Minister Highlights Scholarships to Expand Higher Education Access

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, has emphasized the importance of scholarships in providing higher education opportunities for Indonesian students with strong academic potential but limited financial means. He made the statement while meeting recipients of the Indonesia Smart College Card (KIP Kuliah) on the sidelines of the SatuBeasiswa Indonesia Scholarship Partners Forum at the Ministry’s office in Jakarta, on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

He said higher education can provide young people with opportunities to improve their prospects and create positive changes for their families. He therefore stressed that scholarships are an important means of helping Indonesian youth continue their education at universities.

“Higher education is the most tangible way to break the cycle of poverty. However, that door is not yet fully open to every child, and scholarships are the key, including the KIP Kuliah program,” Brian said.

During the SatuBeasiswa Indonesia forum, Brian also highlighted the wide range of scholarship opportunities available in Indonesia from various providers. However, information about these programs remains spread across multiple channels, making it difficult for some students, particularly those who need support the most, to access the available opportunities.

“To address this issue, we have introduced SatuBeasiswa Indonesia. The idea is simple: we bring scholarship information from all our partners together in one platform, allowing it to reach prospective recipients across Indonesia, both in major cities and remote areas,” Brian explained.

One KIP Kuliah recipient, Ajkia Nur Muhammad Galih, a student in the Bachelor of Dental Medicine program at Jenderal Achmad Yani University, said the forum was informative and motivating. “The event was very exciting and informative, especially because we had the opportunity to meet the Minister directly and learn about what we should do after receiving the scholarship, which broadened our perspective and encouraged us to continue our studies and maintain our academic performance,” Ajkia said.

Another recipient, Salsabila Khasanah, a student in the Bachelor of Medicine program at Nahdlatul Ulama University Surabaya, said she was grateful for the opportunity to receive a scholarship and participate in the event. “I am also very grateful to have received this scholarship, which has become the beginning of my dream; something I once could only imagine is now gradually becoming a reality,” Salsabila said, adding that she hoped SatuBeasiswa Indonesia would help students in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost areas access information on scholarship opportunities.

Head of the Higher Education Service Institution (LLDIKTI) Region VII East Java, Dyah Sawitry, said SatuBeasiswa Indonesia could serve as a concrete form of collaboration between the government and universities to expand access to higher education. She also highlighted its potential to support the need for more doctors in Indonesia by encouraging private universities, particularly medical schools, to provide scholarships.

“This program is very strategic because it creates space for collaboration between the government and universities to make a real contribution to society. If every medical study program could provide scholarships and produce even one doctor, with around 250 medical study programs, around 250 new doctors could emerge through collaboration among private universities in Indonesia,” Dyah said.

Brian also encouraged KIP Kuliah recipients to remember the role of universities and other parties that supported them throughout their educational journey. Kemdiktisaintek believes that continued support for education can be strengthened through broader participation, including from scholarship recipients who can later contribute to society and help create opportunities for the next generation.