UNAIR NEWS – The second day of Airlangga Education Expo Universitas Airlangga (AEE UNAIR) 2020 at Airlangga Convention Center was as lively as the first day. Director of Student Affairs Universitas Airlangga, Dr. M. Hadi Subhan, SH, CN, also attended the education expo and became a speaker on the Scholarship talk show. Thousands of Senior High School students were enthusiastic the event held on Saturday, February 22, 2020.
Hadi explained that Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), as a campus that educates tens of thousands of students, provides various scholarships to support the students achieving their goals. In detail, Hadi stated that UNAIR offers two types of scholarship, Bidikmisi (Biaya Pendidikan Mahasiswa Miskin Berprestasi/Educational Aid for Poor Students with Achievements), which is from the government, and other scholarships from various institutions.
According to him, around 7000 UNAIR students received scholarships from more than 50 institutions collaborating with UNAIR. It is almost 30 percent of the total number of UNAIR students.
“So, don’t worry later if you are admitted at UNAIR and you can’t afford to pay tuition fee. There is always a way,” he said.
Hadi explained that Bidikmisi and scholarships could be differentiated based on the selection criterion. Bidikmisi is financial support for the students, chosen not based on academic achievement but rather on the financial situation of prospective new students. Bidikmisi aims to remove financial barriers for prospective new students. They come from the bottom of the household income group.
“Bidikmisi is given to those (prospective new students, ed) with financial constraints. Scholarships, on the other hand, are more focused on students with excellent academic and non-academic achievements on campus,” he explained.
There are numerous opportunities for students to obtain Bidikmisi at UNAIR. According to previous year’s data, the quota for Bidikmisi awardees is not always met. UNAIR has allocated funds for 1050 students. Only 800 students, however, are eligible for Bidikmisi. As a result, UNAIR has 250 left quotas for Bidikmisi awardees.
“Bidikmisi at UNAIR is very open; the quota (Bidikmisi at UNAIR) has not been met in the last three years. So, from time to time, we look for students to become Bidikmisi awardees,” he explained.
Prospective new students from low-income families are the primary qualifications for the Bidikmisi awardee. If the prospective new student’s family income divided by the number of family members is less than Rp. 700,000, they are eligible to receive this Bidikmisi scholarship.
“For instance, farm laborers, coolies, and others. Civil servants in classes III and IV are unable to become Bidikmisi awardees. Meanwhile, civil servants in classes I and II will be considered for Bidikmisi assistance,” he explained.
Furthermore, Hadi explained the procedures to become a Bidikmisi awardee. Prospective new students must first register for bidikmisi or currently called the Indonesian Smart Card – College (Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah/KIP Kuliah).
“If you don’t have a KIP, you can still register for a KIP Kuliah until the end of March this year,” he said.
Hadi also described another type of scholarship, the PPA scholarship (Peningkatan Prestasi Akademik/Academic Achievement Improvement). The PPA has a massive quota, and there are approximately 1500 student quotas. “The primary requirement is a minimum GPA of 3.00. So, first and foremost, you must become an active student, ” he continued.
Hadi hoped that students will become more active, especially now that the Minister of Education and Culture has declared the term “Freedom of Learning.” It means that learning occurs not only in the classroom but also outside of the classroom and even outside of the campus.
Hadi advised students who were accepted into UNAIR not to be concerned about tuition fees (Uang Kuliah Tunggal/UKT) issues. There are six grades of tuition fees for students who follow the SNMPTN and SBMPTN pathways. If a student can prove that he comes from a low-income family, he may qualify for tuition fee remission.
“So don’t worry, even though you’re not the Bidikmisi awardee, if you can prove that you truly cannot afford it (tuition fees), you can definitely get a lower tuition fee,” he concluded.
Author: Sandi Prabowo
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
