Government-Backed 'SMA Unggul Garuda' Programme Sees 150% Surge in Students Entering Top 100 Global Universities
The government has announced that 12 senior high schools (SMA) and Islamic senior high schools (MA) under its ‘SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi’ programme have significantly increased the number of students accepted into the world’s top 100 universities. The number of successful applicants surged by 150 per cent within a single year.
These 12 pioneer schools are spread from Aceh to Southwest Papua, including MAN Insan Cendekia Gorontalo, SMA Pradita Dirgantara, SMAN 10 Fajar Harapan Banda Aceh, and SMA Averos Sorong.
“In the 12 SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi designated in 2025, the percentage of students accepted into the top 100 universities rose by 150 per cent,” said Kurnia Ramadhana, Acting Deputy for Partnership and Media Relations at the Government Communication Agency (Bakom RI), during a press conference on Wednesday, 24 June 2026.
According to records from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), only 132 students were accepted into the world’s top 100 universities in 2025. The figure has now risen significantly. “Currently, the number has increased to 330 students in 2026, or one year after these schools were selected and developed as SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi,” Kurnia added.
The SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi programme forms an integrated ecosystem with the SMA Unggul Garuda Baru, which is also organised by Kemdiktisaintek. The difference is that SMA Unggul Garuda Baru are built and managed from the ground up by the government, whereas SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi are existing schools selected and nurtured to optimise students’ potential for entering the world’s best universities.
Each SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi receives enrichment for its students, teachers, and school management over a two-year period. Additionally, these schools serve as hubs for mentoring and capacity building for dozens of other high schools in their surrounding areas.
In 2026, the government designated an additional 30 SMA Unggul Garuda Transformasi, bringing the total to 42 schools. The government is targeting 80 schools to join the programme by 2029.
Kurnia explained that the enrichment programme includes strengthening STEM learning, international training for teachers and counsellors—including SAT and IELTS certification—collaborative research mentoring, recommendation letter writing training, and facilitation of student applications to the world’s top universities.