Antara News·Indonesia·Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 07:07 AM

Indonesia considers tuition-free education at state universities

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Sean Filo, Tegar Nurfitra

Indonesia's Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology has begun assessing the feasibility of providing tuition-free education at state universities, following an instruction from President Prabowo Subianto.

Minister Brian Yuliarto confirmed the move in a statement cited in Jakarta on Tuesday, saying the ministry is calculating the standard financing requirements of students at state universities while taking into account the conditions and needs of each institution.

He added that the government recognizes the importance of paying equal attention to the sustainability of the universities under the planned policy.

The assessment results will be submitted to the president as a basis for determining whether the policy should be implemented in full at once or introduced in stages.

"It would be great if it could be implemented directly. Otherwise, we will arrange phases spanning 2027, 2028, and 2029. This is what we are working on at present," Yuliarto said.

The minister further noted that the ongoing assessment is intended to ensure that the tuition-free higher education initiative is implemented on the basis of adequate data.

He described the effort as part of the ministry's strategy to support the president's directive to expand access to higher education nationwide, emphasizing the need for a measurable and well-targeted policy.

In this regard, Yuliarto said the ministry would continue evaluating existing higher education assistance schemes, including the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) program for college students.

The government, he added, remains committed to exploring ways to make higher education more accessible to people from disadvantaged economic backgrounds.

"In short, we want to achieve optimal results and ensure that higher education is accessible to those who cannot afford it," he said.

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