APEL? What is it?

APEL is Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning. It is an alternative qualification to pursue your Higher Education. If you've always wanted to further your studies at tertiary level but do not have the academic qualifications required of a traditional student, you will be glad to know that there is a way to get around this.

Like many other working adults who may have considered pursuing higher education, but you would not have been able to meet the minimum entry requirement of a higher education institution without a pre-university qualification or a first degree.

Thus, to break these barriers, In 2011, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) introduced the APEL which enables individuals who have work experience but lack of formal academic qualifications to pursue their studies at higher education institutions.

In short, APEL provides an alternative entry route to formal programmes of study for certificate to master's through recognition of learning and experiences regardless of how and where it was required.

According to Ministry of Higher Education policy, traditional students applying for full-time courses at higher education institutions need to meet the following entry requirements:

• Certificate programme - minimum of 1 credit at SPM level

• Diploma programme - minimum of 3 credits at SPM level

• Foundation or pre-U - minimum of 5 credits at SPM level

• Bachelor's degree - foundation programme, Diploma, A level, STPM and so on.

• Master's - various undergraduate degree

In contrast, Malaysian students who are interested to apply for courses at levels listed below through APEL, the entry requirements are as follows:

• Certificate programmes - 19 years old at the time of application with relevant work experience and passed APEL assessment.

• Diploma programmes - 20 years old at the time of application with relevant work experience and passed APEL assessment.

• Bachelor's programmes - 21 years old at the time of application with relevant work experience and passed APEL assessment.

• Master's programmes - 30 years old at the time of application with at least STPM/Diploma/equivalent, relevant work experience and passed APEL assessment.

At the moment, for master's level programmes the disciplines are limited to fields of Business, Performing Arts, Information Technology and Education. However, MQA is in the process of considering other disciplines of study to promote wider participation of adult student.

Hope you have an understanding on what APEL is all about... Thank you...