5 Pathways to Getting a Law Degree in Malaysia

There are many pathways to getting a Law degree in Malaysia. Before choosing a pre-university programme, it is imperative that a candidate must have obtained a minimum of 3 credit passes at the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or its equivalent, as stipulated by the Malaysian Bar.

In this feature, we try to answer the most common questions on taking up the law. Here are pathways you can take if you wish to get a law degree in Malaysia and even overseas.

1. STPM

Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) is equivalent to the GCE A level qualification in the UK and is accepted for entry into most reputable universities overseas. Many students wonder which subjects they should take to prepare for law school. The answer: Generally, law schools in Malaysia accept any stream (arts and science).

If you decide to take up STPM, you will need at least two principal passes or its equivalent. Students can pursue a law degree in private institutions and public universities such as UM, UKM, IIUM and UUM. Some public universities have raised their qualification requirements, law applicants are required to pass the university interview and achieve band 5 in MUET.

2. A Levels

A Levels, also known as the Advanced Level course, is a pre-university course offered by private institutions of higher learning. Students taking A levels can create a combination of up to 4 subjects. For law, it is ideal to include English, History, Foreign Languages, and Mathematics/Economics/ Business Studies/Psychology.

Click here to find out the best subject combinations in A levels.

Brickfields Asia College (BAC) is a Cambridge International Associate Partner which offers the CIE A Level programme for over 20 years. It enables students to progress into a degree in Law, among others.

3. Matriculation

Malaysian matriculation is recognised by a few universities in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Depending on your SPM results, you can finish matriculation for 1 year (PST) or have it stretched up to 2 years (PDT).

Click here to know if you qualify for PST or PDT.

The accounting stream, which contains subjects: mathematics, accounting, economics and management, is the stream of choice for students who plan to take up law. Students who obtain a CGPA of 2.00 (grade C) and above may be considered for admission into public institutions of higher learning.

Students with SPM / SPM(V) qualifications can enrol in JPA and MARA-sponsored programmes abroad. The condition is that you need to have at least three honours in English, history, and mathematics, together with science and technical subjects. SPM graduates can choose to follow a one-year matriculation course. Depending on your grades, you can continue your studies in law at an undergraduate level.

4. Asasi / Foundation

Asasi (public) or college foundations (private) are tailored pre-university programmes. Unlike STPM and Matriculation, switching institutions can be a bit tricky since it is a customised programme. As a rule, always take a Foundations/Asasi programme that is recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.

Click here to know if your programme is MQA-accredited..

Although it is designed for a particular programme, students who are interested in law can take any foundation programme - foundation in science, foundation in law or foundation in arts because the study of law is not domain-specific.

5. Diploma

Those who have a Diploma in Public Administration, Law or Accountancy from UiTM can enter Universiti Malaya (UM) to pursue an undergraduate degree in Law. On a case-by-case basis, private law schools in Malaysia will accept diploma students provided they meet minimum requirements, and the programme is accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.

Click here to know if your programme is MQA-accredited.