UGM mulls applying single entrance test

UGM mulls applying single entrance test

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) is considering
simplifying its six different selection processes into a system
that requires only one integrated entrance test, UGM Rector
Sofian Effendi said here on Wednesday.

"The existing system is too complicated," said Sofian, adding
that the new system would be applied next year.

UGM currently selects students in six different ways, through
a university-organized selection test, region-based selection,
selection of regional athletes, partnership selection, domestic
cooperation program and a foreign cooperation program.

Sofian said that the new selection system would be used to
select students who receive government subsidies and students who
have to pay tuition fees in full.

"We need to do that because of the lowering of government
subsidies allocated to the university," Sofian said, during a
media conference at his office on Wednesday.

The new system will still provide opportunities for student
candidates from rural provinces throughout the country, including
aspiring athletes.

Those who are recommended by their high schools or regional
governments will score additional points for their entrance test,
he said.

"That's why I call this an integrated entrance test," said
Sofian, adding that such measures would be taken to maintain the
university's role as a national university with students from
across the country.

According to Sofian, an undergraduate (S1) student pays an
average tuition fee of Rp 10 million a year. An UGM student,
however, only pays Rp 1.2 million per year.

"That means that the government subsidy for UGM's fees is
nearly 90 percent for each student," said Sofian.

Not all UGM students are subsidized, though. This year, for
example, only 80 percent of the total number of students at the
university receive a subsidy.

"Next year, 70 percent or 60 percent of them could be eligible
for subsidies. Who knows?" Sofian said, underlying why the
university had to consider requiring some of its students to pay
their school fees in full.

"The composition of how many students receive the subsidy and
how many pay in full will very much depend on the level of
subsidies the government allocates for the university," he said.

UGM currently has 55,000 students.

For the 2002/2003 academic year, UGM plans to receive some
5,048 new students for its 69 study programs, four of which are
new study programs.