First round of Hecas starts for Aug 2010 intake

QUALIFIED and interested applicants can now apply for diploma, higher national diploma or first degree programmes and submit their online applications from 7.45am tomorrow.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Education (MoE) yesterday, the first round of the Higher Education Centralised Admission System (Hecas) online applications for the August 2010 intake to local higher education institutions such as Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (Unissa) and Institut Teknologi Brunei(ITB), and for the Brunei government overseas scholarships will commence Monday.

Those interested can visit the Hecas portal at www.hecas.edu.bn for information on the programmes offered, entry requirements and application procedures. Applications will not be accepted after 4.30pm, March 4.

Applicants who wish to apply for postgraduate, master or PhD programmes offered by local higher education institutions can go directly to the Admissions Office of the respective higher-education institutions to obtain the prescribed application forms.

As for overseas scholarships for master or PhD programmes, interested applicants can obtain the application forms from the Scholarship Section on the 5th Floor, Block C, at the Ministry of Education.

The ministry advises interested applicants who do not have Internet access to visit one of the designated Hecas sites at: Duli Pg Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College in Brunei-Muara District; Sultan Hassan Secondary School in Temburong District; Sayyidina Othman Secondary School in Tutong District; and Sayiddina Ali Secondary School in Belait District. At these sites, applicants should meet the career guidance officer for further assistance.

According to the Hecas website, individuals applying only for overseas scholarship must also apply for at least one programme offered by a local university.

Pre-university students (Form Six students) should also take note that the Brunei Cambridge GCE 'AS' Level qualification is not considered a Brunei Cambridge GCE 'A' Level and this qualification will not be used in porcessing applications for a place of study.

The website also states that each applicant is allowed to apply for only two programmes from each of the local universities (UBD, Unissa, ITB) or for overseas scholarship and the maximum number of programmes each applicant can apply for six.

Applicants must apply for the programmes of their choice in the order of their preference. For example, the first choice would be ranked as the most preferred by the applicant, followed by less-preferred programmes ranked as second choice, third and so on.

The Brunei Times