That afternoon, Prananingrum Hanondaru Wigaringtyas sprinted across the rice fields, searching for her mother. The 18-year-old, affectionately known as Hanon, could barely contain her excitement. Moments earlier, she had received the news that would change her family’s future. Not only had she been admitted to the Chemical Engineering undergraduate program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) through Indonesia’s National Test-Based Admission (SNBT), but the university had also approved full tuition support, allowing her to pursue her dream without worrying about tuition fees.
Her mother, Triya Andayani, a farm laborer in Sleman, had spent years praying for that very moment.
For Hanon, studying at UGM had never been a certainty. Since losing her father in 2014, she and her family have relied on her mother’s modest income from agricultural work. Although she was initially awarded a 75 percent tuition subsidy, the remaining tuition fee was still beyond the family’s financial means.
Determined not to give up, Hanon and her older brother, Pranasakti Yogaswara, visited UGM’s Department of Chemical Engineering to ask whether her tuition assessment could be reconsidered. Their persistence paid off. A few days later, the university informed her that her tuition support had been increased to 100 percent.
“Even after receiving the subsidy, the remaining tuition was still something we simply couldn’t afford,” Hanon said.
“When I found out, I immediately ran to the rice field where my mother was working to tell her that my tuition had become zero rupiah,” Hanon recalled, smiling through tears.
The moment marked the end of one struggle, but it reflected years of perseverance.
While studying at SMAN 9 Yogyakarta, Hanon chose to prepare for the national university entrance examination without enrolling in private tutoring, knowing the additional expense would place an even greater burden on her family. Instead, she relied on classroom lessons, free educational videos on YouTube, online practice questions, and study discussions with classmates.
“I felt sorry for my mother because tutoring is expensive. I decided to make the most of what I had—learning at school, studying online, and discussing practice questions with friends,” she said.
Her determination paid off. Hanon was admitted to UGM’s highly competitive Chemical Engineering program with an average entrance examination score of 730, including outstanding scores of 800 in both Mathematical Reasoning and Quantitative Knowledge.
For Triya, the acceptance letter was the answer to years of quiet prayers.
Every morning, as she took her daughter to school, they would pass a road where UGM’s campus could be seen in the distance. Each time, she silently prayed that one day her daughter would become a student there.
“I couldn’t help her study or pay for tutoring. All I could do was pray. Every time we passed UGM, I prayed that one day she would study there. Thank God, those prayers have finally been answered,” Triya said, wiping away tears.
Now that her daughter has the opportunity she once only dreamed of, Triya hopes Hanon will make the most of it.
“UGM has lifted a huge burden from our family. Now it’s her turn to honor that opportunity through hard work and achievement.”
Hanon shares that sense of responsibility. Receiving full tuition support, she said, is not the end of her journey but the beginning of a greater commitment.
“UGM has given me the opportunity to study here and fully covered my tuition. I want to make the most of that opportunity, study seriously, and graduate on time. That’s the best way I can repay my family’s sacrifices and the trust the university has placed in me.”
For Hanon, earning a place at one of Indonesia’s leading universities is more than a personal achievement. It is proof that perseverance, family support, and access to higher education can transform lives—one dream, and one family, at a time.
Author: Agito Sitepu
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-Editor: Priyanandaningrat
Photo: Hanifah