KTJ students receive impressive university offers

Students from Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ) international school have already begun to receive offers from a range of prestigious universities in the UK, the US and the rest of the world, including seven offers from Oxbridge. 

Four KTJ students have offers from the University of Cambridge to study Engineering, Natural Sciences, Psychology and Maths; in addition to three students who have offers to study English Literature, History and Law at the University of Oxford. Offers have also been received from the Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), Warwick University, University of Edinburgh, plus the world’s top ranked architectural school, the renowned Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL. 

In the US and Canada, students have so far received early offers from Ivy League university, Cornell, and New York University (NYU), plus three offers from the University of Toronto. Closer to home, one Sixth Form student has received a full scholarship to study Economics at both the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), ranked 26th and 60th in the world respectively (2024 QS World University Rankings). 

“We are delighted with the university offers our Sixth Form students have received so far,” said Emma Davidson, Head of KTJ Sixth Form. “Most of our students are still awaiting decisions from a number of top universities, which we expect to receive from March onwards. Our students have worked incredibly hard and are supported by a dedicated and experienced faculty who invest many hours into admissions tests and interview preparation. Each year, competition for top ranked universities continues to increase, so it is the extra level of preparation that really sets our students up for success.” 

The KTJ Sixth Form Team has been strategically assembled to provide targeted, high level support for students as they navigate the application process to competitive universities. The team consists of specialists in Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Humanities (History and Literature ), PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics), Law and Medical Sciences, as well as a Higher Education Counsellor, who specialises in the US and other non-UK university applications, an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) Mentor, and a Careers Guidance Coordinator. 

Not only are students expected to excel academically, but also to engage in a range of super-curricular activities, helping to further enhance their university applications. Each week, students attend talks delivered by speakers from top universities and other organisations, such as the World Economic Forum. Students also participate in specialist co-curricular activities, such as the Debate Union, Model United Nations and STEM Club, and take on essential leadership roles. So far this year, KTJ Sixth Form students have represented Malaysia in the International Maths Olympiad and the World School Debating Championship, won first place in the Years 10-13 Historical Association’s Fictional Essay Writing Competition, been shortlisted for the John Locke Essay Competition, received the Best Advocate Prize at the Oxbridge Society Malaysia & KTJ Law Moot, and won the Muri Award (for the top school) at the 44th Annual SEA Forensics and Debate Tournament. 

Principal of KTJ, Dr Glenn Moodie, said: “As a school, we provide a holistic education which focuses on the development of the whole person, and our approach to academics and university support in KTJ Sixth Form is no different. Our aim is to create an environment that allows intellectually-curious students to really thrive and stand out in competitive university applications, and to be prepared for the next stage of their educational journey.”

Last year, KTJ ranked 55th amongst independent and international schools globally in the HSBC Hurun Education Global High Schools list 2023. KTJ was the only school in Malaysia to make the list, and was ranked 3rd amongst schools outside of the UK and the US.  In 2021 and 2023, KTJ was named the International Boarding School of the Year by the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). This award recognises an International School outside the UK that delivers excellence in boarding, facilities and student support. KTJ was also shortlisted for the Safeguarding Inclusion Award 2023 by the Safeguarding and Child Protection Association (SACPA), part of the BSA group. 

Applications for KTJ’s Sixth Form Academic Scholarship close on 1st March. Click here for more information on how to apply!