How to Identify a Private University That is Likely to Deceive You

The awareness among students to select a private university only to enrol themselves in a course of their liking is increasing. This awareness is good however it comes with a risk. 

When you are applying to a private university, there are certain aspects that may seem trivial to you but are essentia. For instance, you may think that as long as you get into a course of your liking, there is nothing else that matters. 

We advise you to consider every aspect including the university recognition and reputation for its programmes. You need to ask yourself if the university is recognised by potential employers and most importantly, is the certification offered accredited? 

Programme and Certification is Recognised by the MQA

Most of the prestigious private universities offer courses that are recognised by MQA. To identify whether the course of study is accredited, you can check on the official MQA website. If the course you want to take is not on the MQA list, there is a high possibility that the course has not received full qualification yet. If the course has not received full qualification, this does NOT mean that the course is not accredited, but it may also mean that the specific course of study you are considering to get yourself enrolled in has yet to receive its first batch of students and graduates.

Hence, MQA will only give half recognition and it will not be listed on their official website. Once there are students graduating from the particular course, full recognition will be given. This usually happens with newly introduced courses. So, you can directly request for the MQA program code from the private university. 

Tuition fees

The second thing you need to check which is also a very important aspect is the tuition fees for every semester. Usually in the first semester, the fee payment is quite high because you will have to pay other additional fees to get yourself enrolled. However, in the second semester and beyond, the fees will be lower than the first semester. So, you need to check the entire list of fees to be paid and other hidden fees throughout the study. You can call the university and ask for detailed information on the fees. You can also check for the fees on the official website of the university and request the officer in charge to provide you with the other information in writing. 

This is to make sure that you don't get deceived when it comes to the fees since we know that private universities can be really expensive. There are many instances where students were not allowed to graduate due to their failure in making payments on time.  

Quality of the Teaching Staff 

How do we find out if the lecturers are all qualified to teach and are able to provide you with the learning experience you are looking for? To find out, simply visit the official website of the university of your interest. Head on to the directory section which displays information about the academic staff. 

Look for their academic qualifications and experience. This is an essential aspect that most students fail to judge as they feel that it is beyond their control. Quality lecturers will provide you with meaningful education, and at the end of the day, you will be a quality graduate. 

In addition, you can also check whether the university is listed in the QS WORLD RANKING or Times Higher Education Ranking or the latest SETARA ranking issued by KPT. If the status of the institution is at college level, you can check at MYQUEST. If the university or college is listed, it is safe to say that the university of your interest may be one of the best options in terms of the quality of teaching and learning, facilities and research.

Study Facilities

You may come across brochures and captivating advertisements portraying various facilities in a university which guarantees you the best learning experience. This includes well maintained buildings, air-conditioned lecture rooms, and other learning facilities. However there are many times students get deceived only to find out during their registration that it is nothing they had expected. 

You may think that being concerned about university facilities only makes you a fussy person, but you need to remember that the facilities play a major role in keeping you motivated and making your study journey meaningful. Imagine not having a well maintained library or a comfortable place to have group discussions. 

The facilities in a university directly reflect if the university cares about the welfare of their students. To avoid any unexpected situation, you can go and visit the university for yourself before registration. 

There are many other universities you can find with the same fee or even lower with complete facilities like University Teknology Petronas (UTP), UNITEN, MMU

 IUKL, ADMAL, TAR UC, Limkokwing, MSU and APU. 

Accommodation facilities

Not all private universities provide accommodation to students. If they do not provide accommodation, you will have to look for accommodation outside the campus and rent it. Public transportation amenities, such as bus, LRT, MRT, and others, are important to consider while looking for a place to rent because they will make it easier for you to get to college.

Check out websites like ibilik, mudah.my, iproperty, and others to find rooms or houses within your budget. Then, open Google Maps and use the satellite view option. If the university appears to be remote from all public transit options, you will need to consider finding your own mode of transportation, which may require bringing your own car or bike, or even carpooling with a friend. It can be very inconvenient.

IPTS collaboration with industry

Lastly, after graduation, no doubt you want to secure a job instantly, of course you want to get a job immediately. To make this possible, you need to make sure that the university you are enrolled in collaborates and has various industry partnerships. With these partnerships, you will be given priority to undergo industrial training and internship. To check if the university has strategic networking and industrial partnership, check out their websites. 

We at Afterschool.my hope that this article has made you more aware. Not all private universities will deceive you but there are some recruitment agents that will deceive you in order to get high commissions. What really matters is the quality of the education even if that means you have to pay a little more.

If you are unsure with the decision you have made, you can schedule a personalized 20 minutes FREE counselling with our Afterschool expert counsellors. Our counsellors will help you make the right choice according to your financial ability, interests and job prospects. 

There are also plenty of scholarships available for application. Browse through our list of latest scholarships for more details on study level, scholarship amount, scholarship deadline, and other information. 

Afterschool.my is Malaysia’s no 1 higher education website that provides helpful information on courses, institutions and scholarships for students transitioning from secondary school to university level.