Asia Pacific Schools prepares you for study at top New Zealand universities

With forward-thinking and a learner-focused curriculum, Asia Pacific Schools cultivates an atmosphere of innovation and creative thinking that will prepare graduates for the transition into tertiary education. The school builds on its vision of incorporating technology seamlessly into the learning curriculum, preparing students with the necessary skills to thrive.

Start your New Zealand journey with Asia Pacific Schools

  Besides having a 7-acre campus with modern facilities, Asia Pacific Schools believes in providing an engaging learning environment.

Asia Pacific Schools (APS) - which is a member of the International Schools Partnership (ISP), offers the International Foundation Year (IFY) programme – a 9 month fast-track foundation pathway that allows students to be a year ahead of their A-Level peers, which takes approximately 15 months to 2 years in comparison.

Ben Burrowes, Regional Director of Asia for Education New Zealand, advocates the programme as a strong stepping stone for international students who are considering pursuing tertiary studies overseas, particularly to the land of New Zealand (fondly referred to as Aotearoa, meaning ‘the land of long white cloud’ in Maori).

“The programme enables students to begin their New Zealand study experience from the comfort of their home country before selecting a New Zealand university to start their undergraduate study. The Foundation Year is an extremely important programme to build the students’ confidence before undertaking an exciting journey in a foreign country. We want all of our international students to be in the strongest position possible ahead of arriving in New Zealand.”

The IFY programme grants access to top universities across the globe, including all top eight universities in New Zealand: 

Ben McNally-Burn, International Manager of the University of Auckland, emphasises that many students (at the University of Auckland) who have completed a foundation programme tend to perform well academically in their chosen undergraduate programme and acclimate smoothly to university life.

“This is not only because of the academic background students have developed in the foundation programme but also because of the myriad of transferable skills nurtured throughout the programme. These skills include but are not limited to communication skills, interpersonal skills, and time-management, which all indirectly support a student’s academic study.”

APS offers two courses under the International Foundation year, including a Foundation in Business and a Foundation in Humanities. Throughout the year, students will be assessed based on a split of 30% coursework and 70% examinations, an assessment standardised across the world. 

To be eligible for entry into the IFY programme, students must achieve completion of five modules in their SPM exams at an average result of B/C. These same criteria also apply to IGCSE graduates. Students will also be required to have fluency in the English language equivalent to a IELTS 5.0 level prior to entry.  

Study with cultural awareness

An inclusive and diverse environment is at the heart of Asia Pacific Schools’ virtues.

Jann Musa, Head of Future Pathways for ISP in Malaysia, has this to add regarding APS and the IFY programme: “The schools lay the groundwork for their students’ future success via international university partnerships across regions. The partnerships help to break down cultural barriers and allow the students to be more aware, more adaptive to the current global demands and workforce which then, grow the students to become well-rounded individuals, mould their successful careers and eventually, provide back to society.”

In the case of APS, the school provides character building and civic awareness opportunities to its students beyond just academics. Students will be taught to embrace the unique customs of New Zealanders or better known as Kiwis – who celebrate their strong sense of community and cultural Maori heritage – and will be allowed to fully appreciate the indigenous culture of its people.

Amazing Learning

As part of the ISP, Asia Pacific Schools fosters an ‘Amazing Learning’ environment. Learning is made fun for students while simultaneously promoting healthy competition, stimulating creativity, and inspiring students to strive for better.

 By overcoming “good struggle”, the students surprise themselves as they break their limits.

Learners will continuously surprise themselves by improving beyond a level that they thought was possible – giving them the self-confidence needed to surmount any obstacle as they continue to aim higher and continue challenging themselves throughout their lives.

“The teachers at these schools pursue an inquiry-based model of learning that encourages the students to be more independent, similarly emphasising the student’s role further in the learning process. This approach is akin to the ISP value on continuous learning - students are supposed to be inquisitive and consistently seeking knowledge,” adds Jann Musa.

A New Zealand education is a natural progression from the principles of Amazing Learning and provides further opportunities for personal growth and development with practical and hands-on learning. Students will earn meaningful connections and insightful thinking, preparing them with the necessary skills to build a successful career. 

A model example of APS’s holistic study curriculum

Ronald shares his own experiences with IFY to the bright high school students of APS.

Ronald is currently a student of APS’s IFY programme for a Foundation in Business. He is looking to pursue a degree in Economics for his undergraduate studies and has since received several conditional offers after sending out his university application.

Given the fast-paced nature of the IFY, the course can seem very challenging to prospecting applicants. However, with the support of APS and its talented staff, he managed to excel in his academics and is excited about the variety of university choices available upon graduation.

Furthermore, the available foundation courses focus on specialising students early, unlike its other pre-university course counterparts. The topics covered are appropriate for the course at hand and tackles subjects that are likely to overlap with their undergraduate degree. 

“IFY starts specialising students earlier and faster for their course of choice – in my case, that was business. The course regularly covers topics specific to units that I am likely to encounter in university. As a result, I found IFY to be well-suited for me as it is the definition of short and sweet.”

The programme also brings students up to an international standard in both attitude and aptitude, as a majority of APS teaching staff are in fact international graduates themselves. Furthermore, both the Foundation in Business and Foundation in Humanities include an English subject that is officially recognised as an English Qualification that is equivalent to IELTS, TOEFL, and other English examinations, saving students both time and money.

“Truthfully, I would say that the IFY allows students to better understand what it means to be a part of an international curriculum. While the course is definitely fast-paced, it was never too much for me to absorb – teachers are always available for any questions I have, and readily provide teaching materials as needed. If you’re looking to study overseas and already have a course in mind, IFY will help you on your journey towards a fulfilling career.”

APS currently offers two intake periods for its IFY programmes – one in April and one in September. Students will also be offered a rebate of RM5,000 as an early bird bonus.

Click here to find out more about International Foundation Year at Asia Pacific Schools. You can also reach out to Asia Pacific Schools directly for more information, and visit the Asia Pacific Schools campus at: 

No. 1, Persiaran A, 

Off Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang

47200 Subang

Selangor

To start your future-focused New Zealand education journey with our new ways of learning, click here, and stay up to date with the latest information on studying with New Zealand here.