What Is CIMP And 7 Important Facts Before You Join In 2026

The Canadian International Matriculation Programme (CIMP) is a popular pre-university course offered in Malaysia for students planning to study in Canada or other countries abroad.

With a rigorous focus on academic excellence, CIMP opens up global pathways to top universities, especially in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In this article, we explain what CIMP is and its recognition qualities, what requirements to enter CIMP, what subjects you should choose and why you should consider this programme.

Currently, the only university in Malaysia that is offering the CIMP course is Sunway University.

1. What Is CIMP?

CIMP or formerly known as CPU (Canadian Pre-University), is a 12-month (3 semester) internationally recognised pre-university course based on the Ontario (Canada) Grade 12 curriculum and is overseen and accredited by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Students who complete CIMP receive the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), the same qualification awarded to high school graduates in Ontario, Canada.

2. CIMP Recognition

CIMP is globally recognised and is a sure-fire pathway into Canadian universities for international students.

On top of this, it is largely accepted as a qualification for a degree among universities in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore and many institutions in the United States.

Aside from Canada and Malaysia, the CIMP course is taught at selective schools and colleges in countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, India, the UAE, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka.

3. CIMP Course Structure

Learning & Assessment Structure

CIMP runs on the assessment structure of

• Coursework: 70% (includes projects, assignments, presentations, and practical assessments)

• Final Exam: 30%

This makes it appealing to students who prefer participative and expressive work to written examinations.

On top of this, students are also required to participate in 10 hours of community service work which makes your learning experience in CIMP more meaningful.

Subjects

In CIMP, students have to take 6 subjects, including English as a compulsory subject and can choose subjects among these categories:

Categories	Popular Subjects Offered In Malaysia
Sciences	Chemistry, Physics, Biology
Business Studies	Financial Accounting, International Business, Business Leadership
Mathematics	Mathematics and Data Management, Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors
Computer Studies	Computer Science, Communications Technology
Social Sciences	World Issues, Challenges in Society, Economic Issues
Performing Arts	Drama, Music

Duration

CIMP typically takes 1 year (10–12 months) to complete.

The course is divided into 2 or 3 semesters, depending on the institution.

Assessment & Grading

For each subject that you take, there will be scoring given for your coursework and exams. At the end of your course, all the relevant scores will be put on a weightage of 70% for your coursework and 30% for your exams which results in a single final score for the subject.

At the end of the course, your ultimate results will be the average of the 6 subjects and are presented in percentage that is used as the entry requirement to enter your degree.

4. CIMP Entry Requirements

Here we address the requirements to enter CIMP as well as the prerequisites to enter into a Degree using these qualifications.

CIMP Entry Requirements

• You need a minimum of 5 Credits (including English) for your SPM or IGCSE to enter CIMP.

• If you plan to take up science-based or mathematical subjects in AUSMAT or SACE, you must have also taken the same subjects during your SPM or IGCSE, ideally with Credit results.

Prerequisites To Enter Into Degree With CIMP

• Your final CIMP results and subjects taken will matter depending on the degree major you plan to study.

• For non-science and non-technical majors such as Business, Communications, Arts & Design etc, there are no strict requirements. Most private universities in Malaysia will require a minimum of 55% to enter.

• As for Healthcare courses, Science-based courses, Engineering courses and even professional or technical courses such as Accounting, Actuarial Science, Architecture, and Computer Science do require you to have taken certain subjects during your CIMP (more in the next section). These courses normally start at 65% or higher to enter.

• For critical areas in Healthcare such as Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, most universities set relatively high results and subject prerequisites to enter.

5. How To Choose Subjects For CIMP

Here are recommended subjects to take based on the type of Degree and also the corresponding minimum grade you should ideally achieve.

Degree	Must Have Subjects	Recommended Minimum ATAR
Medicine (MBBS), Dentistry	Biology, Chemistry and Physics/Mathematics	80% or higher
Allied Healthcare	Any 2 subjects – Biology – Chemistry – Physics/Math	65% or higher
Engineering	Mathematics and 1 Science subject (Physics, Chemistry or Biology depending on the type of engineering)	65% or higher
Actuarial Science	Mathematics equivalent or more advanced	65% or higher
Accounting, Economics, Computer Science	Mathematics equivalent or more advanced	60% or higher
Law	No hard requirements on subjects.	60% or higher
Business, HR, Economics, Arts, Social Science, Humanities etc	No hard requirements on subjects.	55% or higher

It should also be noted that the Degree majors that have subject prerequisites for CIMP will normally have similar prerequisite subjects that should have been taken during their SPM or IGCSE.

Do check with our counsellors on the specific requirements!

6. Why Study CIMP?

• Global Recognition – Most universities in Malaysia, Australia, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore and colleges from the United States accepts CIMP.

• Short Duration – CIMP takes 10-12 months to complete, compared to other pre-university options out there such as A-Level, IB Diploma, or STPM. It is comparable to AUSMAT and SACE or MUFY in Malaysia too.

• Balanced Assessment – Suitable for students who prefer coursework and assignments to heavy exam-based programmes like A-Level.

• Gets You Ready For University Life – The combination of assignments and examinations is similar to how universities function where more active participation, discussions and critical thinking are encouraged to mould a high-functioning student.

If you are thinking of studying CIMP, try our Pathway Match first to find out if you qualify for any bursary or scholarship! You can also find other alternative pre-university courses and their scholarships.

7. Where To Study CIMP In Malaysia

Currently, in Malaysia, only Sunway College provides the CIMP pre-university pathway:

Ken Hoong is the co-founder of Uni Enrol and a contributing writer. Drawing on his close work with Uni Enrol’s counsellors, he brings keen insight into Malaysia’s evolving private higher education landscape and the shifting preferences of students in learning and career choices.