BP40 Bursary Scheme and HGiPT incentive offer opportunities for Bumiputera and rural students to study at Curtin Malaysia

Miri – 12 October 2021 – Sarawakian Bumiputera and rural students are encouraged to apply for two schemes offered by the Sarawak Foundation (Yayasan Sarawak) that will allow them to get a global education at an international university campus in Sarawak like Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia).

The first is the BP40 Bursary Scheme exclusively for Bumiputera students in the BP40 household income group, an initiative introduced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, who is also the chairman of the Sarawak Foundation.

The scheme offers Curtin courses at subsidised tuition fees equivalent to tuition fees at public universities. Various courses can be taken, whether they are Foundation courses in Commerce, Engineering and Science, or Arts, or degrees in business, engineering, science, technology or humanities.

Furthermore, students enrolled under the scheme are still eligible to apply for other financial assistance offered by the Sarawak Foundation, as well as all incentives that come under the scheme. For a complete list of courses available, visit courses.curtin.edu.my.

“COVID-19 has caused a lot of families to face financial insecurity, and the cost of a tertiary education, particularly at an international university campus, would probably be beyond the means of many in the BP40 group,” said Curtin Malaysia’s pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive, Professor Simon Leunig.

“However, the BP40 Bursary Scheme offers them the opportunity to not only get a higher education, but also attend an international university campus that is part of the global Curtin University right here in Sarawak. It is an opportunity not to be missed.”

Professor Leunig added that only 100 slots are available at Curtin Malaysia and those interested to apply should do so as soon as possible. They would, of course, have to have good academic results that meet Curtin’s entry requirements, including the requirement for English language proficiency.

B40 is one of the categories under the household income classification in Malaysia, the others being M40 and T20. B40 refers to the bottom 40 percent of the population with an average household income of below RM4,850 per month. This household income classification is based on the Department of Statistics Malaysia Report published in the year 2020.

The BP40 Bursary Scheme serves to help ease the financial burden of parents and families and encourage as many Bumiputera students as possible to further their studies at world-class universities statewide. More information on the BP40 Bursary Scheme at Curtin Malaysia can be found at https://curtin.edu.my/BP40.

Another scheme available at Curtin Malaysia is the Sarawak Foundation Tertiary/Technical Institution Enrolment Assistance (HGiPT) incentive, which is given to students accepting offers to study in any public institution of higher learning (IPTA) and selected private universities (IPTS) in Sarawak. Sarawakians who aim to further their studies at Curtin Malaysia, especially those coming from rural areas, are encouraged to apply. The main target of the HGiPT is students who come from B40 families.

Students applying for the incentive are also eligible to apply for the Skim Pinjaman Pelajaran (Dalam Negara). Students are considered eligible for HGiPT incentives if the family income is below RM1,500 per month. However, the incentive is open to students in semester one only. Interested students can contact the Sarawak Foundation at 082-441686 or send an email to ys@yayasansarawak.org.my for more information.

“It is hoped that through these schemes, we will see an increase in the enrolment of Bumiputera students to achieve a demographically well-balanced student population at our campus,” said Professor Leunig.

He said it is also part of Curtin Malaysia’s commitment to improve access to high-quality tertiary education and equity for deserving students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

“This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many students in Sarawak to pursue a quality Australian education and get a world-class Curtin degree. Curtin is ranked amongst the world’s top 200 universities in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2022 and our graduates are highly sought after all across Malaysia and the world,” he added.

The Sarawak Foundation, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, was established under the Sarawak Foundation Ordinance passed by the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly on May 27, 1971 to pave the way for a new era in educational development in Sarawak. The Foundation offers various types of educational services in the form of scholarships and study loans for the benefit of thousands of Sarawakians. It also plays an important role in the development of human capital in the state in line with the desire to achieve a developed and high-income state by the year 2030.

Curtin Malaysia, established 22 years ago as a joint venture between Curtin University and the Sarawak government, is Curtin University’s largest global campus and hub in Southeast Asia. A truly global university, Curtin University has campuses in Australia, Malaysia, Dubai, Mauritius and Singapore, and strong partnerships with leading universities around the world.

All engineering courses at Curtin Malaysia are double-accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and Engineers Australia, while business courses are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and other national and international professional bodies.

Students at Curtin Malaysia study the same course curriculum as their counterparts at Curtin’s main campus in Perth. Study materials, the academic calendar and examinations are also identical, as are the degrees awarded upon graduation. As the courses are identical, students have the opportunity to transfer to one of the other Curtin campuses on student exchange or transfer to complete their degrees.

BP40 Bursary and HGiPT schemes make studying at Curtin Malaysia very affordable for those in BP40 group.