Why I Built the SBP & MRSM School Map

Turning scattered school info into an interactive map to help parents choose better

10 July 2025

Have you noticed how parents these days go all out to get their kids into top boarding schools? I'm talking about Malaysia's Fully Residential Schools - SBP (Sekolah Berasrama Penuh) and MRSM (Maktab Rendah Sains MARA) - which so many parents dream of for their kids.

Since the UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah) was abolished in 2021, new optional exams - PKSK (Pentaksiran Kemasukan Sekolah Khusus) and UKKM (Ujian Kemasukan Ke MRSM) have taken its place for Standard Six students aiming for a spot in these schools.

I still remember sending my child off to sit for those exams at different other school venues. A small group of parents would gather, whisper tips, and quietly swap 'secret' co-curricular activities that might earn their kids a few extra points. If you're in one of those Telegram groups, you know exactly what I mean — endless discussions, strategies, with huge expectations.

I didn't realize just how intense it had become until even my neighbours and my WhatsApp 'moms' group started swapping notes: which certificates to collect, which online seminars to sign up for, which extra classes to squeeze in. Everyone was in.

How It Started

When I filled out the online application for SBP, I was surprised to see about 71 schools listed by state. Most of the names were unfamiliar — the last time I knew anything about SBP was the year I left mine! I studied at one up North, and back then there were only around 40 schools. Gosh, when did the rest of 31 appear?

It wasn't until my eldest child got into a premier SBP that I realised there are actually different categories of SBP. To be honest, I didn't even know it was considered premier. I just knew it was well-known, but our choice was because it was close to home.

There were a few other good schools near our hometown too, and one had an extra title in front - Integrasi. I had no idea what it meant. That got me thinking: How do other parents choose? Do they pick schools based on distance? Where are these schools even located on a map? Or do they decide based on the type of SBP or MRSM? What different types are there, anyway?

Even though there's so much competition to get into SBP and MRSM, the information was scattered across the internet. I had to jump between different sources just to find out what each school category actually meant. And even then, some of it was still confusing. For example, what's the difference between SMAP and SBPI? Both seem to embed more Islamic studies, but how exactly do they differ?

I figured if I could map these schools in one place and share a bit of basic information as a start, it would be helpful. Sure, you can Google them one by one, but wouldn't it be clearer to see everything visualised in one place?

So that's why I decided to map the geo-locations of SBP and MRSM schools and share it with everyone.

Until then, feel free to explore the map here 🏫🗺️. I hope it helps you or someone you know make clearer decisions - even in a small way - about where to send their kids.

Got thoughts or ideas? DM me on Instagram 💬 — I'd love to hear from you.