THE International Medical University Malaysia (IMU) in late December sent out conditional offer letters to prospective medical students who had undergone interviews based on the projected A-level examination results.

My child was one of those who received the extremely one-sided conditional offer letter, which had a deadline of Dec 30, 2007, by which time an amount of RM31,790 had to be paid to the IMU.

Among the rather unfair terms and conditions were that if a student does not meet the minimum required grades of B-B-C in any three science subjects, a percentage of the amount paid will be forfeited, while a student who meets the requirement but does not take up the offer, will have the entire amount forfeited.

To enforce this, the IMU requires that this agreement be witnessed by a commissioner for oaths.

The IMU is the only university to make conditional offers which give no consideration to the applicant — there is absolutely no guarantee of a place.

The Higher Education Ministry must look into this matter and stop the IMU from continuing this unfair practice.

Source: NST – January 8, 2008