Abstract:
Malaysian University Examination Test (MUET) is one of the English proficiency tests
required for students who want to pursue a degree at Malaysian public universities. This test consists
of four skill tests, namely listening, reading, speaking, and writing. However, over the past several
years, many students who sit for the exam achieved an incredibly low band, and the reasons are
not clear. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and difficulties encountered by learners in
English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the Malaysian University Examination Test (MUET).
Three Malaysian Polytechnic degree-level students who had to re-sit for MUET to complete their
degree programme were chosen as the informants. The study applied the qualitative research design,
and data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. It was discovered that the students faced
the challenges such as preparation, lack of knowledge in vocabulary, grammar, and time constraints
in answering the question in MUET. The paper concludes by suggesting that the students are taking
steps to overcome MUET-related challenges. Future research is required to investigate the type of
teaching methodology that can assist these students prior to MUET.
