Admissions Regulations, 2016

B

L.N. 71 of 2016

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Admissions Regulations, 2016

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5) and 75 (6) of the

Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor of the University of Malta has promulgated the

following regulations made by the Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of the powers

conferred upon it by articles 75 and 79 of the said Act

Citation and interpretation

(1) These regulations may be cited as the Admissions Regulations, 2016 of the

University of Malta.

(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used shall

be taken to mean as indicated hereunder

“the Admissions Board” means the Admissions Board appointed by Senate as

provided in regulation 11;

“the Board” means the Board of a faculty, institute, centre, or school of the University;

“the Course” means a programme of study leading to a University qualification;

“the Dean” means the Dean of a faculty or the Director of an institute, centre, or

school of the University;

“the Faculty” means a faculty, institute, centre, or school of the University;

“the Senate” means the Senate of the University; and

“the University” means the University of Malta.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply for admission to University Courses commencing

in September 2016 or later.

Courses

The Courses are offered at the following levels

(a) Doctoral Degrees;

(b) Postgraduate Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and Awards;

(c) Undergraduate Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and Awards; and

(d) Non-Tertiary Courses consisting of (i) Foundation Studies Courses; (ii) Pre-

Tertiary Certificate Courses; and (iii) Courses offered by the Junior College of the University.

Students of the University

Applicants to Courses may be accepted as

(a) regular students if they satisfy the requirements of the statutes, regulations and

bye-laws, and have been judged eligible to be so admitted; or

(b) probationary students if they possess the general entry requirements but are short

of the special Course requirements by not more than one element, where an element means

a difference of one grade in one subject (e.g. a grade D instead of a grade C in one subject),

only when a provision regarding probationary students is included in the respective Course

regulations or bye-laws; or

(c) visiting students if they register on study-units with the intention of obtaining

credits, but are not enrolled in a programme of study leading to a qualification; or

(d) auditing students if they follow study-units without the intention of obtaining

credits and are not enrolled in a programme of study leading to a qualification.

Regular Students

Applicants shall be admitted as doctoral or postgraduate regular students if they

satisfy the entry requirements as specified in the general regulations and the respective

Course regulations or bye-laws and have been judged eligible to be so admitted.

Applicants shall be admitted as undergraduate regular students if they

(a) satisfy the entry requirements as specified in these regulations and in the respective

Course regulations or bye-laws; or

(b) have qualifications comparable to the entry requirements as specified in regulation

12, provided that relevant experience may be considered together with these qualifications

by the Admissions Board; or

(c) will have reached the age of 23 by the beginning of the first semester of the Course

for which they applied, hereinafter referred to as “Adult Learners”, and are judged to be

eligible for admission by the Admissions Board on the basis of an assessment to determine

whether such applicants are able to achieve the same academic standards as applicants

admitted in terms of regulation 12; or

(d) have satisfied the general entry requirements for admission to the University, as

applicable at the time the qualifications were obtained and are judged to be eligible for

admission by the Admissions Board; or

(e) are eligible to follow a preparatory programme, in order to seek admission to an

undergraduate diploma Course, as stipulated in the Course bye-laws; or

(f) are eligible to follow a Foundation Studies Course; or

(g) are accepted by the Admissions Board to follow study-units within the Programme

in the Liberal Arts and Sciences offered by the University; or

(h) possess qualifications which fall short of those required, which shortfall in

qualifications the Admissions Board deems to have been due to severe physical disability.

Probationary students

(1) Course bye-laws may provide that probationary students shall be admitted into

the first year of an undergraduate Course subject to satisfying all special conditions imposed

by the Faculty to compensate for the missing element.

(2) If probationary students progress unconditionally to the next year of the Course,

including satisfying all special conditions as imposed by the Faculty, they shall thenceforth

be considered as regular students.

(3) If, by the end of the first year of the Course, probationary students do not

successfully complete all the requirements to progress unconditionally to the second year,

they shall be required to withdraw from the Course and shall neither be entitled to repeat

the year nor to progress conditionally in terms of the General Regulations for University

Undergraduate Awards, 2004.

(4) Applicants shall be admitted as probationary students once only.

Visiting students

(1) Visiting students may register for

(a) individual study-units that are offered within University pre-tertiary, undergraduate

and postgraduate Courses, subject to approval by the Faculty; and

(b) study-units that are designed ad hoc for particular needs, subject to approval by

Senate on the recommendation of the Board.

(2) Visiting students shall be eligible for certification if they

(a) complete the study-unit, are awarded the credits assigned to it, and pay any

applicable fees; and

(b) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any other relevant statutes, regulations

and bye-laws of the University.

(3) Visiting students shall be entitled to the rights and privileges accorded to

regular students.

Auditing students

(1) The University may allow individuals with particular interests to widen their

knowledge by attending study-units as auditing students.

(2) Auditing students may be admitted to follow study-units provided the lecturer

concerned poses no objection thereto and is satisfied that the individual has the necessary

academic background to follow the study-units with profit.

(3) Auditing students shall be entitled to the rights and privileges accorded to

regular students, but may not sit for any assessments of the University. The University may

withdraw permission previously granted by it to any auditing students to follow study-units

at any time. Auditing students may be charged an administrative service fee.

Junior Students of the University

Applicants may be admitted to the University as Junior Students at the Junior

College of the University if they are in possession of six passes in the Secondary Education

Certificate (SEC) examination at grade 5 or better. The subjects offered at SEC Level must

include

Maltese, English Language, Mathematics; and

one of Biology, Chemistry, or Physics,

provided that one of the remaining passes may be offered from a list of vocational subjects,

as approved by Senate, as detailed in Appendix I and published on the University’s website.

The Admissions Board

(1) The Admissions Board shall be composed of the following members

The Rector or his nominated delegate, as ex officio Chairman;

Three members appointed by Senate; and

The Registrar (acting also as Secretary).

(2) The term of office of the Admissions Board shall be of one year and the

quorum for meetings shall be of three members.

(3) The Admissions Board shall have the power to

(a) decide on the eligibility of any applicant for admission to the University as a

regular, probationary, visiting, auditing or junior student and, where it deems appropriate

may

(i) require such applicant to satisfy additional conditions before being admitted;

and /or

(ii) restrict the choice of Course, areas of study or study-units within a Course, to

which such applicant may be admitted;

(b) decide on who is admitted to a Course to which admission is limited, in accordance

with the provisions of the respective regulations or bye-laws for that Course and such other

criteria as may be approved by Senate;

(c) seek the advice of a Faculty Admissions Committee (consisting of the Dean or

his delegate and at least two other academic members appointed by the Board of the Faculty

concerned) on any matter concerning eligibility for admission to a programme of study or

area of study in that Faculty, and in particular on whether any applicant seeking admission as

a regular student has the necessary academic background to follow the programme of study

with profit, normally after having assessed the applicant through an interview or another

form of assessment, provided that in such cases, appropriate detailed documentation shall

be kept;

(d) advise Senate on all matters regarding admission to the University and to

programmes of study.

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Entry Requirements for Undergraduate Courses

(1) General Entry Requirements. Subject to any other provision of these

regulations, the general entry requirements are the following

(a) the Matriculation Certificate, which is awarded to candidates who pass examinations

in a range of subjects that includes a language, a humanistic, and a science subject, and

Systems of Knowledge, as specified in the Matriculation Examination Regulations; and

(b) passes in the Secondary Education Certificate at grade 5 or better in Maltese,

English Language and Mathematics, provided that if a pass in Maltese, and/or English

Language, and/or Mathematics is obtained at Advanced or Intermediate Matriculation Level,

a pass in such subjects in the Secondary Education Certificate Examination is not required.

(2) In the case of applicants who pursued their secondary education outside

Malta, the University may consider and accept qualifications comparable to the qualifications

stipulated in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (1) of this regulation, provided that the

mix of subjects and levels of the qualifications presented are comparable to the subjects

and levels required for the award of the Secondary Education Certificate and Matriculation

Certificate.

(3) The Admissions Board may consider the acceptance of passes obtained in

other examinations at corresponding levels and grades to the Matriculation Examination and

the Secondary Education Certificate for the purpose of admittance.

(4) (a) Special Course Requirements. Regulations or bye-laws for a programme

of study may specify other requirements in addition to the general entry requirements for

admission to that Course. In particular, they may limit the choice of subjects that may be

offered at Advanced and Intermediate Matriculation Levels and specify the grade to be

obtained in such subjects, or specify alternative qualifications for admission which would be

acceptable, in whole or in part, as qualifications of similar academic standard.

(b) Each Faculty shall determine the special course requirements for specific

courses offered by it, as laid down in the Course bye-laws.

(c) An applicant who is a graduate of a university or has other qualifications

considered to be sufficient may, on the advice of the Faculty Admissions Committee

concerned, be exempted by the Admissions Board from any subject in which a pass is

required for admission to a Course in that Faculty.

(5) Maltese as a Requirement. Further to the requirement of Maltese at Secondary

Education Certificate level, the Admissions Board may, in special circumstances and subject

to the conditions set out hereunder, allow an applicant to offer another subject instead of

Maltese, as follows

(a) a Maltese applicant who, for reasons of residence or education abroad

over a significant period during the previous four years, has not received adequate teaching

in Maltese, may be allowed to offer another language instead of Maltese, or, until September

2018, any other subject.

B

(b) a non-Maltese applicant may be allowed to offer instead of Maltese,

another language as approved by the Admissions Board,

provided that, as from September 2018 such other language cannot be English and applicants

whose mother tongue is English shall be required to offer a language other than English

instead of Maltese.

(6) Notwithstanding that provided in paragraph (5) of this regulation, where Course

regulations or bye-laws specify Maltese as a special Course requirement, the required pass

in Maltese must be obtained at the level and grade as stipulated in the respective Course

regulations or bye-laws.

Proficiency and Aptitude Tests

(1) The regulations or bye-laws of undergraduate or postgraduate Courses may

require applicants to

(a) pass a proficiency test in one or more subject/s, as approved by the Faculty

offering the Course; and/or

(b) pass an aptitude test.

(2) Senate, on the advice of the Board, shall appoint a Board of Examiners for

aptitude and proficiency tests.

Assessment and Accreditation of Prior Learning

Senate shall appoint a Board of Assessors of Prior Learning in order to determine

whether an applicant who is an Adult Learner may access a Course of study based on

knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through prior learning and experientially. This

Board shall be composed of not less than three members and shall make its recommendations

to the Admissions Board through the Faculty Admissions Committee.

Further Provisions

(1) Admission to a Course after its Commencement. An applicant who is qualified

for admission to the University as a regular student may be allowed by the Admissions

Board, subject to any conditions it may impose, to join a Course in its second year or any

following year.

(2) (a) Concurrent Courses. Unless with the special permission of the Senate, a

student may not register concurrently for more than one Course leading to a degree, diploma

or certificate, except in the cases listed in sub-paragraph (b) of this regulation.

(b) The following Courses may be followed concurrently

(i) any two Courses that together do not exceed 75 ECTS credits per

academic year;

(ii) the Courses leading to the degree of Doctor of Laws and the Diploma

of Notary Public;

(iii) the Courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Laws and Diploma

of Legal Procurator;

B

(iv) a part-time or full-time Course leading to any qualification and a part-

time Course leading to an Undergraduate Certificate; and

(v) a full-time Course leading to any qualification and the Certificate or

Diploma in Language Proficiency.

(3) A student who discontinues a Course or is not permitted by the relevant

Course regulations or bye-laws, to continue a Course, shall not be allowed to re-register

as a student in any Course before the lapse of one year from the effective date of such

discontinuation, unless with the permission of the Admissions Board.

(4) Exceptionally, and for objective reasons, Course bye-laws may specify a

minimum age for admission, as approved by Senate.

Applications for Admission

(1) Applicants wishing to join Courses in terms of these regulations shall apply by

the prescribed dates unless, in special circumstances, with the permission of the Admissions

Board.

(2) Applicants shall submit all supporting documents, including an original recent

Police Good Conduct Certificate, if required, within the deadline stipulated by the Office of

the Registrar. Should they fail to do so, applicants shall be considered as no longer interested

to pursue the Course/s they applied for.

(3) (a) For Courses which involve work with vulnerable persons, applicants shall

submit an original recent Police Good Conduct Certificate. A list of such Courses shall be

approved by Senate and shall be published at the time of call for applications.

(b) In cases where the Police Good Conduct Certificate includes any

declaration, the certificate shall be considered by a sub-committee appointed by Senate for

the purpose. The sub-committee shall make its recommendations to the Admissions Board.

General Provision

(1) Wherever in any Course regulations or bye-laws made under the Education

Act (Cap. 327) there is a reference to “regulation 2.2 (a)(iii) of the Admission Regulations,

1997”, that reference shall be substituted by the words “regulation 6 (c) of the Admissions

Regulations, 2016”.

(2) Wherever in any Course regulations or bye-laws, made under the Education

Act (Cap. 327) there is a reference to “regulation 8.1 of the Admission Regulations, 1997”

or “regulation 8.1.1 of the Admission Regulations, 1997”, that reference shall be substituted

by the words “regulation 15 (1) of the Admissions Regulations, 2016”.

Repeal

The R01 - Admission Regulations of the University of Malta, published as

Legal Notice 183 of 1997, shall no longer apply to new admissions to University Courses

where such Courses commence in September 2016 or later, provided that the admission of

applicants who commenced Courses prior to September 2016, shall continue to be governed

by the regulations that were in force at the time of their admission.

B

Appendix I

Vocational Subjects acceptable for admission to the Junior College,

in terms of regulation 10 of these regulations

SEC Agribusiness

SEC Engineering Technology

SEC Health and Social Care

SEC Hospitality

SEC Information Technology

BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in Engineering

BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care

BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in Hospitality

BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in Information Technology.

€0.72