Graduating from SMAU CT ARSA Foundation, Larasati Realises Her Dream of Studying at ITB

Economic limitations did not dampen Larasati Aulia Shafira Damayanti’s determination to pursue higher education. The alumna of SMA Unggulan CT ARSA Foundation Sukoharjo is now continuing her studies at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bandung Institute of Technology, after becoming one of the recipients of the BSI Scholarship Unggulan.

Larasati is one of around 350 beneficiaries, or awardees, of the BSI Scholarship Unggulan. The scholarship programme provides full support to high-achieving students facing economic hardship, including payment of tuition fees, a monthly allowance of Rp1.5 million, a laptop, development programmes, and internship opportunities in the Islamic banking sector.

For Larasati, the scholarship answered the economic challenges her family has faced. She comes from Boyolali, Central Java. Her father works as a cleaner at SMK Dwija Dharma Boyolali with an income of around Rp500,000 per month. To meet the family’s needs, he also takes on additional work as a sewing labourer.

Her mother is a housewife who cannot work due to health conditions. She has a history of illness, has undergone surgery for a cyst, and has heart problems.

The family’s economic situation is made more challenging because her parents are also financing the education of Larasati’s older sibling, who is currently at university. In these circumstances, Larasati realised that continuing to higher education would require considerable struggle.

But her spirit did not waver. Larasati went through the BSI Scholarship Unggulan selection process, which consists of three stages: administrative selection, a written test, and an interview.

At the administrative stage, Larasati paid particular attention to writing her essay. She often consulted her older sibling, who has an educational background in Indonesian language, to refine the essay, which was an important part of the selection.

The next stage was a written test that included a psychometric test. Larasati had to complete around 500 questions online via Zoom over approximately four hours, from 08.00 to 12.00 WIB.

The next challenge came at the interview stage. At that time, Larasati did not yet have a laptop, so she had to take part in the selection process using whatever device she had.

“Honestly, during the interview I was still using a basic device because I did not have a laptop yet. Alhamdulillah, because I had often practised interviews beforehand, the process went quite smoothly,” Larasati said.

After undergoing the interview in the afternoon, Larasati did not have to wait long. That evening, the results were announced and her name was declared successful as a recipient of the BSI Scholarship Unggulan. There was one interesting detail that gave Larasati extra motivation in joining the programme.

“The fun fact is that I was indeed aiming for the laptop facility because I did not yet have a laptop for university,” she said.

Now, the laptop that had been an important need to support her studies is hers through the scholarship programme. However, the benefits she received did not stop at educational facilities.

According to Larasati, the BSI Scholarship provides fast support, especially in helping to settle campus tuition payments. In addition, the various programmes and development activities provided to awardees are considered to offer real benefits for students’ personal growth.

Larasati’s journey is proof that economic limitations do not have to be the end of a dream. Armed with the education she received at SMA Unggulan CT ARSA Foundation Sukoharjo, hard work, courage, and a willingness to keep learning, the daughter of a cleaner has now stepped into one of Indonesia’s best universities.

From Boyolali to ITB, Larasati carries a great hope that education can be a path to changing the future.