International Student Foundation Programme (ISFP)

The International Student Foundation Programme (ISFP) is a preparatory course to equip the students for the Certificate of English Language Competency and Foundation Studies Examination that will enable them to continue their undergraduate or postgraduate studies at Universiti Malaysia Sabah. The course consist of 10 core modules which the students are required to pass and they are:

  • Module One – Grammar Skills
  • Module Two – Reading Skills
  • Module Three – Writing Skills
  • Module Four – Listening Skills
  • Module Five – Speaking Skills
  • Module Six – Research Writing in English
  • Module Seven – Public Speaking in English
  • Module Eight – Language (Level I & II)
  • Module Nine – Malaysian Studies: Culture & History
  • Module Ten – Malaysian Studies: Civilization

The programme will be conducted intensively for a total of 6 months encompassing 800 credit hours. The ISFP highlights English language skill at both introductory and intermediate levels. This programme focuses on each skill suitable for learners of English as Second or Foreign Language. The ISFP will also engage students in making meaning of the whole course by organizing language and other foundation studies thematically. Students will explore different aspects of similar yet contemporary themes of each skill. This programme will expose students to a variety of topics from general and scholarly knowledge to current issue. Students must successfully complete a total of 800 credit hours to fulfil the ISFP requirements. They will then be granted the Certificate of English Language Competency and Foundation Studies.

The ISFP strives to achieve the following objectives:

  • To prepare international students for the Certificate of English Language Competency and Foundation Studies examination.
  • To expose students to a variety of language skills and other foundation study courses developed systematically through communicative interactive exercises.
  • To explore thematic links across the core strands (Grammar, Reading, Writing, Listening & Speaking) allowing the recycling of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
  • To discover high – interest topics, stimulating student’s imagination and encourage critical thinking and personal expression.
  • To help build, develop and improve students proficiency in English and simultaneously achieve both accuracy and fluency in the language.


 Programme Duration

The ISFP is offered once a year. The intake given below is aimed to enable international students to follow the ISFP course and later sit for the examination before the first semester of every university session in UMS.

Duration:6 Months
Session:1st November - 1st May
Contact Hours:800 credit hours


 Admission Requirements

This programme is compulsory for students coming from countries where the National Language is not English. However, students who have achieved minimum score on one of the following English test will not have to enrol in the International Student Foundation Programme (ISFP).

English TestMinimum Score
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)550 points (paper test)
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)350 points (computer test)
International English Language Test System (IELTS)Score Band 6


 Lectures & Activities

All lectures will be conducted in English by lecturers and invited speakers form relevant fields of expertise. The ISFP classes will be conducted from 8 am to 8 pm daily, on weekdays. This programme will expose students to field work, excursions, social gatherings and other interesting language and cultural activities which will allow them to use the target language extensively.


 Programme Fee
  • International Student Management Fee & Visa Processing Fee RM 1,800.00
  • ISFP Fee (Developing Countries) (eg. Indonesia, Pakistan, Afganistan, Bangladesh, African countries, etc) RM 10,766.00
  • ISFP Fee (Developed Countries) (eg. UK, China, Australia, Saudi Arabia, etc) RM 15,380.00

The fees exclude food accommodation, transportation and personal expenditures. Fees should be made payable by Telegraphic Transfer (T.T) to UMS Link Holdings Sdn. Bhd. (Maybank Account No. : 5101 4304 6502, swift code MBBEMYKL).

*The management reserve the right to change the programme fee.


 Living Expenses

The average cost for a student living on campus is estimated at USD500.00 per month which includes food, accommodation, transportation and personal expenditure


 International Agent (China)

For further enquiries, please contact:

Zhong Quan Talents Service Centre
UMS Chief Representative Office in China
413, 4F, Qing Lan Plaza
No.24, Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng Dist.,
Beijing, 100007, P.R. China

Tel: +86 1051650127
Fax: +86 1064032524
Email: umsstudy@yahoo.com.cn