Join OUM with your work experience through APEL.A

On the path to higher education with recognition of your formal, informal, and non-formal learning, use your prior learning experiences to meet the admission criteria for OUM’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

The APEL.A approach systematically identifies, documents and assesses your prior experience to determine whether you have the necessary ability for admission to your chosen programme.

APEL.A

in 5 steps

Check the requirements

Make An Application

Prepare For The Assessments

Attend Assessments

Pass And Gain Admission To Your Programme Of Choice

01

Check the requirements

Certificate (T-3)

  • You must be at least 19 years old when you apply.
  • Possess relevant work experience.

Diploma (T-4)

  • You must be at least 20 years old when you apply.
  • Possess relevant work experience.

Bachelor (T-6)

  • You must be at least 21 years old when you apply.
  • Possess relevant work experience.

Master (T-7)

  • You must be at least 30 years old when you apply.
  • Possess at least STPM.
  • Possess relevant work experience.

Doctorate (T-8)

  • You must be at least 35 years old when you apply.
  • Possess at least a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualifications.
  • Possess at least 5 years of relevant work experience after completion of the Bachelor’s degree programme.
02

Make An Application

To begin your APEL journey, complete the online application at MQA portal (if you haven’t yet).

If you choose OUM as your APEL Assessment Centre, you will receive a confirmation email from MQA with the link to apply to OUM. You will also receive another email from OUM with instructions on registration and fee payment.

03

Prepare For The Assessments

After completing your application, you may begin to prepare for your assessments. The following resources could help you:

Subject Aspects to be Assessed Assessment Method (Time: 2 hours)
Bahasa Malaysia
  • - Reading and comprehension
  • - Vocabulary
  • - Grammar and tenses
  • - Error correction
  • - Spelling
 10 multiple-choice questions
English Language
  • - Reading and comprehension
  • - Vocabulary
  • - Grammar and tenses
  • - Error correction
  • - Spelling
 10 multiple-choice questions
Numerical Literacy (Mathematics)
  • - Basic descriptive statistics
  • - Basic numeracy
  • - Basic algebra
  • - Problem-solving
 10 multiple-choice questions
General Knowledge, Critical Thinking & Digital Literacy
  • - Current issues
  • - Digital literacy
  • - Information sourcing
  • - Logical reasoning
  • - Classification skills
  • - Pattern recognition
 10 multiple-choice questions

Subject Aspect to be Assessed Assessment Method (Time: 2 hours 30 minutes)
Bahasa Malaysia
  • - Reading and comprehension
  • - Grammar and prose
  • - Spelling
  • - Vocabulary
  • - Error correction
 Part A: 13 multiple-choice questions Part B: 1 structured question
English Language
  • - Reading and comprehension
  • - Grammar and prose
  • - Spelling
  • - Vocabulary
  • - Error correction
 Part A: 12 multiple-choice questions Part B: 1 structured question
Numerical Literacy (Mathematics)
  • - Basic mathematics
  • - Descriptive statistics
  • - Basic algebra
  • - Problem-solving
 Part A: 25 multiple-choice questions Part B: 1 structured question
General Knowledge, Critical Thinking & Digital Literacy
  • - Current issues
  • - Digital literacy
  • - Information sourcing
  • - Logical reasoning
  • - Classification skills
  • - Pattern recognition
 Part A: 25 multiple-choice questions Part B: 2 structured questions

 

Instructions for the APEL.A Aptitude Test

  1. There are 40 questions, with 10 questions each for FOUR main parts: Malay Language; English Language; Mathematics; and General Knowledge, Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy.
  2. You must answer ALL questions within 2 hours.
  3. You may use a calculator for the test. However, programmable calculators are NOT ALLOWED.

Sample Set for Bachelor's Degree (Level 6)

- APEL.A T6 Sample Aptitude Test for Malay Language

- APEL.A T6 Sample Aptitude Test for English Language

- APEL.A T6 Sample Aptitude Test for Mathematics

- APEL.A T6 Sample Aptitude Test for General Knowledge, Critical Thinking & Digital Literacy

 

Instructions for APEL.A Aptitude Test

  1. The aptitude test covers FOUR subject areas: Malay Language, English Language, Mathematics, and General Knowledge and Critical Thinking.
  2. The test consists of Part A – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Part B – Structured Questions.
  3. There are 75 MCQs in Part A (13 for Malay, 12 for English, 25 for Mathematics and 25 for General Knowledge, Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy) and 5 structured questions in Part B (2 for General Knowledge, Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy and 1 question for each of the other subjects).
  4. You must answer ALL questions within 2 hours and 30 minutes.
  5. You may use a calculator for the test. However, programmable calculators are NOT ALLOWED.

Sample Set for Master's Programme (Level 7)

- APEL A T7 Sample Aptitude Test for Bahasa Melayu 

- APEL A T7 Sample Aptitude Test for English Language

- APEL A T7 Sample Aptitude Test for Mathematics

- APEL A T7 Sample Aptitude Test for General Knowledge, Critical Thinking & Digital Literacy

04

Attend Assessments

You may sit for the aptitude test at an OUM learning centre of your choice anywhere in Malaysia. Select the centre and date during your application in Step 2.

Once you have passed the aptitude test, please email your complete portfolio to maac@oum.edu.my for review and evaluation.

05

Pass And Gain Admission To Your Programme Of Choice

When you pass all the assessment components, you pass APEL.A!

You will be officially notified and issued a certificate by MQA for admission into a university programme.

Please note that the OUM APEL Centre is a recognised APEL Assessment Centre. It is accredited by MQA to conduct assessments for all APEL.A applicants for the purpose of admission to academic programmes at all Malaysian universities.