Dean's List Requirements in Malaysian Universities: GPA and Credit Rules
Most Malaysian public universities award the Dean's List for a semester GPA of 3.50 with at least 12 credits, but UM and UMK ask for 3.70, UKM and UTM for 3.67, and UPM for 3.750. A repeated course, a pass/fail course or a disciplinary record can disqualify you even when the GPA is high enough.
By Degreemate Editorial · Education research teamPublished 4 min read
The Dean's List (Anugerah Dekan, Sijil Dekan or Senarai Kepujian Dekan) is a per-semester award. You earn it with one semester's GPA, not your CGPA, and every university adds conditions on top of the number. Work out your semester GPA with the CGPA calculator, then check the rules below.
GPA and credit-load requirements
These come from each university's current undergraduate regulations or official page.
| University | Minimum semester GPA | Credit load and main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| UiTM | 3.50 | 12 credit units of graded courses; pass/fail courses excluded |
| UM | 3.70 | 15 credits and at least 4 courses (full-time); no grade below C; no repeated course |
| UKM | 3.67 | 12 credits counted in the GPA |
| UPM | 3.750 to 3.999 | Full-time, 12 credit hours; no repeated course; 4.000 goes on the Vice Chancellor's List |
| UTM | 3.67 | 12 credits, excluding attendance-only and repeated courses |
| UIAM | 3.50 | 12 credit hours registered; passed all courses |
| UMS | 3.50 | 12 credit hours registered |
| UNIMAS | 3.50 | 12 graded credits; no incomplete grade |
| UPSI | 3.50 | 12 credits |
| UMT | 3.50 | 12 credit hours; not in an industrial training semester |
| UTHM | 3.50 | Full-time, 12 credits (grade-upgrade courses excluded) |
| UTeM | 3.50 | 12 credits; not during industrial training |
| UMPSA | 3.50 | 12 credit hours, excluding compulsory-attendance courses |
| UniSZA | 3.50 | 12 credit hours and at least 4 courses; no grade below C; no repeated course |
| UMK | 3.70 | Full-time, 12 credits |
| Taylor's | 3.50 | 14 credits or 4 modules in a long semester; no grade C and below |
| MMU | 3.67 (degree) | 12 credit hours of graded subjects in a long trimester |
| UTAR | 3.60 | 12 credit hours in a long trimester; no grade C and below; 3.85 and above is the President's List |
What can disqualify you
A high GPA is not enough if one of these applies. Each example is taken from the regulations named.
- Too few counted credits. Pass/fail courses (UiTM), attendance-only courses (UTM) and audit modules (Taylor's, UTAR) do not count towards the minimum.
- Repeating a course that semester. UM, UPM and UniSZA exclude you; UTM leaves repeated courses out of the 12 credits.
- A weak grade in any course. UM and UniSZA require no grade below C; Taylor's and UTAR require every grade to be above C.
- A disciplinary record. UiTM, UKM, UPM, UPSI, UMT and UniSZA state this.
- An extended semester. UM, UKM and UNIMAS exclude students beyond the normal study period.
- Industrial training semesters at UMT and UTeM.
What it is worth
- It appears on your record. UPM, UTM, UTHM and UTeM state that the award is recorded on the transcript.
- It can lead to bigger awards. UiTM's Vice Chancellor's Award requires the Dean's List in every semester. UTM gives a Dean's medal to students who graduate with a CGPA of 3.67 and above.
- It is evidence, not a guarantee. Sponsors set their own CGPA conditions, so read your offer letter and compare options in the scholarships list. For how employers read grades, see CGPA versus skills.
Degree classification: the CGPA bands
Class of degree uses your final CGPA, and the cut-offs differ.
| Top class starts at | Universities |
|---|---|
| CGPA 3.50 | UiTM, UIAM (First Class) |
| CGPA 3.67 | UMS, UNIMAS, UMT, UMPSA, UniSZA (First Class); UKM (Honours with Distinction) |
| CGPA 3.70 | UPSI, UTHM, UMK (First Class); UM (Honours with Distinction) |
| CGPA 3.750 | UPM (First Class) |
Second Class Upper begins at 3.00 at UiTM, UPM, UMS, UNIMAS, UPSI, UTHM, UMPSA, UniSZA and UMK, and at 2.80 at UIAM. UM, UKM and UMT do not split the remaining honours into upper and lower classes.
Extra conditions exist. UM's distinction requires never having failed or repeated a course, and UniSZA's First Class requires never having obtained a fail grade.
A first-class degree also matters for PTPTN. Under the Budget 2026 implementation, the repayment exemption for first-class bachelor's graduates is aimed at borrowers from B40 and M40 families at public universities who finish from 1 January 2026, and the application must be made in myPTPTN within 12 months of convocation. See the PTPTN guide.
Because the grade points themselves differ, compare the scales in grading systems compared and learn the arithmetic in how to calculate CGPA.
Sources: undergraduate academic regulations and official pages of UiTM, UM, UKM, UPM, UTM, IIUM, UMS, UNIMAS, UPSI, UMT, UTHM, UTeM, UMPSA, UniSZA, UMK, Taylor's University, MMU and UTAR, and PTPTN's Budget 2026 implementation page, all read in October 2026. USM and several other universities are not listed because their rules could not be confirmed from an official document. Rules are amended; confirm with your faculty and the official portals.
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Frequently asked questions
- What GPA do I need for the Dean's List?
- It depends on the university: 3.50 at UiTM, IIUM, UMS, UNIMAS, UPSI, UMT, UTHM, UTeM, UMPSA and UniSZA, 3.67 at UKM and UTM, 3.70 at UM and UMK, and 3.750 at UPM. It is the GPA of one semester, not your CGPA.
- How many credit hours do I need for the Dean's List?
- Twelve credits in the semester at most public universities checked, and 15 credits with at least four courses for full-time students at UM. Courses without a grade point, such as pass/fail or attendance-only courses, usually do not count towards that minimum.
- Can I get the Dean's List in a semester where I repeat a course?
- Not at UM, UPM or UniSZA, whose regulations exclude students who repeat a course in that semester. At UTM the repeated course is simply left out of the 12 credits you need.
- What CGPA is first class in Malaysia?
- There is no single figure. First Class starts at 3.50 at UiTM and IIUM, 3.67 at UMS, UNIMAS, UMT, UMPSA and UniSZA, 3.70 at UPSI, UTHM and UMK, and 3.750 at UPM. UM and UKM use an honours-with-distinction label at 3.70 and 3.67.
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