Applying for Foundation Programmes at Public Universities

by StudyMalaysia.com on March 6, 2015 | Top Stories

If you have just sat for SPM last year and plan to continue your higher education at a public university, you have the option of applying for a university foundation programme known as Program Asasi.

Pusat Asasi or the Centre of Foundation Studies was established at selected public universities with the aim of preparing students to pursue bachelor degree programmes at the respective universities. The duration of the Program Asasi takes one to two years depending on the programme. Students take a combination of subjects and courses are conducted via lectures, tutorials and practical laboratory work. Assessment for the courses includes tests, quizzes, assignments and examinations.

Students interested in this programme would need to apply online through a centralised processing agency known as Bahagian Pengurusan Kemasukan Pelajar (BPKP) via www.upu.moe.gov.my in January for its annual intake in July. For the current intake, the application period is from 19 January to 6 April 2015.

To apply, students must:

• be Malaysian citizens
• possess SPM qualifications or its equivalent with a minimum of five credits including Bahasa Melayu and a pass in History (A credit for Bahasa Melayu in the July paper is acceptable)

In addition, applicants must fulfil the minimum requirements for the specific programme they are applying for.

The selection criteria applied by BPKP require that applicants:

• achieve good academic results in the SPM examination and have participated actively in co-curricular activities
• possess a combination of subjects taken relevant to the programme applied for
• possess good subject grades for specialisation purposes
• pass the interview for study programmes that require interviews
• select study programmes according to order of priority

The selection of successful candidates is subject to the availability of places at the respective public universities.

Malaysia has 20 public universities but not all offer foundation courses. The following 10 public universities offer foundation courses for students with SPM qualifications (for the academic session 2015/2016):

1. Universiti Malaya offers Program Asasi Sains Hayat and Asasi Sains Fizikal for Bumiputra candidates and Asasi Pengajian Islam dan Sains and Asasi Pengajian Islam for all Malaysians
2. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia offers Program Asasi Pintar for all Malaysians
3. Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia offers Program Asasi Sains Hayat, Sains Fizikal, Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu, Kejururawatan, Farmasi, Pergigian, Perubatan, Bahasa Inggeris, Bahasa Arab, Ekonomi dan Sains Pengurusan, Seni Bina dan Reka Bentuk Alam Sekitar, Kejuruteraan dan Sains Komputer, Undang-undang, and Imu Pengetahuan Berteraskan Wahyu dan Warisan Islam for Bumiputra candidates
4. Universiti Teknologi MARA offers Program Asasi Sains, TESL, Kejuruteraan and Undang-Undang for Bumiputra candidates
5. Universiti Putra Malaysia offers Program Asasi Sains Pertanian for all Malaysians
6. Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia offers Program Tamhidi Pergigian, Perubatan, Perakaunan dan Muamalat, Syariah dan Undang-undang, and Sains dan Teknologi for all Malaysians
7. Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia offers Program Asasi Perubatan, Pengurusan dan Strategi, and Kejuruteraan dan Teknologi for all Malaysians
8. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak offers Program Asasi Sains Hayat and Program Asasi Sains Fizikal for Bumiputra candidates
9. Universiti Malaysia Sabah offers Program Asasi Sains for Bumiputra candidates
10. Universiti Utara Malaysia offers Program Asasi Pengurusan for all Malaysians

Applicants are able to check the status of their application through:

The Internet

• www.upu.moe.gov.my
• www.jpt.utm.my
• www.jpt.uum.edu.my
• www.jpt.unimas.my
• www.jpt.ums.edu.my

SMS

• By typing UPU<space>RESULT<space>NRIC NO and sending it to 15888

Telephone

• Helpline: 03-8870 6777;
• General line: 03-8870 6755 / 6778;
• UPU hotline: 03-8870 6767

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