SPM

Overview

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is Malaysia's national secondary-school examination. It is set and administered by Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia (the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate), an agency under the Ministry of Education. SPM is sat at the end of Form 5, the final year of upper secondary school, and is the main school-leaving qualification used for entry into pre-university programmes, diplomas and, eventually, degree courses in Malaysia.

Who can apply

SPM is taken by Form 5 students in government and government-aided secondary schools as part of their normal schooling; schools register these candidates. People who are not currently enrolled in a school running the national curriculum - including adults, those who were schooled overseas, or students who want to resit a subject - can also sit SPM as a private candidate (calon persendirian), registering individually with Lembaga Peperiksaan rather than through a school.

Exam pattern

Candidates sit a mix of compulsory and elective subjects. Three subjects are compulsory for every candidate: Bahasa Melayu (Malay language), Bahasa Inggeris (English), and Sejarah (History). Most school streams also require Mathematics and a science subject. Beyond this core, candidates choose electives based on their stream - for example, the science stream (aliran sains) typically adds Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, while other streams offer subjects such as Accounting, Economics, Additional languages, Islamic Studies and various technical and vocational subjects.

Subject-specific syllabuses and paper formats are published by Lembaga Peperiksaan and may be revised between years, so candidates should check the current syllabus for each subject they register for.

Marking and results

SPM uses a ten-grade scale, from the highest grade A+ down to the lowest passing grade G. A grade of C or better is generally treated as a credit; D and E are passing grades below credit level, and G is the minimum pass. A candidate must achieve at least a pass (grade G or better) in Bahasa Melayu and in Sejarah to be awarded the SPM certificate - failing either of these two subjects withholds the certificate even if every other subject is passed.

Overall performance is commonly summarised as an aggregate of a candidate's best subjects (for example a "best 9" or "best 10" count, depending on the purpose), which schools, employers and pre-university programmes use for selection alongside individual subject grades.

Important dates

For the 2025 sitting, the Science practical tests (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) were held on 17-19 November 2025, the English speaking test ran from 10-13 November 2025, the Bahasa Melayu and English listening tests were held on 20 November 2025, and the main written papers ran from 25 November to 23 December 2025. School-based candidates register through their school on dates the school announces; for the 2026 cycle, online registration for private candidates (new or repeat/resit candidates) opened 1 March 2026 and closed 30 April 2026, with a late-registration window from 1 May to 15 May 2026 subject to a late fee. Exact dates move each year, so candidates should check the current year's official timetable on the Lembaga Peperiksaan portal.

How to apply

School-based Form 5 candidates are registered automatically by their school; students confirm their subject choices with their school's examination clerk within the window the school sets. Private candidates register online through Lembaga Peperiksaan's e-Lembaga Peperiksaan (eLP) portal, supplying identity details, choosing subjects, and paying the registration fee online. For the 2026 cycle, the reported basic registration fee for a private candidate was RM20 plus a per-subject charge, with a RM150 late-registration charge for applications submitted after the normal registration window closes. Fees and the registration window are set for each cycle, so candidates should confirm current-year figures on the official portal.

After the exam

Results are released on a date announced by Lembaga Peperiksaan, typically several months after the written papers finish. SPM results are the main entry qualification for Malaysia's main post-secondary pathways:

• Form Six and STPM - free, school-based Form 6 classes leading to the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM), generally over three semesters (about one and a half to two years), open to candidates who meet subject and grade requirements, including a credit in Bahasa Melayu.

• Matriculation - a one-year pre-university programme run by the Ministry of Education for SPM leavers intending to pursue a degree, with places allocated competitively based on SPM results and other criteria.

• Diploma programmes - offered by public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and private institutions, generally a more direct route into the workforce or into a related degree programme later.

• Other pre-university routes - foundation programmes, A-Levels and other pre-university qualifications run by private colleges, also entered using SPM results.

Each pathway and institution sets its own minimum SPM subject and grade requirements.

Preparation tips

• Confirm the current syllabus and paper format for each registered subject on the Lembaga Peperiksaan portal - formats and weightings can change between years.

• Prioritise Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah: a failing grade in either withholds the SPM certificate regardless of other results.

• Work through past-year papers and official sample papers for each subject, since question styles tend to repeat.

• Plan subject choices around the entry requirements of the post-SPM pathway (Form Six, matriculation, a specific diploma, or a specific university course) being targeted, since these set minimum grades in particular subjects.

• Track school or private-candidate registration deadlines early, since late registration carries an extra fee and a tighter window.

FAQs