If you are looking to further your studies at local public institutions, there is a number of options available to you. Apart from Asasi (similar to Foundation courses at private colleges), public university diplomas and STPM, we also have the Malaysian Matriculation programme as well, widely known as Matrikulasi. The Malaysian Matriculation is one of the preferred choices for students who are eyeing for coveted spots at public universities, as it is an extremely cost-effective route. a 1 to 2-year pre-university course that allows you to pursue a degree upon successful completion.Matrikulasi is one of the most sought-after pre-university programmes among Malaysians as it is an extremely cost-effective route into tertiary education. Students only need to pay a small registration fee, and the rest of the costs are borne by the Malaysian government. Matrikulasi students also receive an allowance every semester for their use.Normally, students who opt for Matriculation will go on to pursue their degree with local public institutions. That said, the Malaysian Matriculation is also recognised by several foreign universities such as those from Australia, United Kingdom, Indonesia, New Zealand and several other Commonwealth countries.
Matrikulasi or Matriculation is basically finishing school in a sense.
The difference between school and tertiary education is that School is prep for everything. Students are taught as much as they can so that when they get to tertiary, College, they can apply for any subject they want.
That is the concept.
IF you chose Matriculation, your choices in specialization is still minimal. Its the same reason why Highschoolers always question why are they studying a subject. They dont see why because they dont have interest in it.
In college however, students have more choice under what they want to take, as its a time for them to focus on a certain subject instead of all of them
Before choosing Matrikulasi, there are also pros and cons that should be considered by students.
Pros:
- Students only need to pay a small registration fee, and the rest of the costs are borne by the Malaysian government. Matrikulasi students also receive an allowance every semester for their use as mentioned by dienta_alias
- Student whos pass matriculation will surely be able to pursue their further education in local public institutions. Note also that some private institutions do take in Matriculation students such as Taylor’s University.
- You have to stay in the location assigned to you, so if you want to learn how to be independent and living the hostel life with your friends this could be the way to go.
- It is fast, just one year of study and you’ll be able to enter local university.
Cons:
- As mentioned by emarazizi, your choices in specialization is still minimal. The syllabus you gonna learn there is very limited, let say in STPM you learn from “A” to “F” , however, in matriculation in the same chapter, you only learn the content from “A” to “C”
- You don’t get to pick the local university that you want to go intoor the course that you want to study there. Even though they do let you make choices and it also depends on your result, however the end decision will not be in your hands.
- Living far a way from your family - homesick