The General Foundation Programme
About GFP:
The General Foundation Programme is a pre-sessional course that prepares students linguistically and academically in English, Mathematics, Information Technology and Study Skills. The Programme gives students the chance to settle into college life and learn necessary study skills that are embedded throughout the programme modules. The programme focuses on competencies and knowledge as students progress to one of Muscat College’s bachelor programmes.
GFP Programme Learning Objectives:
| PLO1 | Develop the English language proficiency of students to enable them to communicate confidently and effectively in academic, work-related and social contexts. |
| PLO2 | Develop students’ mathematical understanding, problem-solving and analytical skills to ensure their success in various academic contexts and fields requiring such skills. |
| PLO3 | Ensure that students are equipped with the necessary fundamental academic skills including research, academic reading and writing and specific technical skills necessary for success in academic programmes. |
| PLO4 | Develop students’ reflective skills to enable them to evaluate their learning and set appropriate goals to achieve success in their academic pursuit. |
| PLO5 | Support students to recognize key insights into collaborative and independent learning and working approaches and facilitate their integration into student academic life. |
Programme Components:
Three-level English Component:
At Muscat College CFPS, our GFP English curriculum is built as a complete learning ecosystem founded on the Global Scale of English (GSE) the world’s first global standard for accurately measuring language proficiency progress. The curriculum is fully aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and guided by the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) defined in the Oman Academic Standards for the General Foundation Programmes (OAS for GFPs). These rigorous alignments give our programme strong credibility and validity.
Three-level Mathematics Component:
At Muscat College CFPS, our GFP equips students with the essential mathematical and computational skills they need to confidently meet the challenges and requirements of their undergraduate programmes. The curriculum progresses seamlessly from foundational concepts to pure mathematics and advanced applications. All course content is fully aligned with the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) defined in the Oman Academic Standards for the General Foundation Programmes (OAS for GFPs).
Three-level Information Technology Component:
At Muscat College CFPS, our GFP Information Technology course provides students with the fundamental digital and computing skills essential for success in their undergraduate programmes. The curriculum introduces core IT concepts—from basic computer literacy and file management to introductory programming, data handling, and responsible use of technology. All course content is fully aligned with the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) defined in the Oman Academic Standards for the General Foundation Programmes (OAS for GFPs).
Three-level Study Skills Component:
At Muscat College CFPS, we believe that strong study skills are essential for student success and academic readiness. Rather than standing alone, study skills are embedded and assessed within all three components of our GFP—English, Mathematics, and Information Technology—ensuring that students develop the habits, strategies, and self-management abilities they need to meet the challenges of undergraduate study. Additionally, in the English component, two hours are allocated weekly to develop study and research skills. This integrated approach is fully aligned with the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) defined in the Oman Academic Standards for the General Foundation Programmes (OAS for GFPs).
Duration:
The GFP is delivered over three 14-week semesters in an academic year. The maximum of contact hours is 26 per week distributed as follows:
- English: 20 contact hours per week
- Information Technology: 2 contact hours per week
- Mathematics: 4 contact hours per week
Modes of Study:
The Centre for Foundation and Preparatory studies offers flexible modes of study taking into consideration the employment status of students.
Morning classes: meant for students who are available between 8 am and 4 pm.
Evening Classes: meant for working students. The classes are usually between 2 pm and 8 pm.
Yearly Intakes:
There are three intakes per academic year: September, December, and March.
Entry Requirements:
Admission to the GFP is open to:
– Graduates of High Schools: Students who have successfully completed the General Education Diploma (Class 12), or obtained equivalent certificates approved by the Ministry of Education in Oman. Note: Students who are sponsored by the Ministry of Education should fulfill the entry requirements specified by the Ministry.
– International students: At Muscat College, students who have completed their secondary education outside Oman and hold an equivalent of the General Education Diploma are eligible for admission to our GFP. Admission is granted upon obtaining official equivalency of their foreign diploma from the relevant authorities in the Sultanate of Oman.
– Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) At Muscat College, APL is a process that evaluates and recognizes prior learning from any unfinished GFP programme at another Omani higher education institution. Eligible applicants may receive module exemptions or be granted direct entry into higher-level GFP courses. APL requires a separate application, and decisions are made on a case‑by‑case basis by the CFPS APL Committee, based on a direct comparison of achieved learning outcomes against the learning outcomes of individual CFPS modules.
– Graduates of Partner International Schools At Muscat College, graduates of acknowledged international schools that have completed our partnership auditing process are eligible for an agreed exemption scheme. Based on their grade range, students may receive exemptions from some or all GFP modules. International or dual‑language schools wishing to offer this option to their graduates are invited to apply to Muscat College to finalize the partnership process.
Placement Test:
Placement tests for English, Mathematics, and Information Technology are conducted upon admission. To secure a slot for your placement tests, please contact the Admissions and Registration Department.
English Placement Test:
English is the medium of study at Muscat College. Therefore, uponadmission, all students are required to take a placement test to determine their English language proficiency level. Based on the test result, students are either placed into the appropriate GFP English
level (1, 2, or 3) or exempted from English study. The outcome maybe:
- Full exemption
- Partial exemption
- No exemption
Applicants who already meet the GFP exit requirements—or hold an equivalent score recognized by Muscat College—may enter undergraduate programmes directly.
Muscat College uses a 45‑minute standardized placement test (Pearson Level Test) to evaluate proficiency across the four language skills.
For scores below 58, placement is as follows:
- 0–29 → English Level
- 30–42 → English Level
- 43–58 → English Level
Applicants who achieve a GSE score of 58 or above (CEFR B2 or higher) in the Pearson Level Test are exempted from all GFP English modules.
Similarly, applicants who present an official IELTS score of 5.5 or above or a TOEFL iBT score of 46 or above receive full exemption from the GFP English module. To learn more about our English Placement Test, you may contact the Admissions and Registration Department to request access to a sample placement test.
Mathematics and Information Technology Placement Tests:
Upon admission, applicants take a placement test for Mathematics and Information Technology. Based on their test scores, they are placed into
one of three levels for each module—or granted full exemption—according to the following score bands:
- 00–25 → Level 1
- 26–50 → Level 2
- 51–75 → Level 3
- 76 onwards → Full Exemption
Academic Calendar:
The GFP academic year follows this Academic Calendar: (link to GFP academic calendar)