LPDP Responds to Bahlil: We Never Set TOEFL 700-800 Requirements
Golkar General Chairman Bahlil Lahadalia raised concerns about TOEFL score requirements of 700-800 for LPDP scholarship applications, which he argued could only be achieved by wealthy individuals. LPDP firmly denied ever establishing TOEFL score requirements within that range.
“LPDP has never set TOEFL requirements in the 700-800 range. That range does not conform to official test standards, given that the maximum TOEFL ITP score is 677, making it technically impossible to serve as a reference for requirements,” said M. Lukmanul Hakim, Head of LPDP’s Legal and Communications Division, when contacted on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
Lukmanul stated that English language proficiency standards are based on the academic requirements of the target higher education institutions. He noted that LPDP had provided exemptions from English language requirements for affirmative action pathway participants.
“The English language proficiency requirements currently in place are formulated based on the academic needs of target higher education institutions and are intended to ensure scholarship recipients are adequately prepared for their studies, not to restrict access for applicants,” said Lukmanul.
“Furthermore, for affirmative action pathway participants applying to domestic universities, LPDP provides exemptions from English language requirements to ensure scholarship opportunities remain widely and inclusively available,” he added.
LPDP stated its commitment to expanding equitable access to higher education. Policy evaluations will be conducted periodically without compromising academic quality standards.
“LPDP is committed to continuously expanding equitable access to higher education for all Indonesian citizens, including those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, affirmative action regions, and persons with disabilities. Policy evaluations are also conducted regularly to ensure inclusivity without compromising the academic quality standards necessary for educational success,” it stated.
Earlier, Bahlil remarked that an individual’s quality is not determined by their school but by their personal character. He criticised TOEFL requirements in the 700-800 range, noting that only wealthy individuals could typically achieve such scores.
“I am among those who believe that school does not guarantee a person’s quality. What guarantees a person’s quality is the person themselves,” Bahlil said at Az-Zainiyyah Islamic Boarding School in Sukabumi, West Java, on Sunday, 8 March 2026.
“Islamic boarding schools certainly possess far superior quality. What is needed is the proper approach. Equal opportunity should be provided. They should not be required to achieve English TOEFL scores of 700 or 800—that is only for wealthy people,” he added.