LPDP Director States That Children of Officials Are Also Entitled to Receive LPDP Scholarships

The Director of the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), Sudarto, has emphasised that LPDP scholarships are inclusive, with a focus on identifying top talents within the country. This statement aims to correct any misconceptions regarding the eligibility of scholarship recipients based on their economic background.

“LPDP is truly focused on finding the best talents in Indonesia to access top-tier education worldwide. It must be inclusive,” Sudarto told reporters at the Ministry of Finance in Jakarta, quoted on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Sudarto stated that LPDP strives to provide equal opportunities for Indonesian talents to access higher education. One of the efforts undertaken includes affirmative scholarships specifically for children from Papua, designated regions, underprivileged backgrounds, people with disabilities, and those involved in sports.

The affirmative scholarship program has reached 127 cities/regencies, with a cumulative total of 14,983 recipients. In 2026, affirmative scholarships will account for more than 25 percent of the total number of scholarship recipients.

Regarding the attention given to children of officials who receive scholarships, Sudarto said that they are also included in the group entitled to receive scholarships because LPDP does not require an economic background as a condition. However, he suggested that prospective applicants with adequate financial means choose the partial scholarship option, where LPDP only funds 50 percent of the education, with the remaining amount paid by the recipient from their own funds.

“This is an appeal, if possible, choose a partial scholarship rather than a full scholarship, so that we can fund more scholarships,” said Sudarto.

As of 2026, the LPDP scholarship program has supported 58,444 degree scholarship recipients, as well as 583,171 participants in collaborative programs with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), and 42,160 recipients of collaborative scholarships with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Starting in 2021 until 2026, the scholarship program has been more targeted towards strategic fields, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), the food and maritime industry, energy, health, defense, digitalisation (including artificial intelligence and semiconductors), as well as downstream industries, manufacturing, advanced materials, entrepreneurship, and the creative industry.

LPDP notes that there are currently around 38,000 scholarship recipients who are currently studying. (Ant)