Info for parents

This section of the site is designed to help you give your child informed guidance about tertiary study, to help them make the best choices for the future.

Information sessions & tours

The Future Students Centre is the first port of call for any further questions you or your child may have about studying at Curtin Malaysia.

The team at the Centre host information sessions and tours of the Sarawak campus throughout the year and parents are welcome to attend. Individual appointments can be booked if you would like to discuss university study, course selection or career pathways.

Parent information sessions

Parent information sessions are intended to help demystify university preferences and the TISC process. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to speak with Curtin Malaysia experts from admissions, scholarships, university support services and study areas. Begin the evening by attending our expo where you and your child will have the chance to talk one-on-one with faculty representatives about specific courses and relevant subject prerequisites. Current students will also be available to talk to you about their university experiences and studying at Curtin. Contact us to register for Parent Information Sessions 2022.

How involved should I be?

Initially your child may need a fair amount of support and encouragement. Some students adjust very well to the university environment while others may feel overwhelmed. Similarly, some adapt to the new learning methods easily while others find the lack of close monitoring of their progress and completion of tasks surprising. They will soon realise that they have much more personal responsibility for their study than they did at school. If your child seems unsettled about the new situation, try to put them at ease and reassure them that moving away from the security of the school system is an essential transition, regardless of whether they choose a university education. Curtin Malaysia is an ideal and supportive place to exercise and experiment with this freedom. Allow them to explore their own methods of time management and self-motivation and guide them wherever possible. Encourage your child to seek advice from us if they have specific issues that need attention. We provide comprehensive on-campus support for all students.

What should my child study?

Your child may become frustrated or confused when trying to choose which course they would like to study, especially as these decisions need to be made during their demanding final year of high school. Encourage them to think about what they would enjoy studying, rather than what they think they should be studying. Remind them that they do have more than one chance and they can always change courses or direction at a later stage during their studies. Discuss with your child why they wish to study a particular course and ensure that it is for the right reasons. Some students need to concentrate on the goal of graduating and entering the workforce to keep them motivated. Others become anxious when they’re asked to make decisions about their future that they feel unequipped to make. Take the focus off the end result and try to stimulate thought about what they are currently interested in, how they want to challenge themselves and what area of study they find rewarding. Tips for helping your child decide on a course: Encourage your child to read a lot of university material and talk to as many people as they can. Past and present students are invaluable sources of information, as they can give a personal account of their experience that may be far more useful than that of a brochure or staff member. Get in touch with our Student Ambassadors or Marketing Department by phoning +60 85 443 090 or emailing us. Read about our course offerings and schedule an appointment with your child’s school careers counsellor. Visit Curtin Malaysia and get a feel for the campus and the departments of interest. You can come any time, however Open Day gives you a great opportunity to meet our teaching staff and see exactly what each study area does. Encourage them to think about their interests and career aspirations. A good starting point is too browse the study areas on Curtin Malaysia’s Courses website for ideas. There they’ll find some career suggestions and Curtin Malaysia courses that relate to those careers. Career Voyage Curtin Malaysia offers Career Voyage, which builds students and future students confidence in their own decision making process. They find careers they love and make decisions based on reliable, well-researched software. Career Voyage takes them to the next stage in their career journey and generals Occupation Interest profiles, 20 job suggestions ranked in order of suitability, detailed job information and qualification requirements. Make an appointment to discuss career options, alternative pathways and course or entry requirements with one of our course advisors.

How will my child benefit?

Being a university student is a valuable experience that can enrich all areas of a student’s life. It will give your child an opportunity to increase knowledge and learn more about a chosen field on both a theoretical and practical basis, while at the same time moving closer toward gaining a respected qualification and preferred career. Your child will also benefit from connecting with a variety of people, both academically and socially. Their confidence will increase as they are encouraged to become independent learners and thinkers and are required to be responsible for their own education. Their organisation, time management and communication skills will be developed. University encourages the student to become comfortable and capable of negotiating effectively both within the workplace and the world beyond their school experience.

Will my child cope?

Many parents believe that the level of work required by their child as a university student may be difficult for them to adjust to, but if your child has completed the SPM successfully, rest assured that they have almost certainly prepared themselves to deal with a university-level workload. The first year workload in particular should not be unmanageable. If their time is managed effectively, your child should be able to complete all their work and still fulfil other commitments. Most university students are busy people with busy lives. They manage their study around work, family, their growing social life and a range of other commitments. Encourage your child to follow up other interests in addition to their university workload, as there’s no need to focus exclusively on study. They will still find plenty of time to follow interests other than study which can prevent them ‘burning out’. Student help There is always help available to support students. The Learning Centre provides a range of free online programs and workshops to help students towards success with their study.