Is PASUM only for Bumiputera students?

Through UPU, yes. For 2026/2027, e-Panduan states that Asasi Sains Hayat, Asasi Sains Fizikal and Asasi Sains Sosial are for candidates of Malay, Sabah native, Sarawak native and Orang Asli descent only. UM's own open channel is a separate fee-paying route with its own rules.

What SPM grades do I need for Asasi Sains Hayat UM?

For 2026/2027 the minimum was A- in Biology and B in Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and English, on top of five credits including Bahasa Melayu and a pass in Sejarah. The average merit shown was 95.37%, so the real competition is much higher than the minimum.

Does Asasi UM guarantee a place in a UM degree?

No. PASUM says graduates can apply to UM or other public universities, and entry depends on foundation CGPA and each faculty's requirements. Only the two Islamic studies foundations are marked as feeder programmes tied to UM.

Can I apply for Asasi UM with last year's SPM?

Not through UPU in the 2026/2027 listing. All five Asasi UM programmes appeared only under Kategori A, which is for current-year SPM leavers. Check e-Panduan again when the next cycle opens.

asasi upu after-spm applications

Asasi UM (PASUM) Requirements: Programmes, SPM Grades and Who Can Apply

Universiti Malaya offers five foundation programmes through UPUOnline: Asasi Sains Hayat, Asasi Sains Fizikal and Asasi Sains Sosial at PASUM, plus Asasi Pengajian Islam and Asasi Pengajian Islam dan Sains. All run for two semesters at the Kuala Lumpur campus. In UPU, the three PASUM programmes are for Bumiputera candidates only, while the two Islamic studies programmes are open to all qualified candidates.

By Degreemate Editorial · Education research teamPublished 1 October 20265 min read

PASUM is the Pusat Asasi Sains Universiti Malaya, UM's foundation centre. UM has five foundation programmes in UPUOnline, and only three sit under PASUM. The grades below are from e-Panduan UPUOnline for the 2026/2027 academic session and may change next cycle.

What UM offers

Programme	UPU code	Run by	Who it is open to (per UPU)
Asasi Sains Hayat	UM0421001	PASUM	Bumiputera candidates only
Asasi Sains Fizikal	UM0440001	PASUM	Bumiputera candidates only
Asasi Sains Sosial	UM0010001	PASUM	Bumiputera candidates only
Asasi Pengajian Islam	UM0221002	Academy of Islamic Studies	All qualified candidates
Asasi Pengajian Islam dan Sains	UM0221001	Academy of Islamic Studies	All qualified candidates

All five run for two semesters. e-Panduan lists the main campus in Kuala Lumpur for four of them; no campus is shown for Asasi Sains Sosial, which PASUM's handbook says was added from the 2023/2024 session.

For the three PASUM programmes, e-Panduan states "Berketurunan Melayu, Anak Negeri Sabah, Anak Negeri Sarawak dan Orang Asli sahaja". The UPU FAQ places Asasi Sains UM and Asasi Sains Sosial UM in the reserved list, and places both Islamic studies programmes in the list open to all qualified candidates.

All five appear only under Kategori A in the 2026 e-Panduan, meaning current-year SPM leavers.

Minimum SPM requirements (2026/2027 session)

The general requirement is five credits including Bahasa Melayu, and a pass in Sejarah.

Programme	Special requirements	Average merit shown
Asasi Sains Hayat	A- in Biology; B in Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and English	95.37%
Asasi Sains Fizikal	A- in Mathematics; B in Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and English	95.06%
Asasi Sains Sosial	B in Bahasa Melayu, English and Mathematics; B in any two other subjects	95.20%
Asasi Pengajian Islam dan Sains	B in four subjects: Arabic, English, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics; B in one Islamic studies subject; B in three subjects from the science and elective list	86.44%
Asasi Pengajian Islam	C in English; B in Arabic; then one of two combinations of Islamic studies subjects and other subjects at B	90.55%

Asasi Pengajian Islam has two branches and long subject lists. Read the full "syarat khas" in e-Panduan and tick each line against your own subjects. Our guide on reading UPU course requirements shows how.

None of the five is an interview programme.

The minimum grades are far below what the merit figures suggest. An average merit above 95% means most students offered a place had results well beyond a single A-. e-Panduan warns that merit alone does not guarantee an offer. Check yours with the merit calculator.

Where it leads

Asasi Sains Hayat and Sains Fizikal are not feeder programmes in e-Panduan. PASUM says graduates can apply for science-based degrees at UM or other public universities. UM's 2023/2024 brochure lists medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical science, nursing, science, engineering, computer science and built environment degrees for Sains Hayat, and the same list without the health degrees for Sains Fizikal.
Asasi Sains Sosial leads to arts and social science degrees. UM's programme page names faculties including Law, Business and Economics, Education, Languages and Linguistics, and Arts and Social Sciences.
Asasi Pengajian Islam and Asasi Pengajian Islam dan Sains are marked as feeder programmes. Under UPU's definition, students of a feeder foundation complete their degree at the same university. They lead to the Academy of Islamic Studies' degrees such as Syariah, Usuluddin, Islamic Education, and Islamic Studies and Science.

Entry to a specific degree still depends on your foundation CGPA and the faculty's own requirements.

How and when to apply

Apply through upu.mohe.gov.my under Kategori A. For 2026/2027, the SPM-leaver window ran from 29 January to 13 April 2026, opening before SPM results, and results came out on 22 May 2026. The 2027/2028 dates had not been announced as of 1 October 2026; follow the key dates page and our UPU 2027 guide.

UM also runs an open channel (saluran terbuka) outside UPU. UM's requirements document, updated 26 May 2025, shows the Bumiputera condition only in the UPU column, and UM's programme page lists a local tuition fee of RM15,100 for Foundation in Social Sciences that is "not applicable for UPU applicant" for the July intake of 2026/2027. That is a different, fee-paying route, so confirm the details with UM.

Who it suits

Asasi UM suits Bumiputera students with very strong science or all-round results who want a route to UM's competitive degrees without being tied to UM. The Islamic studies programmes suit students with Arabic and Islamic studies subjects at SPM, of any background that meets the requirements, who want an Academy of Islamic Studies degree. If your results are good but not near the top, list other options too: Asasi UiTM, Asasi UPM or Matrikulasi, all compared on the asasi pathway page.

Sources: e-Panduan UPUOnline and the UPUOnline FAQ for the 2026/2027 session (Ministry of Higher Education), the PASUM and Academy of Islamic Studies websites, and Universiti Malaya's foundation requirements document and brochure. Requirements change every cycle. Check "syarat kemasukan" for each programme at e-Panduan UPUOnline before you apply.

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

Frequently asked questions

Is PASUM only for Bumiputera students?: Through UPU, yes. For 2026/2027, e-Panduan states that Asasi Sains Hayat, Asasi Sains Fizikal and Asasi Sains Sosial are for candidates of Malay, Sabah native, Sarawak native and Orang Asli descent only. UM's own open channel is a separate fee-paying route with its own rules.
What SPM grades do I need for Asasi Sains Hayat UM?: For 2026/2027 the minimum was A- in Biology and B in Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and English, on top of five credits including Bahasa Melayu and a pass in Sejarah. The average merit shown was 95.37%, so the real competition is much higher than the minimum.
Does Asasi UM guarantee a place in a UM degree?: No. PASUM says graduates can apply to UM or other public universities, and entry depends on foundation CGPA and each faculty's requirements. Only the two Islamic studies foundations are marked as feeder programmes tied to UM.
Can I apply for Asasi UM with last year's SPM?: Not through UPU in the 2026/2027 listing. All five Asasi UM programmes appeared only under Kategori A, which is for current-year SPM leavers. Check e-Panduan again when the next cycle opens.

Related guides

ptptnfundingapplications

How to Apply for PTPTN After Getting a University Offer: Step by Step

You apply for PTPTN online in myPTPTN, within the application dates set for your own institution and programme. You need an official offer letter, a Simpan SSPN account, a myPTPTN account with eKYC done, and a RM5 application PIN. After approval you sign the agreement, and only then is the first payout released.

1 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

muetuniversityapplications

MUET on Demand (MoD): Fees, Dates, How to Register and Who Should Use It

MUET on Demand (MoD) is the same MUET test run by Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia on extra dates outside the three regular sessions. It costs RM250 for Malaysians against RM150 for a regular session, its 2026 calendar lists 20 sittings from January to December, and results are released within 14 working days. It suits candidates who missed a regular registration or need a band quickly.

1 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

muetuniversityapplications

Minimum MUET Band for University: General Rule and Bands by Programme

The general requirement for a public university degree through UPU is at least MUET Band 1.0, for STPM, matriculation, foundation, STAM and diploma applicants alike. Individual programmes then set a higher band in their special requirements: for the 2026/2027 session UKM asks for Band 4.0 for medicine, dentistry, law and TESL, and Band 3.0 for most science, engineering and business programmes.

1 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

← All guides