Welfare Data Changes Threaten KIP-K Eligibility for Unpad Students
The Vice Chairman of the Padjaddjaran University (Unpad) Student Executive Board (BEM), Ezra Al Barra, stated that changes in welfare decile data have caused several prospective new students, who previously met the requirements for the Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP-K) scholarship, to suddenly be declared ineligible.
According to Ezra, the issue emerged during the verification process conducted by Padjadjaran University for students admitted through the SMUP (Seleksi Mandiri Universitas Padjadjaran) pathway.
“When they applied to Unpad in May, their decile was still in categories 1 to 4, making them eligible for KIP Kuliah. However, during verification in June, their decile shifted to categories 6 to 10,” Ezra said on Monday, 6 July 2026.
He noted that this change occurred without any actual change in the students’ family economic conditions. “There was no increase in family income, and no new family members have started working. Yet, their decile status changed, resulting in immediate disqualification,” he added.
BEM Unpad suspects this shift is linked to the government’s welfare data update process conducted between May and June 2026. Based on a random sample of 53 prospective students, BEM Unpad found that approximately 62 per cent of respondents had decile data that did not align with their families’ actual economic reality.
Ezra stated that this issue affects not only KIP Kuliah opportunities but also various other facilities that rely on welfare data to determine aid recipients.
Of the 444 prospective students admitted via the SMUP KIP Kuliah pathway, 114 individuals had matching decile data and were immediately proposed to the government as KIP Kuliah recipients. Meanwhile, another 114 students underwent re-interviews by the university to verify their economic status.
For those on the waiting list, Padjadjaran University also conducted verifications. Out of 169 interviewees, 96 received campus-funded KIPK scholarships, which include waivers for tuition fees (UKT) and Institutional Development Levies (IPI). An additional 73 students received relief in the form of instalment plans or tuition reductions.
However, Ezra emphasised that university-provided scholarships do not fully replace the benefits of KIP Kuliah, as they do not cover living allowances. “Our hope is that if Unpad receives additional KIP Kuliah quotas from the government, students who have already received academic fee waivers can also receive living allowances,” he said.
Ezra mentioned that BEM Unpad, alongside the university rectorate, has submitted a report to the government regarding this matter. They also submitted a policy brief to the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture at the end of June 2026.
He explained that this step was taken because the root of the problem is seen not to be the KIP Kuliah distribution mechanism, but rather the accuracy of the welfare data used as the basis for determining aid recipients.
In addition to prospective students, BEM Unpad found indications of similar issues affecting currently active KIP Kuliah recipients. “From our initial data collection, approximately 20 active KIP Kuliah recipients have seen their decile status change, meaning they no longer meet the requirements and are at risk of losing their aid,” Ezra said.
Attempts were made to seek responses from the Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Fauzan, and the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, regarding this information. However, as of the time of publication, neither has responded.