Bumiputera students are encouraged to enrol in international university campuses under the auspices of the Sarawak government through the BP40 Bursary Scheme offered by Sarawak Foundation.
This BP40 Bursary Scheme is another initiative introduced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also the chairman of Sarawak Foundation.
As the Covid-19 pandemic brought the country to its knees, there are a lot of families and single individuals struggling with financial insecurity, especially those in major cities where the cost of living is high.
While we are all categorised by the income classification, it is also important to understand what BP40 is all about.
B40 is a part of the household income in the country, the other two being M40 and T20. B40 refers the bottom 40 percent of our country’s population with an average household income of below RM4,850 per month.
They earn less than RM4,850 per month. The Covid-19 pandemic also has pushed many Malaysians to lower-income categories due to income reduction and loss of employment.
The promotion of the BP40 Bursary Scheme from Curtin University Malaysia. 
BP40 Bursary Scheme Programme being held virtually by UCTS.
The B40 group is eligible for the Bantuan Sara Hidup or Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat. There are also government housing schemes, especially for B40 groups such as the Program Perumahan Rakyat and Program Perumahan Rakyat Termiskin for the hardcore poor.
M40 represents the middle 40 percent of the population with a household income of between RM4,851 and RM 10,970 per month. While T20 represents the top 20 percent of Malaysia’s household with an income of more than RM10,971 per month.
This household income classification in Malaysia is based on the Department of Statistics Malaysia Report published in the year 2020.
As for the BP40 initiative by Abang Johari, 100 slots each have been allocated to Bumiputera students at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus in Kuching, Sarawak College of Technology University (UCTS) in Sibu and Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) in Miri to further their studies.
The programme serves to encourage as many Bumiputera students as possible to further their studies at world-class universities statewide.
The state government does not want our children to miss this opportunity, especially those who are from the low-income (B40) families. The BP40 Bursary Scheme offers the same tuition fees as public universities.
The actual fee at these universities is high — for example, for engineering courses, it can cost up to RM100,000 — but under this scheme, the fee can be as low as RM40,000.
Various courses can also be taken whether it is Business, Engineering or Technology.
It is hoped that this initiative could at least ease the burden of parents and families to some extent. Many families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic are finding it tough to fund their children’s start-up costs to university. The state government understands their plight and hence the chief minister came up with this initiative.
Meanwhile, a check on the website of Swinburne University of Technology, Kuching stated that the BP40 Bursary Scheme is being promoted to Bumiputera students studying at foundation, diploma or degree levels at a subsidised tuition fee.
Furthermore, students enrolled under the bursary scheme are still eligible to apply for other financial assistance scheme offered by the Sarawak Foundation, as well as all incentives that come under the scheme.
For a complete list of courses available, visit www.swinburne.edu.my.
UCTS also collaborated with the Sarawak Foundation in helping Bumiputera students from the B40 background to study in any of its programmes.
Those who are interested can drop by UCTS Campus or call them at 084-367300 (Sibu Campus) or 082-422622 (Kuching Marketing Office) or email to enquiry@ucts.edu.my or chat with them @uctsofficial Facebook & Instagram.
The bursary scheme’s special fee structure is applicable to all foundation and undergraduate degrees in business, engineering, science, technology and arts at Curtin University Malaysia in Miri.
Interested Bumiputera students can get more details on the scheme at https://curtin.edu.my/BP40.
For the record, the Sarawak Foundation which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year was established under the Sarawak Foundation Ordinance passed by the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly on May 27, 1971 to pave the way for a new era in educational development in Sarawak.
The foundation offers various types of educational services in the form of scholarships and study loans for the benefit of thousands of Sarawakians.
It also plays an important role in the development of human capital in the state in line with the desire to achieve a developed and high-income state by the year 2030.
The promotion of the BP40 Bursary Schemed from UCTS. 
