University of Indonesia Supports Government Plan to Restrict Undergraduate Admissions Quota

The University of Indonesia has stated that the government’s plan to limit the number of new student admissions aligns with its own institutional policy. “UI’s policy is consistent with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek). At the undergraduate level, UI prioritises student quality over admission quantity,” said Kenny Lischer, Head of the University of Indonesia’s New Student Admissions Office, when asked for comment on Saturday, 14 March 2026.

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology plans to restrict undergraduate admissions at state universities, particularly those with the status of State University Legal Entity (PTN-BH).

In 2025, UI admitted approximately 10,000 new students with rigorous selection criteria, achieving only a 1 per cent success rate from a total of 111,000 applicants in the 2025 National Selection Test Based on Test (SNBT).

UI is working to maintain educational quality by preserving an ideal faculty-to-student ratio, even below 1 to 40. “The total number of active students currently reaches 52,000, still below maximum capacity,” explained Kenny.

In response, Kenny added that the university will focus more on increasing quotas at the postgraduate level to boost UI’s research productivity.

“This measure is part of UI’s commitment to continuously improve its ranking and competitiveness, both in Indonesia and on the global stage,” Kenny said.