2009-2015). YB Dato’ Dr. Mansor Othman, Deputy Minister of Environment and Water (2021-2022), Deputy Minister of Higher Education (2020-2021) & Member of Parliament for Nibong Tebal (2013-2022). YB Dato’ Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Minister of Rural Development (2021-2022), Minister of Education Malaysia (2013-2018) & Menteri Besar of Kedah (2005-2008). YB Senator Dato’ Seri Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs) (2020-2021), Mufti of the Federal Territories (2014-2020). YB Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, Sarawak State Minister for Transport (2019 - Incumbent) & State Assemblyman for Senadin.
Menteri Besars and Chief Minister
YAB Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang (2018-Incumbent), Member of Parliament for Tanjung(2018-2022), Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan(2022-Incumbent). YAB Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Menteri Besar of Pahang (2018-Incumbent). YAB Dato' Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, Menteri Besar of Kedah (2020-Incumbent). Dato’ Seri Ahmad Said, Menteri Besar of Terengganu (2008-2014). Dato' Seri Dr. Md Isa Sabu, Menteri Besar of Perlis (2008-2013).
Elected Representatives and politicians
Raj Munni Sabu@Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi, Deputy Minister of Women, Family & Community Development (2022-Incumbent), Senator of Dewan Negara (2019-2022), Parliament of Malaysia (2018-2021) & Member Parliament of Sepang (2022-Incumbent) Datuk Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, Political Analyst & Deputy President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat(1999-2002). Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun, Member Parliament of Jelutong (2008-2018). YB Kumaresan Arumugam, Penang state assemblyman of Batu Uban (2018-incumbent). YB Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Penang state assemblyman of Seri Delima (2018-2023) & Member Parliament of Bukit Bendera (2022-Incumbent). YB Nor Azrina Surip, Member Parliament of Merbok (2018-2022).
Public Services
Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, Chief Commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (2010-2016). Al-Ishsal Ishak, chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (2018-2020). Tan Sri Dr. Madinah Mohamad, Auditor General of Malaysia (2017-2019). Prof. Dr. Md. Nasir Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) (2021 - present). Dato' Ramlan bin Harun, Secretary-General of Ministry of Rural Development (KPLB). (2021 - present). Dato' Suriani binti Dato' Ahmad, Secretary-General of Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative (MEDAC) (2020 - present), former Secretary-General of Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) (2019 - 2020) and Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) (2017).
Academia
Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, rector of International Islamic University of Malaysia (2018-Incumbent) & former vice-chancellor of USM (2000-2011). Dr. Lim Boo Liat, an eminent zoologist and mammalogist. Tan Sri Datuk Mustafa Mansur, pro-chancellor of USM (2011-Incumbent). Prof. Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman, vice-chancellor of DRB-HICOM University (2017-Incumbent) & vice-chancellor of USM (2011-2016).
Muftis and religious scholars
Dato’ Dr. Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin, Mufti of Perlis (2015-Incumbent, 2006–2008).