CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION STUDIES COURSE _g L.S.327.196 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.196
CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION STUDIES 
COURSE REGULATIONS
29th September, 2000
LEGAL NOTICE 192 of 2000, as amended by Legal Notices 275 of 2001
and 50 of 2003.
Citation and 
interpretation.
1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Certificate in
Foundation Studies Course Regulations.
(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of Studies appointed for the course;
"the Certificate" means the Certificate in Foundation Studies;
and
"the course" means the course of studies leading to the
Certificate in Foundation Studies.
Applicability.
Amended by:
L.N. 275 of 2001;
L.N. 50 of 2003.
2. These regulations shall apply for courses starting in
October 2003 or later.
Eligibility for the 
Certificate.
3. To be eligible for the award of the Certificate, students
must:
( a ) be registered as students in the course in terms of
regulation 4;
( b ) complete the course of studies, qualify in the
assessments and satisfy any other requirements
prescribed in these regulations; and
( c ) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any other
relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the
University.
Registration for the 
course.
Substituted by:
L.N. 275 of 2001;
L.N. 50 of 2003.
4. The Course is open only to overseas applicants who:
( a ) have completed their secondary and/or high school
education abroad; and
( b ) are in possession of one of the following qualifications
in English at the required level:
(i) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
5000 or 173 CB;
(ii) International English Language Testing System
5.5;
(iii) Cambridge First Certificate at grade C or better;
or any other equivalent qualification approved by the
Board; and
( c ) are in possession of qualifications allowing access to
higher education in the country where such
qualifications were obtained; but
2 L.S.327.196 _h CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION STUDIES COURSE
( d ) are deemed to require further study to be admitted to
degree courses at the University of Malta.
Duration of course. 5. The course extends over a period of one academic year of
full-time study.
Board of Studies. 6. The general administration of the course shall be entrusted
to a Board of Studies, approved by Senate.
Course of studies. 7. (1) The course aims to bridge differences between the
Maltese educational system and other systems. It shall consist of a
number of study-units to each of which a number of credits is
assigned. The study-units shall be divided into two areas of study:
English language proficiency area; and
Special subject and optional area. Study-units in this
area shall be determined by the special course
requirements of the degree course students intend to
apply for.
(2) Students may register for study-units.to which a total of
not less than 24 credits and not more than.30 credits are assigned.
Catalogue of 
study-units.
8. The Board shall draw up a catalogue of study-units for
each area of study. The catalogue shall indicate the level, code,
title, description and type of each study-unit, the credits assigned to
each study unit, which study-units are compulsory, concurrent or
pre-requisites for other study-units, and the methods of teaching
and assessment. The Board shall publish the catalogue prior to the
commencement of each course, following the approval of Senate.
Attendance.and 
assessment.
9. (1) Students must attend at least 75% of the lectures/
seminars or practical sessions in a study-unit before being allowed
to sit for the assessment of a study-unit. Absences for the remaining
25% of lectures, seminars or practical sessions must be justified
and approved by the Board.
(2) Credits shall be assigned according to the following grades
in descending order of merit: A, B, C, and D. Failure shall be
indicated by F. Incomplete work due to justifiable reasons (illness,
approved absence, etc.) shall be indicated by I. In all other cases
the results of uncompleted study-units shall be indicated as F. The
grades awarded shall take into account the students’ performance in
one or more of the following elements, as deemed appropriate by
the Board: coursework, practical, written and/or oral assessments.
(3) In each of the areas of study, students may be re-assessed
for study-units to which not more than four credits are assigned.
Award of the 
Certificate.
10. (1) The Certificate shall be awarded to students who
complete the course and obtain at least twenty-four credits, twelve
of which must be in the English language area of study, and another
twelve in the special subject and optional area of study, provided
that, if students obtain one credit less than the twenty-four
required, this may be compensated for by an overall grade of not
less than B.
(2) The Certificate shall show a grade A, B, C or D (grade A
being the highest and D the lowest) indicating the standard attained
by the students, and shall take into account the best grades obtained
CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION STUDIES COURSE _g L.S.327.196 3
in the study-units indicated in subregulation (1) to which 24 credits
are assigned.
Access and 
admission to 
University 
undergraduate 
courses.
11. (1) Students who obtain the Certificate with an overall
Grade C or better shall have obtained the general entry
requirements for undergraduate courses at the University of Malta.
(2) In order to satisfy the special course requirements for
particular undergraduate degree courses, students must be in
possession of the Certificate with an overall Grade C or better and
must have obtained the credits assigned to the study units in the
special subject area of study and at the grade indicated by the
Board at the commencement of the Foundation Studies Course.
