The centralized processing agency processes applications from students with SPM, STPM, STAM, diploma or matriculation qualifications. The agency is under The Department of Higher Education (Jabalan Pengajian Tinggi) of the Ministry of Higher Education and is responsible for the management of the admission of students into the 20 public universities

All applications to study in public universities are centrally processed with the exception of postgraduate studies.

The centralized processing agency is known as the Bahagitan Pengurusan Kemasukan Pelajar (BPKP) or The Division of Student Admission (formerly known as Unit Pusat Universtti, UPU). It processes applications from students with SPM, STPM, STAM, diploma or matriculation qualifications. The agency is under The Department of Higher Education (Jabalan Pengajian Tinggi) of the Ministry of Higher Education and is responsible for the management of the admission of students into the 20 public universities.

The main function of BPKP (or 'UPU') is to process and coordinate the intake of Malaysian students into local public universities for the following programmes of study:

• Programmes after SPM
• Programmes for Government recognized Diploma Holders
• Programmes after Matriculation programmes
• Programmes after STAM
• Programmes after STPM
• Master's degree programmes in medicine

(Note : At postgraduate studies level, BPKP only processes (he intake for Master's degree progremme in medicine and not for other postgraduate courses)

The intake into the public universities through this centralized agency is once a year and usually in the month of July.

However BPKP is not involved in managing the intake of the following categories of students into public universities and as such these groups of students are required to contact the individual public universities directly. The students involved here are:
• foreign students
• students who undertake programmes conducted via the Distance Learning Education mode or programmes being offered at Certificate level
• students of franchised programmes conducted to private higher educational institutions