Residence
For those who are under foundation of Laws, Architecture & Design (AED), Medic, Engineering (ENGIN), ICT, Physical Science (PHYSC), Biological Science (BIOSC), Dentistry (DENTI), Allied Health Science (ALLHS), Nursing (NUS) and Pharmacy (PMACY), they reside in CFS IIUM in Petaling Jaya.
Another CFS IIUM in Nilai locates those who do Foundation in Human Science (HS), Islamic Revealed Knowledge (IRK), Economics (ECONS), English and Arabic.
Courses
Starting from my batch (2010), the core courses taken for certain programs are the same. For example, students of Biosc, Pmacy, Nus, Medic, Allhs and Denti do exactly the same core courses - Math1,2, Bio1,2, Phys1,2, Chem1,2. (Note that there might be any changes). On the other hand, Engin and Physc share the same core courses - Math1,2,3, Phys1,2, Chem1,2, Comp2. What differentiate them is only the passing pointer.
I'm not sure about ICT and other courses. This means its possible for people from different programs to be in the same class.
The duration of study for AED, Medic, Allhs, Pmacy and Denti is either 1 year or 2 years since there's only one degree intake for them. Biosc, Physc, Engin, Law, Ict can be 1, 1.5 or 2 years. I apologize for not knowing the others.
Subjects
The elective subjects for all foundation studies are Computer 1, Basic Theme Al-Qur'an, Undestanding Islam (for non-religious school background) or Religion in Malaysia (for religious school background). These will count towards your CGPA.
[Pic 2: KC, left and UKC, right]
Furthermore, those who don't get exempted for English Placement Test (EPT) and Arabic Placement Test (APT) have to take the language subject until they pass the level required. Everyone has to pass level 6 for English. The arabic level required vary depending on the
course. If you happen to be a science-based course student, you only go up to level 2. Whereas for non-science based student, they have to go up to level 4 and every level is harder than science's ones. For Laws, you only have to complete level 2 if you wanna do civil, otherwise you got to finish level 4 to do Syariah. APT and EPT affect your duration of study.
Every English level costs you 9 hours p/week and every Arabic level costs you 6 hours p/week. Which is a lot, given that they don't play any role on your CGPA. So better get exempted as soon as possible! But let me tell you something about Arabic level 1 and 2 for pre-science, unless you don't come to the lecture and don't give a little bit of effort, there's nearly no way you can't pass (50%) level 1 and 2. It's easy to pass!
Last but not least is Fardu Ain class - 1 hour p/week. It's in your timetable every term. No role too on your CGPA. Yes yes yes I know, most of you would say there is a lot of subjects here. I heard that quite often. They probably intend to produce more efficient people....I don't know.
EPT
There are two sections which are reading and writing. More than 5 reading materials are there. The reading one gets harder and harder as you flick the page. I remember I just circle any answer that looks interesting to me for the last two articles. Cos it was long and I just couldn't be bothered to read it. Be Caution: Don't copy me as you might just think like me once you sit for it.
[Pic 3: ZC]
Being good at grammar solely doesn't guarantee you pass level 6. You need to use wider range of vocabulary. For example, (1) don't only use "This picture shows" repeteadly, use "This implies", "This records" etc. (2) Avoid using "also" many times, instead try "moreover", "besides that"etc.
APT
It has two sections too - reading and writing. Everything is in arabic including the question command. Get yourself familiar with synonyms, antonyms, numbers and time. You get quite a lot of mark for essays, so just write something.
Mahallah in Cfs PJ
There are 6 mahallahs here - 4 for brothers and 2 for sisters. Brothers' ones are Fatimah College (by the main gate), Umar Al Khattab College, UKC (next to football field), Abu Bakar College, ABC (by the mosque) and Aisyah College (next to ABC). Only ABC and UKC have their own cafe.
Sisters occupy Khadijah College, KC (by football field) and Zainab Jahsy College, ZC (facing ABC). Well if you ask me, which one is the best, I'd say ZC since I stay there...but it really is! Despite the smaller room it provides, ZC has cafe, photocopy shop, cybercafe, kiosk (shop), air-cond musolla, netball court, badminton court, gymnasium - all in the ground floor.
The good thing about KC is its bigger rooms. Furthermore, it has a small canteen which you can only take-away not eat-in, gymnasium in level 9, non-air cond musolla, netball court and kiosk. Though they don't have a photocopy shop, there is one in UKC which slightly faces KC. And for cybercafe, the nearest one to them is in Celpad but brothers occupy it most of the time and thus some sisters prefer to go to ZC's which is a little bit further.
Bear in mind, both gymnasiums are most probably not like the one in your mind. Most exercise-machines, if that's what you call them, no longer work automatically. It works manually. I wish they replace those someday....write a suggestion letter if you wanna. No harm doing that.
I don't think I can jot down much things about brothers' mahallahs since I've never been inside any of them (apart from UKC cafe + photocopy shop). Most of the infos are 'what I heard'. But I'll try.
[Pic 5: Aisyah college]
Firstly, Fatimah College, fyi, some fellows and lecturers lived in that building but only in level 1 and 2. The students stay in level 3 and 4 as they supposedly have more energy! Many said its like an apartment and since they have no cafes, those lucky brothers have to travel quite many steps, crossing the football field to get to their nearest cafe, UKC. See I told ya, they must be fit to do so every single day!
Secondly, UKC. I don't have any idea. So next is ABC. Its like a dorm not a room. Have 4 levels. No lift. Lastly, Aisyah. It's the biggest boys mahallah. Sorry peeps, I'm clueless!
*All pictures are not mine. Taken from internet. Credit to the photographers.
Will be continued~~
