Everything You Should Know About MUET

The Malaysian University English Test (MUET) is an important exam for Malaysian pre-university students who aspire to pursue higher education or secure better job opportunities. 

Administered by the Malaysian Examinations Council (MEC) since 2001, this English examination is required for public university admission. 

By conducting the examination, institutions can gauge the readiness of Malaysian university students, particularly, for academic coursework. 

It also serves as a standard benchmark for assessing their English comprehension in different tertiary education contexts. 

As such, Malaysian pre-university students who plan to sit for the MUET are advised to prepare thoroughly, as it is notably more challenging than Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). 

What Is MUET?

As mentioned earlier, MUET is a prerequisite for admission to public universities, so you must understand the examination structure before registering for it. 

It comprises four English assessments which are Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening. 

To provide an overview of the MUET exam structure, here is a breakdown: 

1. Speaking

The speaking test is split into two parts which are individual and group interaction, and last 30 minutes. 

For Task 1, you will have to give a presentation on a particular topic, with 2 minutes of preparation followed by 2 minutes of speaking. 

Moving on to Task 2, you will be grouped with three other candidates and given 3 minutes to prepare. 

The group will then have between 8 and 12 minutes to discuss a question provided by the examiner. 

2. Listening 

The listening test lasts for 50 minutes and comprises 30 questions. 

The questions may be in the form of information transfer, short-answer, or multiple-choice questions (MCQs). 

The candidates will hear each recorded dialogue twice, so paying close attention to the details is crucial.

3. Reading 

The reading test is 75 minutes long and consists of 40 multiple-choice and matching questions.

4. Writing

The writing test is 75 minutes long and comprises two tasks. 

The first task is guided writing, and the MUET candidates must write at least 100 words. 

The second task involves extended writing on a given topic and the minimum word count is 250.  

Usually, these assessments are conducted on different days. For instance, the speaking test differs from the Reading, Writing, and Listening tests. 

Below is the table of the MUET 2023 calendar:

MUET Test	Date of MUET Test
Speaking	8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18 May 2023	13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 June 2023	30 and 31 October 2023.  1,2, 6, 7 November 2023
Reading, Writing, and Listening	1 April 2023	15 July 2023	18 November 2023

 

Therefore, as a Malaysian pre-university student, you need to keep track of the examination date and month as it is based on the registration session. 

However, if you are unable to make it for any of the dates, you may opt for MUET on Demand (MoD). 

In addition, MUET may not affect grades in pre-university programs. 

However, it is an essential examination for students who wish to pursue higher education in public universities.

MUET Registration 2023

Image source: iStock

Pre-university students in Malaysia can register for their MUET examination through an institution or Malaysian Examination Council portal website. 

They must fill in their details accurately and pay the required fee; RM100. 

This fee can be paid through online banking, buying a MEC PIN at the nearest Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branch counter, or using a credit card. 

If a student wishes to take the exam on a different date than the scheduled one (MoD), they can register online through the same web portal. 

However, the MoD’s fee is RM250.

MUET Band Score

The MUET band score is categorized into five levels which are A2, B1, B2, C1, and C1+. 

Here is an overview of each level: 

Aggregated score	Band	CERF (Lowest to highest)	Remarks
1 - 35	1.0	A2	Basic
36 - 81	2.0
82 - 122	2.5
123 - 163	3.0	B1	Independent
164 - 210	3.5
211 - 257	4.0	B2
256 - 293	4.5
294 - 330	5.0	C1	Proficient
331 - 360	5.5	C1+

(The table above retrieved from Official Portal Malaysian Examination Council)

For MUET candidates, there are two ways to access their examination results. 

They can obtain the results from their institution or MEC (if they are private candidates) or check their results via the MEC portal or SMS service. 

It's worth noting that the results maintain their validity for five years from the date of issuance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who has to sit for the MUET examination? 
A: STPM, matriculation, diploma, and pre-university students who wish to pursue a first-degree program in a local university. 

Q: When is the MUET examination scheduled? 
A: Starting in 2012, MUET will be held thrice; March, July, and September. 

Q: After the MUET registration, how do the candidates check their status? 
A: Candidates can check their MUET registration status through the MEC portal or SMS MUET INFO <space> Identity Card number and send it to 15888. 

Q: What to do if the candidate is misspelled and the Identity Card is wrong on the MUET registration slip?
A: The candidates can inform the MEC via a letter with a copy of the identity card enclosed. However, the amendments will not be done on the registration slip but on the MUET result slip. 

Q: Why do the candidates get an X in the MUET examination?
A: The candidates are required to attend ALL the MUET tests. If a candidate fails to sit at least one of the tests, they will get an X for the MUET result. 

We wish all the best to the MUET candidates of 2023. Good luck and do your best!