What are Foundation Programmes?

by StudyMalaysia.com on January 21, 2016 | Top Stories

If you’ve just completed secondary school and have just sat for an exam like SPM, IGCSE or O levels, then read on. You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for information that can help you decide on what to study next.

If you are planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree, you would most likely need a pre-university qualification to gain admission to a university or college. Besides Form Six, students can now choose from a wide range of pre-university programmes offered by both public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia.

Many students are at a loss when it comes to choosing a suitable pre-university programme. Some may decide on a programme simply because the majority of their friends are enrolling in the same programme. Then there are those who end up with a particular programme simply because they never knew that other types of programmes existed.

Types of pre-U programmes

There are three categories of pre-university programmes offered in Malaysia:

1. Malaysian post-secondary qualifications offered by the Malaysian Examination Board
2. International pre-university qualifications offered by external examination boards
3. Home-grown foundation programmes with qualifications awarded by various universities

Examples of pre-university programmes offered by HEIs

(Source: Education Guide Malaysia 14th edition 2015/2016)

In this article, we will explore foundation courses offered by private higher education institutions (PHEIs). These PHEIs often also offer home-grown bachelor degrees, or twinning and 3+0 degree programmes. There are also PHEIs that conduct foundation programmes that prepare students for a bachelor’s degree abroad. These internal programmes are usually accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and recognised by the respective foreign partner universities, as well as many other overseas universities as an equivalent to the pre-university qualification in their respective home countries.

A pre-university programme usually takes 12 months, in which candidates need to complete 50 credit hours to be awarded a foundation qualification. The assessment method is usually 30% coursework & 70% examination.

Unlike external qualifications which focus on general science and art-based subjects, internal qualifications provide general science and arts programmes as well as specialisations in areas such as architecture, business, law, computer and IT, hospitality, engineering and more.

There are typically three intakes a year and the entry requirement accepted are SPM, UEC, GCE O-Level or its equivalent, where students need to have a minimum of five credits in relevant subjects.

Here's a list of foundation programmes you can consider if you already know what bachelor's degree you'd like to pursue.

Need more information about Foundation Programmes? Read our Related Articles:

• Applying for Foundation Programmes at Public Universities
• Options After SPM: What Can I Study?
• SPM VS. IGCSE Grading System

Sources used in this article:
Education Guide Malaysia (14th Edition), published by Challenger Concept

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