Are you an international student?

by StudyMalaysia on December 19, 2016 | Top Stories

If you're planning to study a bachelor's degree at a private higher educational institution (PHEI) in Malaysia, you would be glad to know that they accept all qualified students with pre-university qualifications such as STPM, GCE 'A' level, SAM (Australia), CPU (Canada), SMU3 from Indonesia, university foundation programmes, and other qualifications deemed equivalent.

Here's a list of foreign pre-university qualifications which are equivalent to Malaysia's STPM or A-levels:

Country of Origin	Foreign Qualifications which are Equivalent to Malaysia’s STPM
Australia	Australian Year 12
	South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE)
	Tertiary Entrance Education (TEE)
	New South Wales: Higher School Certificate (HSC)
	Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
	Western Australia Certificate of Education (WACE)
Bahrain	Tawjahiya (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Brunei Darussalam	Cambridge GCE A-Level
Brunei Darussalam	Matriculation
Cambodia	Diploma of Upper Secondary Education (Grade 12)
Cameroon	Cameroon GCE A level
Canada	Canadian Grade 12
	Canadian Pre-University (CPU)/Ontario: Ontario Secondary School Diploma
China	Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate
Denmark	Bevis for Studentereksamen
	Bevis for Højere Forberedelseseksamen (HF)
Egypt	Thanaweya A’ama (Certificate of General Secondary Education)
	Secondary Education Certificate of Al-Azhar>
France	Baccalaureát + Grandes Ecoles (entrance examination)
Germany	Zeugnis der Reife / Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife / Abitur
Ghana	West African Higher School Certificate / GCE A-Level
Ghana	Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (since 1993)
Gambia	West African Examinations Council GCE A-Level
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE); Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE)
India	All India Senior School Certificate (awarded by Central Board of Secondary Education)
India	Higher Secondary Course Certificate / Higher Secondary School Certificates / Higher Secondary Certificate / Higher School Certificate (awarded on completion of Standard XII)
	Pre-Medical from Punjab University
	Pre-University Examination from Mahatma Gandhi University
	Certificate of Second Year Pre-University Examination issued by Education Department of the Government of Karnataka
	Intermediate Public Examination Year conducted by the Board of Intermediate Education, Hyderabad, India
	Higher Secondary Examination (Class XII) Certificate, Government of Kerala, Board of Higher Secondary Examination
	Intermediate Pass Certificate (cum Memorandum of Marks), Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh
	Marks Sheet, Bihar Intermediate Education Council, Patna
	Senior Secondary School Examination, National Institute of Open Schooling (formerly known as National Open School)
Indonesia	Sekolah Menengah Umum (SMU) 3 / Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) / Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK) / Madrasah Aliyah, with grade point average 6-10
Iran	High School Diploma (on completion of Grade 12) + KONKUR (university entrance examination)
Iraq	Sixth Form Baccalauréat / Certificate of Preparatory Education
Ireland	Leaving Certificate passed at Higher / Honours Level Grades A-C
Italy	Diploma di Maturità (Classica/Scientifica/Tecnica/ Linguistica/Professionale/Magistrale/Artistica) (up until 1999)
	Esame di Stato (from 1999)
Japan	Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate (Kotogakko Sotsugyo Shomeisho)
Jordan	Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate)
Kenya	East African Advanced Certificate of Education (EAACE) / Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE) (up to1988)
	Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
Korea-South Korea	High School Graduation Equivalency Examination
Kuwait	Shahadat-al-thanawia-al-a’ama (General Secondary School Certificate)
Liberia	Senior High School Certificate
Libya	Secondary School Certificate / Secondary Education Certificate
Macao	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate (COHSC) / GCE Advanced
	Ensino Secundário Complementar
Mauritius	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate / GCE A-Level
Morocco	Diplôme du Baccalaureat
Namibia	HIGCSE (Higher International General Certificate of Secondary Education)
	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate (COHSC) / GCE -Level
Nepal	Higher Secondary Education Certificate (HSEC)
Netherlands	Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) Diplomas
New Zealand	National Certificate in Educational Achievement Level 3 (NCEA)/td>
Niger	Baccalauréat / Diplôme de Bachelier de I’Enseignement du Second Degré
Nigeria	West African GCE A-Level (up to 1989)
	West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate (WAEC Senior School Certificate) / NECO (Nigerian Examination Council) (since 1989)
Oman	Thanawiya amma (Secondary School Leaving Certificate / General Secondary School Certificate)
	One year Certificate / Foundation Year
Pakistan	Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) / Intermediate
Palestine	Tawjihi (Certificate of General Secondary Education Examination)
Poland	Swiadectwo Dojrzalości / Matura
Qatar	A l-Thanawaya Al-Amah (General Secondary School Certificate)
Saudi Arabia	Tawjihiyah (General Secondary Education Certificate)
Scotland	Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) HIGHER GRADE, Scottish Examination Board
Sierra Leone	Senior School Certificate
Singapore	Singapore Cambridge GCE A-Level

Sri Lanka	Sri Lankan General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level)
South Africa	Senior Certificate (with matriculation endorsement) / National Senior Certificate
Somalia	Secondary School Leaving Certificate
Spain	Selectividad
Sudan	Sudan School Certificate (formerly called the Secondary School Certificate or Higher Secondary School Certificate)
Sweden	Avgangsbetyg / Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola (previously Studentexamen) (Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Taiwan	Senior High School Leaving Certificate
Thailand	Maw 6 with a score of 50% or above / Islamic Study Upper Secondary School Certificate
United Arab Emirates	Tawjihiyya (General and Religious)
United Kingdom	GCE Advanced, UK
Vietnam	Upper Secondary School Graduation Diploma
Yemen	A l-Thanawiya (General Secondary Education Certificate)

Besides a pre-U qualification, proficiency in the English language is an important requirement by PHEIs. Students are expected to have adequate knowledge and understanding of English, as this is the language of instruction at private colleges and universities. Various international examinations such as IELTS and TOEFL are recognised as English proficiency standards and form part of the entry requirements for bachelor’s degree programmes.

Here’s an example of commonly accepted English Proficiency Standard at most PHEIs.

English proficiency test	Required scores for first degree programmes
Paper-based TOEFL	500 to 600
Internet-based TOEFL	79-87 (some PHEIs may require minimum points in each of the elements – writing, speaking, reading and listening)
IELTS	6.0 to 7.0 (some PHEIs may require a minimum score in each band)