Recruit UEC students and increase your institution's brand exposure in Chinese independent schools

The United Examinations Certificate (UEC) is a standardised examination conducted by leading Chinese education group Dong Zong (United School Committees Associations of Malaysia) in the country’s 60 Chinese Independent secondary schools.  In 2018, around 12,200 students took the UEC Senior Middle Three examination (equivalent to A-level) in Malaysia; with passing rate estimated at 80%, more than 40% of the graduates (around 3,900 students) opt to study overseas. The main choices of the students are Singapore, China, Taiwan and Australia. According to Dong Zong, the UEC holders are increasingly interested to study in English speaking countries including the United Kingdom, however obstructed by limited knowledge about the country and UK institutions. 

In line with the British Council's effort to better support Dong Zong and its 60 Chinese independent schools, we are gathering and sharing information about UK institutions with these relevant stakeholders. Your institution information - if UEC qualification is accepted - will be shared on Dong Zong's main webpage and with all the schools under its network. This survey will be done annually to ensure Dong Zong and its schools receive up-to-date and accurate information. 

Please fill in this survey form by 31 May 2019.

Commentary by Tiu (kianwee.tiu@britishcouncil.org.my)

The primary source of information for UEC holders is the universities' websites and through conversations with Dong Zong's staff. While the students are keen to explore studying in the UK, they could not locate entry requirements for UEC students in the universities' websites. We encourage institutions which accept UEC qualification to update your websites with accurate entry requirement information for UEC holders. 

We are also encouraging UK institutions to relook at the institutions' entry requirements for UEC holders. Australian universities are popular among the UEC holders. Generally, an Australian university looks at the overall average of the best 5 subjects awarded on UEC, with score grades as A1=1, A2=2, B3=3, B4=4, B5=5, B6=6. As a reference, an UEC student needs to score an average of 3 or 4 to study in Group of Eight Australian Universities; whereas the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) accepts score around 4 to 5. 

English proficiency is not a problem for most UEC students, especially those studying in main cities such as Klang Valley and Penang. Most international institutions in English speaking countries accept UEC holders with IELTS band 6.5, Cambridge 176 and Pearsons 58.  As a sidenote,  some UEC holders take SPM examination which includes English paper (1119 Level). 

Although the main demographic of UEC holders is Malaysian Chinese families with at least middle class income, availability of scholarships and financial aids remain to be a plus-point.