Can You Join a Film Making School With 5 SPM Credits?

SPM 2025 had its best national average grade in five years: 4.42, down from 4.49 in 2024, where a lower number means better results, TheStarTV reported on 31 March 2026. Headlines like that can make a student with 5 credits feel left behind. If you are one of them and you want to study film, the short answer is yes: many film making schools will look at you. Here is what 5 credits mean and what else a school checks.

What 5 SPM credits actually means

In SPM, a credit is a grade of C or better. The grades run from A+ down to G. D and E are passes, and G is a fail.

So 5 credits means you scored C or above in five subjects. If you also passed Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah, you qualify for the SPM certificate.

Credits matter most when a course asks for a fixed number, or for credits in set subjects such as English or Mathematics. Many academic diplomas and degrees work that way. Creative and skills courses often look at other things first.

Can you join a film making school with 5 credits?

Often, yes. Film making schools are skills schools. They train you to shoot, edit and light, and you prove those skills by showing your work.

Take one film making school in Skudai, Johor. Its course page lists who can join: secondary school graduates, SPM, STPM and UEC students, people who left school at 16 or older, and working adults. It does not list a minimum number of SPM credits. It also says the course needs no prior experience.

That is one school. Others set their own rules, so read each school’s entry list in writing before you apply. If the list is not on the website, ask the school to send it to you.

What a film school looks at besides your grades

When grades are not the main test, the school wants to know something else about you. At the school in Skudai, the admissions team looks at your background, your interest and the course you want to join.

In practice, that means three things.

Your interest. Can you say why you want to study film? "I want to learn to edit" or "I want to shoot music videos" is a clear reason. Be ready to say it out loud.

Your work, if you have any. A short video you shot on a phone, an edit you made for a friend or photos you are proud of. It does not need to be good. It shows you have started.

Your commitment. Film courses have deadlines, early shoots and group work. Schools want students who will turn up.

Subjects that help, even without top grades

Some SPM subjects connect to film work, whatever your grade in them.

English helps you read scripts, brief clients and follow software tutorials, many of which are in English. Art and design subjects help with framing, colour and layout. Bahasa Melayu helps if you want to write or work on local productions.

If your best grades are in these subjects, say so at your interview. If they are not, show what you can do instead.

How to show you are ready

You do not need special gear to start a small portfolio. Try these before you apply.

1. Shoot a one-minute video on your phone. Pick a simple story: a day at the pasar malam, a friend cooking, your street at night.
2. Edit it with a free app. Cut out the boring parts and add music you are allowed to use.
3. Watch it again a week later and write down three things you would fix.
4. Bring it to the campus visit, on your phone, and ask a teacher what they think.

Students who do this walk into the interview with something to talk about.

For a wider look at results and film study, read do you need good SPM results to study filmmaking.

What 5 credits still keeps open

Choosing a film making school does not lock other doors. With 5 credits you can still apply for many diplomas later if your plans change.

Skills certificates are another route. Some film courses end with the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia, a national skills certificate, alongside their own award. The school in Skudai gives a UK Advanced Diploma and the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia at the end of its 18-month programme. We explain the SKM in what the SKM certificate is.

Questions to ask about entry

When you call or visit a school, ask these questions about entry. Write the answers down so you can compare schools later.

• Is there a minimum number of SPM credits, or credits in set subjects?
• Do you take students who are still waiting for their SPM results?
• Is there an interview, a test or a portfolio check?
• When does the next intake start, and how early should I apply?
• Can I sit in on a class before I decide?

A school that answers all five clearly is easier to plan around. If a school will not put its entry rules in writing, treat that as a warning sign and keep looking.

Make your shortlist

Make a short list of two or three film schools. For each one, check the entry list, the course length, the certificates and the full fees in writing. Then visit, and bring your one-minute video.

If you want a first school to visit, this film making school in Johor lets you tour the campus and sit a demo class first.

常见问题

Is 5 credits in SPM good?

Five credits means you scored C or better in five subjects. If you also passed Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah, you get the SPM certificate. Whether it is enough depends on the course. Some programmes ask for credits in set subjects, so check each one.

Can I study film without credits in Mathematics?

Often yes. Many film and skills schools do not ask for a Mathematics credit. Academic diplomas and degrees may ask for it, so check the entry rules for each course you like.

What does a film school look at if not my grades?

Schools often look at your interest, any work you have made and whether you will commit to the course. One school in Johor says its admissions team looks at your background, your interest and the course you want.

Do I need a portfolio to apply to a film making school?

Not always. Some schools take complete beginners. Still, a short video or a few photos you made yourself help you show your interest at the interview.

Can I upgrade later if I start with a film course?

Yes. A film course leaves your SPM certificate as it is, so you can still apply for other diplomas later. Some film courses also end with a national skills certificate you can build on.