Study Guide: AUSMAT & SACE International
Are you interested in studying in Australia? If you answered yes, you should definitely keep reading to learn everything you need to know about two of the most popular pre-university options. To begin, you must understand the terms AUSMAT and SACE International.
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SACE International: South Australian Certificate of Education, formerly known as South Australian Matriculation (SAM).
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AUSMAT: Australian Matriculation Programme
It is common to mix up these two programmes because they both allow you to enter Australian institutions within a year. So, let's get them sorted out!
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SIMILARITIES OF AUSMAT & SACE INTERNATIONAL
(i) Curriculum
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Gone are the days in high school when you had to pack at least nine topics into your head. You simply need to take 5 subjects with AUSMAT and SACE International. You also have the option of combining scientific and arts subjects! Below are the recommended subject combinations:
Business/Accounting/
Finance/Relevant Courses
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English as a Second Language (ELS)
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Economics
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Accounting
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Mathematical Methods
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Legal Studies/Psychology/Specialist Mathematics/Research Methods
Information Technology/Computing
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English as a Second Language (ELS)
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Mathematical Methods
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Economics
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Accounting
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Psychology/Legal Studies/Research Methods
Law
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English as a Second Language (ELS)
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Legal Studies
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Psychology
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Accounting
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Economics/Mathematical Methods/Research Methods
Health Science/Medicine
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English as a Second Language (ELS)
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Biology
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Chemistry
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Mathematical Methods
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Accounting/Physics/Psychology/
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Research Methods
Engineering
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English as a Second Language (ELS)
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Biology
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Chemistry
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Mathematical Methods
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Accounting/Physics/Psychology/
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Research Methods
(ii) Grading System
Because the syllabus is the same for both, neither will be more distinguished than the other. Your grade will be calculated using the ATAR system, which stands for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. It is important to note that ATAR is a rank rather than a grade.
According to the Universities Admissions Centre of Australia (UAC), the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 which indicates how well a student performed compared to all students in their age group (i.e. all 16 to 20 year olds). For example, if your ATAR percentage score surpasses than 90%, you are in the top 10% of other students in the same intake!
Note: Your ATAR is made up of 4 of your top subjects and half of your 5th best subject
(iii) Duration
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AUSMAT and SACE International last for 1 year. Popular intakes include January and March, although some universities offer August and September intakes as well.
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(iv) Requirement
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Both programmes require a minimum 5 credits in SPM, O Level and equivalent, including English and Mathematics.
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(v) Recognition
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Rest assured, both AUSMAT and SACE International are highly-regarded and demanded by leading universities in the world aside from Australian universities, such as the UK, New Zealand, and Singapore.
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(vi) Cost
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Tuition fees for AUSMAT and SACE International vary for each university, but a general estimation is between RM17,000 and RM30,000.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AUSMAT AND SACE INTERNATIONAL​
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(i) Assessment Method
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AUSMAT
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The AUSMAT is administered by the Western Australian government. That may sound scary at first, but you can take comfort in the fact that the course has a well-balanced emphasis on 50% exams and 50% coursework which takes away the scary big exam at the end of your studies.
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SACE INTERNATIONAL
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The SAM is administered by the South Australian government. The major difference between the AUSMAT and the SAM is that the SAM has a clear focus on coursework which carries a total of 70% of your final score. The remaining 30% comes from final exams.
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(ii) Government bodies
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AUSMAT and SACE International are regulated by different government bodies. This means your Pre-U certificate will be administered by either the Western Australian government (AUSMAT) or the South Australian government (SACE).
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WHERE CAN YOU STUDY AUSMAT AND SACE INTERNATIONAL IN MALAYSIA?
SACE International
Intakes: February, April & August
Fees: RM27,950~RM32,285
SACE International
Intakes: January, June & August
Fees: RM16,000