Through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), the Indonesian government reopened registration for the 2025 Indonesia Smart College Card (KIP-College) Program to enhance public access and improve the quality of higher education.

Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, officially relaunched the program during a virtual program campaign event in Jakarta on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2025.

Minister Brodjonegoro stated that the KIP-College program aligned with President Prabowo Subianto’s Astacita, or the Eight Aspirations, aimed at developing a highly educated workforce.

He also emphasized the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to increasing equitable access to higher education while improving graduate outcomes.

“Through this program, the government envisions providing fair and equal opportunities nationwide to enhance competencies in higher education,” the minister said.

Recipient Numbers and Budget Growth

Since its launch in 2020, the KIP-College program has seen consistent growth in both beneficiaries and funding, as follows:

• 2020: 552,706 recipients; budget: Rp3.7 trillion
• 2021: 674,187 recipients; budget: Rp7.5 trillion
• 2022: 780,014 recipients; budget: Rp9.9 trillion
• 2023: 913,636 recipients; budget: Rp11.8 trillion
• 2024: 985,577 recipients; budget: Rp13.9 trillion.

For 2025, the government has allocated Rp14.69 trillion (approximately US$950 million) to support a record 1,040,192 beneficiaries – a significant increase from previous years.

Registration Timeline and Process

Individuals can apply via the official KIP-College webpage (https://kip-kuliah.kemdiktisaintek.go.id/) from Feb. 3 to Oct. 31, 2025.

The above timeline corresponds to the National Selection for New Students:

• Achievement-Based Admissions (SNBP): results announced March 18, 2025
• Test-Based Admissions (SNBT): results announced May 28, 2025

Eligibility screening and final selection for KIP-College recipients will take place from July 1 to Oct. 31, 2025.

Benefits for Recipients

Selected beneficiaries will receive:

1. Full tuition coverage paid directly to universities.
2. Monthly living allowances scaled to regional cost-of-living indexes, distributed once per semester into recipients’ bank accounts.

Allowance tiers range from Rp800,000 to Rp1,400,000 per month. This expanded initiative underscores Indonesia’s push to reduce financial barriers to education and cultivate a skilled workforce that aligns with national development goals.

2025 KIP-College Registration Requirements

1. Student Status

Prospective recipients must be high school (SMA/SMK/MA) graduates from the current year or up to two years prior. Applicants have to possess a valid National Student Identification Number (Nomor Induk Siswa Nasional/NISN), National School Identification Number (Nomor Pokok Sekolah Nasional/NPSN) and National Population Identification Number (Nomor Induk Kependudukan/NIK).

2. Financial Eligibility

Applicants must come from economically disadvantaged households, proven by one of the following documents:

• Indonesia Smart Card (Kartu Indonesia Pintar/KIP);
• Prosperous Family Card (Kartu Keluarga Sejahtera/KKS);
• Inclusion in the Social Welfare Integrated Data (Data Terpadu Kesejahteraan Sosial/DTKS) managed by the Indonesia Ministry of Social Affairs;
• A government-issued Certificate of Financial Hardship (Surat Keterangan Tidak Mampu/SKTM).

3. Academic Merit

Applicants must demonstrate strong academic potential, evidenced by admission to a state university (Perguruan Tinggi Negeri/PTN) or private university (Perguruan Tinggi Swasta/PTS) offering study programs accredited A or B. In exceptional cases, programs with C accreditation may be considered.

4. Non-Receipt of Other Scholarships

Applicants are prohibited from concurrently receiving scholarships or educational assistance funded by the State Budget (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanjar Negara/APBN) or Regional Budget (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah/APBD) that covers identical financial components.

2025 KIP-College Registration Guidelines

Account Creation

1. Visit the official KIP-College webpage at https://kip-kuliah.kemdikbud.go.id/
2. Enter personal data, including NIK, NISN, NPSN, and an active email address.
3. The system will verify the submitted data. If validated, a Registration Number and Access Code will be sent to the applicant’s registered email.

Registration Process

1. Log into the KIP-College portal using Registration Number and Access Codes.
2. Fill in personal details, family information, and economic data via the provided forms.
3. Upload supporting documents, such as KIP, KKS, or SKTM.

Selection Paths

1. Select one university admission path, such as SNBP or SNBT.
2. Register for KIP-Kuliah before applying for the desired university admission path.

Selection and Verification

1. Complete the college admission selection process for your chosen path.
2. Upon acceptance, the university will conduct a final verification of the submitted data and documents.

Recipient Confirmation

1. After verification, applicants will be notified of their KIP-College acceptance status.
2. Approved recipients will receive full tuition coverage and a monthly living allowance, as per program regulations.

The KIP-Kuliah initiative is envisioned as a catalyst to democratize higher education access nationwide, prioritizing high-achieving students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. By removing financial barriers, the program aimed at empowering academically talented youth across all socioeconomic backgrounds, in line with Indonesia’s long-term “Golden Generation of 2045” or Generasi Emas 2045 as a centennial independence vision to cultivate a globally competitive workforce through equitable educational opportunities.

Writer: Kristantyo Wisnubroto

Editors: Taofiq Rauf/Siti Chodijah

Translator: RM Donum Theo KMP