Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting students until their studies end by providing financial assistance and other facilities.
“There has never been a story of (UGM) students dropping out of college because they cannot afford the tuition fees (UKT/Uang Kuliah Tunggal). UGM has always been, and will always be, committed to helping underprivileged students,” said Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Finance, Prof. Supriyadi, on Wednesday (8/2).
He said that the achievements and recognition from numerous accreditation and ranking agencies showed the quality of education at UGM and its resources. However, organizing quality education with adequate facilities does require enormous operating costs.
In Indonesia’s higher education system, the operating costs necessary to provide education for a student per semester from the beginning to the end is called BKT (Biaya Kuliah Tunggal), which differs from one study program to another due to the diverse needs they have.
So far, at UGM, the number of students charged tuition fees at the amount stated in BKT is relatively small. More than 90 percent of students get tuition subsidies or pay below the BKT set for their respective study programs.
“When the amount of tuition is equal to the BKT, that is the break-even point. If we look at the profile of UGM students, the highest tuition group is UKT 8, some are equal to BKT, some are slightly below it, and only 9.2 percent of UGM students fall into this category,” the professor said. “We provide subsidies to ensure that students can complete their studies.”
He continued that about 20 percent of students were UKT 0, UKT 1, and UKT 2 recipients, with tuition fees of Rp500 thousand and Rp1 million per semester. If the tuition fee for a study program is Rp9 million, and students only pay Rp500 thousand, the subsidy provided is Rp8.5 million.
This subsidy, he explained, was not all funded by the government. Therefore, UGM mobilizes financial support from various parties, one of which is from the parents of students, to cover the shortfall.
“Preparing competent human resources is not easy. It is undeniable that we must have supporting resources in terms of finance and adequate facilities to meet every need,” Prof. Supriyadi added.
Dean of the UGM Vocational College, Dr. Agus Maryono, said that the solidarity of the parents had contributed significantly to the development of the College.
“When UGM effectuated voluntary donations last year, the Vocational College was the second largest recipient of donations among all faculties, indicating that the solidarity of parents for UGM’s future surely exists,” Dr. Agus said.
In addition to tuition assistance, UGM also provides scholarships for students.
“In 2022, we managed scholarships from 165 partners totaling Rp304 billion. As of this January, we have also disbursed scholarships for the next semester amounting to Rp87 billion,” said the Secretary to the Directorate of Student Affairs, Dr. Hempri Suyatna.
Students can also apply for temporary tuition exemption, tuition reduction, tuition group change, or tuition payment in installments in the event of financial stress.
“We provide tuition relief assistance averaging Rp20 billion per year,” Finance Director, Dr. Syaiful Ali, added.
Author: Gloria
Photographer: Firsto