Rules That Could Force LPDP Scholar's Husband to Repay Scholarship Funds After 'Only I Need to Be Indonesian' Controversy

A statement by a woman identified as DS on social media — “only I need to be an Indonesian citizen, not the children” — has had far-reaching consequences. The Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) has turned its attention to the service obligations of her husband, identified by the initials AP, who is an LPDP scholarship alumnus.

LPDP has summoned AP for clarification and potential sanctions. He faces the prospect of having to repay the entirety of his scholarship funds.

“LPDP is in the process of summoning AP to request clarification and to carry out enforcement action and the imposition of sanctions, up to and including full repayment of scholarship funds, should it be proven that the obligation to contribute in Indonesia has not been fulfilled,” read a statement from LPDP’s official Instagram account @lpdp_ri.

Under the regulations, LPDP awardees and alumni are required to fulfil a contribution period of 2N+1 after completing their studies. What does this entail, and what sanctions can be imposed for non-compliance?

The 2N+1 Contribution Obligation for LPDP Alumni

According to official LPDP communications, all awardees and alumni are obligated to undertake a period of domestic service in Indonesia lasting twice the duration of their studies (2N) plus one year, known as the 2N+1 scheme.

In the case of DS, LPDP stated that she had completed her master’s degree and graduated on 31 August 2017, and had fulfilled her service period in accordance with regulations. However, her husband AP is suspected of not having completed his contribution obligation.

LPDP said it is summoning AP to seek clarification regarding the alleged non-fulfilment of his domestic contribution obligation. The institution affirmed that should it be proven that the contribution requirement has not been met, sanctions may be imposed up to and including repayment of the scholarship funds received.

The institution, which operates under the Ministry of Finance, also emphasised its commitment to enforcing regulations fairly, consistently, and responsibly towards all awardees and alumni, and to maintaining institutional integrity.

Stages of Sanctions for Alumni Who Do Not Return

According to official LPDP guidance, as published by the Ministry of Finance, there are several stages of sanctions for alumni who do not return to Indonesia after completing their studies:

Stage 1: Verification of Whereabouts LPDP verifies the whereabouts of alumni 90 days after the graduation date stated on their diploma. If the alumnus is still abroad, the process moves to the next stage.

Stage 2: Confirmation Letter LPDP sends a Confirmation Letter which the alumnus must respond to within 14 calendar days.

Stage 3: Warning Letters If the alumnus remains abroad or fails to respond to the confirmation, LPDP will issue Warning Letter 1, followed by Warning Letter 2 if necessary. Each warning letter carries a 30 calendar day response deadline.

Stage 4: Request for Information and Official Record Alumni who respond will be asked to provide information, the results of which are recorded in an official record (BAPK). The BAPK must be signed within a maximum of 14 calendar days. Any disagreement with the information will be noted in an Alumni Examination Report (LPA) for processing at Stage 6.

Stage 5: Reporting of Return If an alumnus returns during the enforcement process, return documentation must be immediately sent to monev.alumnilpdp@kemenkeu.go.id before the warning letter deadline expires.

Stage 6: Fund Repayment Sanctions If warning letter provisions are violated, a Director General’s Decree is issued regarding fund repayment sanctions and programme blocking. Funds must be repaid within a maximum of 30 calendar days after the collection letter is issued, even if the alumnus returns after the decree has been issued.

Stage 7: State Debt Collection If the collection demand is not met, the case is referred to the Directorate General of State Assets (DJKN) at the Ministry of Finance for independent processing as a state receivable.

These provisions form the basis for enforcement action against alumni who fail to fulfil their domestic contribution obligations. Should an awardee decide not to return to Indonesia, they may face sanctions in the form of compensation equivalent to the total scholarship amount received.