For years, the PTPTN first class honours loan waiver has been a huge relief for top-performing students, rewarding their academic excellence with full exemption from repayment.
But for one Malaysian graduate, an unexpected delay in her convocation has turned what should have been a moment of celebration into months of uncertainty.
She recently took to social media to share how, despite graduating with a CGPA of 3.97, her application for the waiver has been stalled due to circumstances entirely beyond her control.
“I was promised a waiver”
According to her, the promise was clear: secure First Class Honours and the PTPTN loan would be waived.
It was a reward many of her friends who graduated in 2022 and 2023 had already received without issue.
However, her own journey took an unexpected turn. She received her final exam results in November 2023, but her graduation ceremony was only held at the end of 2024. She had no say in the decision and no ability to change it.
Struggles to get documents on time
This postponement, she explained, came with added pressure. PTPTN typically offers a one-year grace period before repayments begin, so every month counted.
Hoping to speed up the process, she reached out to TAR UMT’s Penang branch to request her official graduation documents earlier.
Unfortunately, her request was denied, leaving her with no choice but to wait.
When the documents finally arrived in November 2024, she wasted no time in submitting her application.
Her application progress was as follows:
- 22 Nov 2024 — Application received, under document review.
- 23 Jan 2025 — Marked as eligible for exemption, moved to the official approval stage.
Hope turns into uncertainty
At first, things seemed to be moving in the right direction. Receiving the January update left her “genuinely overjoyed,” believing that her hard work was finally paying off.
But that optimism soon gave way to frustration as weeks turned into months without further progress.
To make matters worse, she later discovered that the PTPTN website had closed its application link for first class waivers.
When she contacted PTPTN for clarification, she said the reply she received was:
Dijangkakan tiada kelulusan baru sehingga hujung tahun ini”
(It is expected that there will be no new approvals until the end of this year)
“First class wasn’t just a goal”
For her, this was more than just a delay in paperwork. Achieving first class had been the driving force behind countless late nights, personal sacrifices, and unwavering determination.
While she acknowledges that there may be budget limitations and issues with borrowers defaulting on repayments, she feels it is unfair for students who have met all the requirements to shoulder the burden of such delays.
Shouldn’t there be stronger enforcement for repayment, rather than delaying or denying the waiver to those who have earned it?” she asked.
Raising awareness, not pointing fingers
She emphasised that her intention was not to complain or assign blame, but to share her experience in hopes that it might resonate with others in the same position.
I truly hope the authorities will consider the impact these delays have on students who worked hard, trusted the promise of a waiver, and planned their future finances accordingly,” she wrote.
