6 Popular Myths About Australian Matriculation That Aren’t True at All

Don’t let AUSMAT myths cloud your judgement when you’re picking a pre-university programme. Read on as we debunk 6 popular myths here.

Updated 21 Apr 2020

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Are you considering studying AUSMAT (Australian Matriculation) but have heard your fair share of myths about the programme, which are causing you to doubt your decision?

Have you heard people say “You must study in Australia if you study AUSMAT” or “AUSMAT and SACE International are the same thing”?

News flash — those statements aren’t true at all. In this article, we debunk 6 popular myths about AUSMAT so that you can choose your future study path confidently. Here we go!

#1. 50% coursework and 50% final exams? Pfft, piece of cake.

Not really. While AUSMAT may be slightly easier than the 100% exam-based A-Level course, it isn't as simple as you may think.

AUSMAT's unique examination format is a combination of both 50% coursework (continuous throughout the programme) and 50% final exams. This means you'll be evaluated on your tests, quizzes, assignments and laboratory assessments in addition to your exams, so that's quite a lot to juggle when you think about it.

Your overall results from coursework and exams will be calculated as a single score, called the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). This score will be a combination of your 4 best subjects and 50% of your weakest subjects. ATAR shows your ranking relative to your peers, e.g. 85.0 ATAR score means that you performed better than 85% of your peers. So if assignments aren’t your strong suit, this programme could be a challenge for you.

#2. AUSMAT is meant only for those who want to study in Australia

While it's a good gateway to study abroad in Australia, studying AUSMAT doesn't mean you have to study in the land Down Under.

AUSMAT is an internationally recognised pre-university programme, which means you'll also be able to study in countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand and more, as prominent universities there accept the AUSMAT qualification as a pathway to their degrees.

So, you can confidently ignore those who continuously harp on and on about AUSMAT requiring you to study in Australia!

#3. AUSMAT is all about the classroom

If you think you’ll be stuck in a stuffy classroom completing written assignments and swotting for your exams if you study AUSMAT, this is yet another misconception you can happily dismiss.

You’ll be pleased to know that certain colleges may also expose you to exciting practical work and projects, specially developed to help you grow and become more aware of the world you live in. This includes community work with NGOs to help the underprivileged, environmental awareness projects to promote conservation, enlightening trips and excursions, international competitions and many more.

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#4. AUSMAT is only if you want to go overseas

Similar to the myth that AUSMAT is only suitable if you want to study in Australia, it also doesn’t mean that you have to go overseas if you choose to study this pre-university programme.

AUSMAT is accepted by many Malaysian private institutions as a legit pre-university qualification, so rest assured you'll still be able to complete your degree within the country if you decide not to study abroad.

#5. AUSMAT and SACE are one and the same

If you assumed AUSMAT and SACE are interchangeable, we're here to break it to you that the two of them are actually quite different.

Yes, they're both programmes based on the Australian education system, but AUSMAT is regulated and implemented by the Western Australian government while SACE is regulated and implemented by the South Australian government. And as we mentioned in point #1, your overall grade will be based on 50% coursework and 50% exams in AUSMAT, while it's 70% coursework and 30% exams in SACE.

#6. AUSMAT is as expensive as A-Level

Guess again! A-Level is slightly more expensive than AUSMAT, making the latter a more affordable option that offers a quicker path to your degree studies (it takes only 10 - 12 months to complete). Depending on the institution, costs for AUSMAT may range between RM14,000 and RM29,000 compared to A-Level's RM16,000 and RM46,000.

And voilà, 6 myths about AUSMAT, debunked! We hope this clarification on the most common misconceptions about the Australian Matriculation pre-university programme will help you clear away any uncertainties you may have so that you can choose the best course for you based on facts rather than fiction. All the best in your studies!