Introduction
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In most of the countries, the education sector is devided into private and public education institutions. In the countries where the goverment has little control over private sector, the quality of education in the sector can be questioned. But in the countries where the goverment has very strict control over the quality of education in the private sector (like Malaysia) there is hardly any difference between the quality of education between private and public sectors.
Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEIs) (also known as Institut Pengajian Tinggi Swasta (IPTS)) play an important role alongside public universities in the provision of tertiary education in Malaysia.
Although PHEIs are fully-funded by the private sector, they fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and are governed by various legislation to ensure the provision of quality education.
The majority of PHEIs use English as the medium of instruction for their courses. Besides offering education opportunities to Malaysian students, these institutions have also become a very popular choice among many international students.
Private Edu. Insituutions in Malaysia
At the beginning of 2011, there were 452 PHEIs approved by MOHE and are categorised as below:
Number of PHEIs as at Dec 2010:
Categories of PHEIs Number
- University 23
- University College 21
- Foreign University Branch Campus 5
- Non-university status 403
(e.g. private colleges and institutes)
TOTAL 452
Student Enrolment as at Dec 2010:
Type of PHEI Student Enrolment
Malaysian International Total
Private Universities 193,086 15,859 208,945
Foreign University Branch Campuses 13,280 3,730 17,010
University Colleges 77,343 16,295 93,638
Non-university status institutions 195,215 26,821 222,036
Grand Total 478,924 62,705 541,629
The five foreign university branch campuses in Malaysia offer internationally-recognised foreign degree qualifications whilst the 44 private universities and university colleges offer home-grown degree programmes and 3+0 foreign university degree programmes.
There are some 35 non-university status PHEIs (i.e. private colleges) that conduct 3+0 foreign university degree programmes in collaboration with overseas host universities besides awarding their own certificate and diploma level qualifications to students. Many of these PHEIs also have twinning degree arrangements (commonly known as 2+1) with reputable foreign universities all over the world.
At the beginning of 2011, there were more than 541,629 students studying in PHEIs and about 58,294 (approximately 10% of the total) were international students pursuing tertiary programmes and English language courses.
Malaysia's private higher education is unique and renowned because it offers students a wide variety of study options and a choice of both local and foreign university qualifications of international standing to suit individual preferences.
MOHE Approvals and Other Requirements
Private higher educational institutions (PHEIs) which offer tertiary education must be approved by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to operate as required by Malaysian laws.
In addition to obtaining the approval to operate, the courses offered by PHEIs leading to the award of certificate, diploma and degree qualifications need to be recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) through two distinct processes i.e. provisional accreditation and accreditation which assures the quality of these courses. Without MQA's accreditation, any qualification awarded to students by PHEIs is considered a breach of Malaysian education law. Therefore, it is advisable for students to ensure that the course they intend to enrol for is endorsed by MQA. For a list of approved PHEIs and accredited courses, click on the Malaysian Qualifications Register at www.mqa.gov.my.
An important point to note is that not all PHEIs in Malaysia, although approved by MOHE, are allowed to enrol international students. In order to do so, PHEIs require an additional licence or approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia (Immigration Department).
Categories of PHEIs
PHEIs consist of the following categories:
Non-university status institutions, i.e.
- Private colleges
- Private institutions
University status institutions, i.e.
- Private universities
- Private university colleges
- Foreign university branch campuses
Types of Qualifications Awarded
PHEIs conduct a wide range of courses and award qualifications ranging from certificate, diploma, degree to doctoral qualifications:
Private Colleges
- Pre-university programmes (internal and external qualifications)
- Internal or self-designed certificate and diploma qualifications
- Foreign university degree programmes in collaboration with partner-universities
- External professional and semi-professional examinations
Private Universities and University Colleges
- University foundation courses
- Internal diploma and degree qualifications as well as foreign university degrees programmes in collaboration with partner-universities
Branch Campuses of Foreign Universities
- Degree qualifications identical to that of the foreign university
PHEIs play a significant role in fulfilling the needs of tertiary education for many local and international students. The courses offered are open to Malaysian and international students that possess SPM / Senior Middle III / STPM / GCE O Levels / STPM / GCE A-Levels or other equivalent qualifications. Students can also select either full-time or part-time study, or the distance learning mode in obtaining their qualification affordably.
Admission Requirements for the Private Edu. Institutions:
PHEIs will require some basic academic qualifications from applicants before considering their applications for the respective study programmes. The general entry requirement to pursue diploma programmes is SPM or GCE O Level with a minimum of 3 credits, whereas students with STPM qualifications or its equivalent such as GCE A Levels, University Foundation Programme, SAM, and CPU are allowed to enter Year 1 of an undergraduate programme.
General Entry Requirements for Pre-University / Diploma / Degree Programmes
Education Level General Entry Requirement
University Foundation Programme SPM/GSCE O Level with 5 credits, or its equivalent
Certificate Level SPM/ GSCE O Level with 1 credit, or its equivalent
Diploma Level SPM/ GSCE O Level with 3 credits, or its equivalent
Year 1 of Bachelor’s Degree STPM /GCE A Level + English Proficiency or its equivalent
English Proficiency Requirement
Proficiency in the English language is another 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 GCE 1119, MUET (Malaysia University English Test), TOEFL and IELTS are generally accepted for bachelor's degree programmes.
Accepted Scores of English Proficiency Standard:
English Proficiency Test Accepted Scores for First Degree Programmes
TOEFL 173 to 250 on a new computer administered test (equivalent to a score of 500 to 600 on the old paper-based test format)
IELTS 6.0 to 7.0
MUET SPM/ GSCE O Level with 3 credits, or its equivalent
Higher Education Qualification Levels under MQA
Under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), the levels of higher education qualification detailed in the Malaysian Qualification Framework (MQF) include:
Levels 1 to 3 - These include skill certificates awarded by skill training institutes; vocational and technical certificates awarded by Community Colleges and Polytechnics; as well as certificates (Level 3 only) awarded by the Higher Education sector.
Levels 4 and 5 - These levels include diplomas and advanced diplomas (general degree) respectively, awarded by the Technical and Vocational sector, the Skills sector as well as the Higher Education sector.
Levels 6 to 8 - Level 6 is generally first degrees, i.e. bachelor degrees with honours while Level 7 is for master degrees and Level 8 for PhD / doctoral degrees. Under the lifelong learning category, there are graduate certificates and diplomas as well as postgraduate certificates and diplomas.The framework specifies that a programme is required to achieve the following minimum credits before an academic qualification can be awarded, e.g. certificate (60 credits), diploma (90 credits), bachelor degree (120 credits) and taught master's degree (40 credits). Master's degrees and PhD obtained by research do not have credit values.
Pre-Tertiary Education - Admission Requirements
The table below indicates examples of admission requirements for Malaysian and international students (English competency is required).
Some Examples of Entry Requirements for Pre-Tertiary Education:
Student's Country of Origin Academic Qualification and Minimum Admission Requirements for Pre-University Programmes
Malaysia Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM (Malaysian Certificate of Education equivalent to 'O' Level) - 5 credits (including English)
Australia Completion of Senior Secondary School or equivalent (Year 11)
Brunei GCE (Ordinary Level) - Credit in 4 relevant subjects and English competency
Bangladesh Completion of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) with a minimum Grade Point average of 3.5 (60-69%) or GCE 'O' Level (credit in 4 relevant subjects and English competency) Completion of the Bangladesh Secondary School Certificate (SSC) with a minimum Grade Point average of 3.5 (60-69%), separate evidence or English competency is required or GCE 'O' Level - credit in 4 relevant academic subjects and English competency
P.R.China Complete Senior Middle 2 (Year 11)
Fiji and Pacific Islands Fiji School Leaving Cert - aggregate of 230 for best 4 subjects
Hong Kong HKCEE - Grade D in 4 subjects
Cambodia Upper Secondary School Certificate (Baccalaureate) - pass with satisfactory grades in relevant subjects
India Completion of the All India Secondary School Certificate awarded by The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) with an average of 60% in four subjects, one of which must be English (with 60% or better) or with separate evidence of competence in English or GCE 'O' Level - credit in 4 relevant academic subjects and English competency
Indonesia Sekolah Menengah Umum 2 (SMU 2) - A minimum average grade of 7.5 Or SMU 3 - average grade 7.0
Iran National High Secondary School Diploma / Secondary School Diploma - pass with satisfactory grades in relevant subjects
Japan Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate - grade C in 5 subjects
Maldives GCE (Ordinary Level) - A minimum of 5 credits
Mauritius GCE (Ordinary Level) - A minimum of 5 credits
Myanmar Basic Education High School Certificate (BEHS) (e.g. Matriculation) - Minimum average grade of 60% or better for all subjects
Nepal Higher Secondary Certificate - 1st Division
Oman Thanawiya Amma (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) - pass with satisfactory grades in relevant subjects
Pakistan Completion of the Secondary School Certificate awarded by The Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education from Pakistan with an average of 60% in four (4) academic subjects, and at least 60% in English or GCE 'O' Level - credit in 4 relevant academic subjects and English competency
Philippines High School Diploma - with pass in University Admission
Saudi Arabia General Secondary Education Certificate
Singapore GCE 'O' Level - credit in 4 relevant subjects and English competency
South Africa South Africa Senior Certificate - pass with satisfactory grades in relevant subjects
Republic of Korea Senior High School Leaving Cert - grade C in 5 subjects
Macau HKCEE - grade D in 4 subjects
Sri Lanka GCE 'O' Level - credit in 4 relevant subjects and English competency
Taiwan High School Leaving Cert - grade C in 5 subjects
Thailand Matayom 6 - grade 2.5 or above in relevant subjects
Matayom 6 - grade 3.0 or above in relevant vocational subjects
United Arab Emirates General Secondary Education Certificate
Vietnam Year 12 - grade 7.0 average or Year 11 - grade 7.5 average
Yemen Al-Thanawiya (General Secondary Education Certificate) - pass with satisfactory grades in relevant subjects
Malaysian PHEIs have become a preferred choice for many students, both local and international as a destination that offers quality education under the supervision of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. There are many international students studying at PHEIs and one of key reasons for them in choosing Malaysia is the competitive tuition fees and lower cost of living which they find more attractive than studying in other countries.
The extensive range of pre-university courses set the stage for a student’s first degree. Subsequently, there is a wide choice of study options particularly at bachelor’s degree level such as twinning degree courses, 3+0 degree programmes, foreign university degree programmes as well as credit transfer degree programmes. Students can also opt for the distance learning mode at bachelor degree and postgraduate levels.
With many local and international students graduating from Malaysian PHEIs to date, it is testimony that these institutions truly are an excellent choice for tertiary education.