Guess what, I’ve been offered the prestigious Malaysia National Scholarship 2013! Such a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect it. I knew I would get good grades for my SPM 2012 examination, but imagine, the top 50 for like 400000+ students?! Woah, my parents were so proud of me. =)
The offer letter cover.
The offer letter.
Okay, enough chit-chat. Here are the details of the generous scholarship offered to me:
- Full tuition fees, accommodation fees, exam fees and a monthly allowance of RM150 (JPA said 645 was too much because food and accommodations are already provided at KYUEM =( ) for my Pre-U studies.
- I have to restart my A-Levels at Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM) starting from June.
- After my Pre-U studies, I have to enroll into a university ranked top 10 by The Times for each respective field of study for the respective year. Example, if I’m wanting to do medics in 2012, then I’ll have to enroll into a university ranked top 10 for medics for the year 2012 by The Times such as Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial etc.
- Of course, with my A-Level results, I can also apply for UM, USM, UKM and UPM, but I guess nobody is going to do that lol.
- Once I enter university, I’ll get a boost of my monthly allowance to 1.5k sterling pound. The scholarship will cover fully my university tuition fees, besides granting me hostel fees, book allowance, a laptop allowance of RM5000 for the first year ONLY and even clothes allowance (What’s this?!). A lot of other small and crappy allowances are also provided lol.
- The best thing is, there is no bond associated with the scholarship. You are only required to work in Malaysia for 7 years after graduating (10 years for medicine).
- You can choose to further your studies to Master degree or even PhD after consideration by JPA. However, you’re still required to work in Malaysia for a period of time upon graduation.
- Just in case I don’t get into the top 10 universities listed by The Times, as long as I get into the top 50 universities for my respective field of study (except medics, dentistry, pharmacy, they need to get top 10), JPA will transfer me under their PILN programme without having to go through any interviews. Under the PILN programme, my tuition fees will still be fully covered, just that I won’t receive that much allowance as those going to the top 10 universities.
I’m obviously very happy about the scholarship. However, it’s still a bit of hassle and trouble for me, because I’ve already started my A-Levels at Sunway College in January 2013, and now they’re asking me to restart it again, at KYUEM?! It’s going to be damn boring and a waste of my time and college fees. But I guess I can’t have the best of both worlds anyway. I’ve just received a scholarship worth at least RM500k and you won’t catch me whining over my 12k college fees wasted lol. /.\ Anyway, I’ll try to appeal to JPA so that I can continue my A-Level studies at Sunway College. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hope I succeed. Wish me luck.
Just in case you’re wondering what results it takes to get the National Scholarship, I’m afraid I don’t know either. However, you definitely have to gain straight A+s in your SPM to be even considered for the scholarship. Next comes your average marks. For my trial exam, I got an average of 94 marks. Not to demotivate you, but I’ve had a talk with some of the guys there regarding their marks, and I would estimate that you’ll need an average marks of 92 and above to get the scholarship. Just an estimate, nothing definite. Hope this helps. =)
Okay, I’m done. Hope this post has been informative and helpful to you guys. Cheers and good luck for your exams.
Ramblings of Ren 
Hi, it’s me again. I would like to know if most national scholars manage to land themselves in the top 50 university? If you fail to do so, then is it possible to continue your study overseas but in university with lower ranking? and i am planning to pursue medicine. I had asked jpa what would happen to me if i fail to land myself in top ten uni. Some of the officer said jpa will only sponsor me to local uni. Some other said they will sponsor on lower sponsor rate as long as the uni is top 50. According to your experience, which is acrually the case? Were most of national scholars planning to pursue medicine in your batch got to fly? Thank you.
It goes this way. For most courses, you have to get into top 10 universities to enjoy national scholar rates (50% extra allowance), 11-50 for normal scholarship rates. And if you fail to get into top 50, then you study local instead of overseas.
However, for certain courses such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, A&F, JPA makes an own list of their own and you follow that list. Some of the universities on that list are entitled to national scholarship rates, others follow normal rates. If you don’t get into any universities on that list for these certain courses, then you also study local.
For medicine, it’s real tough to get in a UK university. I won’t say its impossible but chances are really small. I don’t want to demotivate you, but at the start of our course, around 40% of our JPA batch wanted to do medicine/dentistry. That’s at least 20 people for you. But now we’re sitting our A2 exams and flying in September, there’s only like 3~5 people remaining doing medics/dentistry, others have switched courses.
Thank you for the prompt reply. The problem with me, I’m pretty stubborn, it’s hard to make me feel demotivated, thus my growing concern that I’ll only regret it later. Do you happen to know how much universities are listed for medicine? Were there any of your friends or seniors (national scholars) that were planning to pursue medicine had to continue their study locally? If so, any of them able to enter public university? I am also concerned that our public universities might not accept a-level. Thanks in advance. And sorry that my questions are all medic related, but i have no one else to ask. I am so very grateful for your time and help.
Nothing wrong in pursuing medicine, good luck to you. Here’s a list for you, it’s slightly outdated since they change the list year to year but it should give you a rough idea.
http://esilav2.jpa.gov.my/online_progs/epermohonan/syaratPermohonan.php?program=BURS&auth=7397
A friend of mine got rejected by all the UK universities he was applying too. However, he’s still intent on pursuing medicine, as far as I know he’ll be studying local in a private university sponsored by JPA, Perdana I think. Public university is pretty hard in my opinion, you’ll probly study local in a private uni if you get rejected by all the UK unis.
Hello, Ren. May I ask what electronics students bring to KYUEM? They provided a list of electrical appliances, but I’m curious what stuff students actually bring and the professors allow. Thanks for your time and info. 🙂
Also, I’m sorry for posting this here, Ren, but to other 2015 national scholars that might be reading this: has JPA contacted any of you recently (besides the offer letter business)? I’ve lost email from them before (and they keep losing mine) so I’m a bit worried.
Hah, professors? We call them lecturers here, even by their names but definitely not professors. Lol.
Hmmm, there’s no ending to what you can bring. I brought an oven, an induction cooker, a mini fridge. A senior of mine even once brought a gas stove! The teachers are pretty lenient actually, but you have to be careful not to get caught by the warden or the headmaster, or it’ll be confiscated.
lol I didn’t notice I used that term. Well, at least now I’ll remember not to absentmindedly call them professors. 😀
Thanks for the tip! Does the warden check the dorms often though?
Not really much. But they drop in unexpected sometimes.
Hi jay, no I haven’t been contacted by JPA recently. No emails or calls. but I think some of the others have
Hello. 🙂 Thanks for the reply. What makes you think so?
I’m not sure. Maybe they just haven’t called everyone yet? 😉
Hi.. May i ask what books are you using for A levels? As in at KYUEM, what books do they require? Thanks in advance!
Atm I’m studying Econs, Physics, Maths and Further Maths.
For econs, all the lecturers pretty much use their own notes which they compile from a range of coursebooks available, and it’s pretty useful. No book is required, but you certainly can get one as reference.
For Maths we use this book:
For Further Maths we use this book:
For Physics we use the CIE Physics coursebook. (not very much)
I don’t know for other subjects lol.
Oh those books must be expensive.. Hmm thanks a bunch!
Hi Ren! I’m a national scholar who’s starting at kyuem in July. I’d like to know if we can take SATs and SAT subject tests at the same time at ky, and when will we take the tests? Also I’m curious about the dress code, we were told its formal but I heard they are not really strict about it. Thanks! 🙂
Nope you’ll have to take SAT and SAT subject tests externally, which means taking it at an exam centre in KL/PJ. KYUEM will not be involved in the process, so it’s up to you to decide when you want to take it and register accordingly to deadlines.
For the dress code, yes it’s formal but it’s not that strict. The student services department and the headmaster do care about it, but the lecturers are actually fine as long as you wear something decent. No slippers, no short pants and short skirts. For the first semester I wore formal, after that I started wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt and a hoodie just in case i bump into anyone who cares about wearing formal. You’ll find most people doing that.
Thank you 🙂 when do students normally take it? Is it in the first year?
2nd or 3rd semester.
May I know what’s your raw score for physics in AS? Do u roughly how much raw score is needed for 90 percentile?
I don’t know lol. Just saw that my UMS was above 90, and didn’t care about the rest.
Oh I see. Do u know what’s the threshold to get 90% or above in Ur year?
Hi Ren, if some of the national scholars rejected their offer (most probably they won’t though), will jpa offer their places to the top 51, 52 and so on? Do you have any idea of this? Thanks 🙂
I don’t think so.
Thanks a lot! 🙂
Hey~ may i ask what’s the protocol for laptops and electronics at kyuem? Is it forbidden, or do we have to register it, etc? Thanks for your time.
Your regular stuff like laptops and phones are allowed, but things like fridges, ovens need to be registered, else they’re forbidden. Personally it’s a pain getting permission to bring a fridge, so I just had one in my chalet and hid it whenever the school is having a spot check. Help when your friends are in the Student Council lol.
Please read… i’m begging you senpai.. TTwTT
i just really wanted to know how the KPM Bursary holder(s) get into KYUEM? I’ll sit for SPM this year and i really hope I can enter KYUEM next year… Chances to become one of the top 50 is really slim in my opinion (through my research, recipients from Sabah is very rare.. And yes, i’m Sabahan. 😦 )… So, just in case if I only get the bursary, what do I have to do to enter KYUEM with the bursary money? Could you please give me the procedures? KYUEM is my dream college…😄
That’s where you’re wrong, for my batch we had a fair proportion of recipients from Sabah and Sarawak, and some of them are the best performing among us. Anyway from what I’ve heard, if you get the bursary, there should be a contact number at the bottom of the bursary website, call and appeal to enter KYUEM for your A-Levels. What happens after that I’m not too sure, but they’ll consider your case and let you know if it’s okay, it’s not definite though.
Thanks for your response! 😄
Well, from Sarawak, yes.. They’re many of them this year.. Unfortunately, no one from Sabah get it… Maybe they’re just not good enough.. 😜 haha~ just kidding.. again, thank you.. I’m also trying my best to be one of the top 50.. 😄
So you have to work in Malaysia for 7 years after graduating?(I thought people never come back to Malaysia and they work in other country…)
Yeah I’m supposed to work in Malaysia for 7 years when I’ve finished my degree. Some people don’t because of the better prospects overseas, but I’m more of a family person, can’t bear to be always far away from my family and friends. =)
So do you have to repaid the scholarship,if you don’t work in Malaysia for 7 years?
Hi, I’ve been wondering, how is the Bursary Scholarship different from the National Scholarship?
The national scholarship gives 50% extra allowance (which is a lot!) compared to the bursary if you get into the top 10 universities. As I speak, the bursary for overseas studies has been effectively scrapped starting this year, which means the national scholarship is currently the only scholarship offered by JPA to study overseas, especially if you want to study in UK or US. JPA is also offering 200 places under another scholarship to study engineering but that’s limited to Germany, France, Japan and Korea.
I thought there is bond associated with the scholarship…lol.Is there any contract for the scholarship?
There is a bond and yes, of course there’s a contract. Things have changed.
Is there any way to get more detailed information about this scholarship?
Not really, best way is to ask those who received the scholarship.
Hi. May I ask how soon did you get this offer right after the announcement of spm result, and how they contact you?
It was into the second week or third week after results were released, they called my school and then my home.