Chance to study overseas
THE time has come for the question, “What is my son/daughter going to do after high school?”
As you may (or not) already know, there are courses for Malaysian high school-leavers as a means to begin their tertiary education, such as A-Levels, Foundation and Diploma offered across the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. However, which pre-university programme is the right one for students intending to study abroad? That comes down to which subject area the student is interested in.
Read on for an explanation on overseas pre-university programmes.
The UK: Advanced Level (A-Levels)
This two-year programme is recognised and accepted worldwide, but there is a heavy emphasis on examinations. If you are highly skilled at dominating exams, you’re basically made to take on the A-Levels. Most importantly, if Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Law or high-ranking universities are your goal, A-Levels is the best way to go.
The UK: University Foundation
Some universities have their own foundation programme and there are others provided by private colleges. Generally, Foundation in the UK is only nine months.
Australia and New Zealand: Foundation and Diploma
Australia and New Zealand provide foundation and diploma as their university preparatory programmes. One similarity between ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) and UK is that you may advance into a university affiliated to the institution where you have completed your foundation or diploma. Similar to UK’s Foundation programme, the foundation and diploma can be offered by universities or private colleges.
The US
Many fall victim to the common misconception that a pre-university qualification is the path to the US. The truth is, you can study in the US right after graduating from high school. In fact, it is highly recommended to do so as JM Education Group’s US university partners do not require SAT. The degree lasts four years – the first two years is when students can pick their general subject of interest; when entering Year Three onward, students are required to declare and specialise in their choice of major.
Still confused? Fret not – an overseas pre-U fair organised by JM Education Group is coming soon:
> Aug 5 (Saturday), noon-6pm at Cititel Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur
> Aug 6 (Sunday), noon-6pm at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya
> Aug 12 (Saturday), noon-5pm at The Waterfront Hotel, Kuching
> Aug 13 (Sunday), noon-5pm at Promenade Hotel, Kota Kinabalu
Entrance to the fair is free.
■ Still have some questions? Call Subang Jaya (HQ): 03-5633 4732, or e-mail inquirydata@ jmecc.com